The numbers explain why the Pittsburgh Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada earlier this week.
The Steelers are 28th in the NFL in scoring (16.6 points a game) and total offense (280.1). While the Steelers have a 6-4 record, they have been outgained in all 10 games.
Remarkably, the Steelers are still in playoff position as they get set to visit the Cincinnati Bengals (5-5) on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. The Steelers are 1 Ā½ games behind the first-place Baltimore Ravens (8-3) in the AFC North but currently hold one of the conferenceās three wild-card playoff spots.
The Steelers have faced some of the best defenses in the league this season, including the Cleveland Browns twice. The Browns are first in total defense while two other Steelersā opponents ā the Ravens (third) and San Francisco 49ers (fifth) ā are in the top five.
Nevertheless, the Steelersā offense has been stagnant all season. Pittsburgh has yet to score more than 26 points in any of their 10 games.
However, what played a big role in Canadaās firing ā beside locker room unrest ā was that quarterback Kenny Pickett seems to be regressing in his second NFL season.
Pickett has completed just 60.5% of his passes for 1,722 yards and six touchdowns with four interceptions. His passer rating of 76.7 is just slightly better than the 66.7 mark of his rookie season.
Pickett also had a better completion rate (63.0%) last season when he threw for 2,404 yards and seven TDs with nine picks.
Yet with the Steelers still a postseason contender, coach Mike Tomlin says that new offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner cannot focus most of his attention for the remainder of the season on advancing Pickettās career.
Faulkner will formulate the game plan during the week and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan will call the plays on gameday.
āIāll focus on this week in terms of the development of Kenny,ā Tomlin said. “Werre getting ready to play a football game and win this week. That is the only agenda here. Thereās that big picture and 2024 and all of that. This organization is not wired like that.ā
Pickett has just 13 touchdown passes in 23 career games to go with 13 interceptions. Yet Tomlin remains steadfast that Pickett can be a franchise quarterback.
āI work with him every day,ā Tomlin said. āAnd Iāve been really transparent about him and his willingness to work. In my experience of what that tells me, this guy will do anything and everything. He works extremely hard. Thereās such a thing as football justice. Those guys usually get what theyāre looking for. So thatās why Iāve remained consistently optimistic about the trajectory of his growth and development.ā
The Bengals (5-5) have major quarterback problems after Joe Burrow sustained a season-ending wrist injury in last weekās 34-20 loss to the Ravens.
Jake Browning will make his first career start at QB for the Bengals. In relief of Burrow against the Ravens, Browning was 8-of-14 passing for 68 yards and one touchdown while being sacked three times.
Prior to that game, Browning had thrown only one pass in an NFL game. That came in mop-up duty in Week 1 when the Bengals were beaten by the Browns 24-3.
Perhaps the Bengalsā defense will give Pickett the opportunity to get back on track. Cincinnati is 30th overall in total defense and 21st in pass defense.