The Steelers seem to have a 'glass half full' outlook on their struggling offense. The question, however, is if what fills that glass is actually palatable.
Pittsburgh managed just three points against the Bills Sunday in an embarrassing 38-3 blowout. There were some signs that the offense may be trending in a slightly more encouraging direction.
Kenny Pickett, in his first career start, led the offense to 310 passing yards, 106 more than the Steelers had gotten in any game this season, and Pittsburgh did have numerous opportunities to put points on the board. But the offensive drives, all too frequently, stalled as the Steelers approached scoring territory.
"You can look at those plays and we can all say what could we have done a little bit better here or there," offensive coordinator Matt Canada said. "We have to be a little bit better. It's a bottom line business. We didn't score when we got down there.
"So moving it up and down the field, really, that doesn't do anything for you. That's not what we're trying to do. That's not enough. We have to score touchdowns."
The Steelers came close. Diontae Johnson nearly got his feet down in the back of the end zone on a ball thrown by Pickett that would have tied the game early. But Johnson's feet were just off and, for a second straight week, he narrowly missed out on what could have been a meaningful touchdown.
"The level of expectation is that he's got to make it," Canada said of Johnson. "But also, I don't mean that in a negative way. Diontae is our number one receiver. He makes big plays. We know he'll make him. He's made them in the past. So it's not like we don't know that Diontae can make catches, and all our guys can make catches."
The task at hand is a lofty one for Canada. He's got a rookie quarterback, a running game that has failed to produce a 100-yard rusher in seven games, and a group of wide receivers — much heralded in training camp for its big play potential — that has yet to catch a touchdown pass this season.
"Scoring touchdowns is the point of emphasis," Canada said. "We can go through plays and here and there, 'are we close, are we not?' I want everybody to score more touchdowns. We have to score touchdowns, and there's no running away from that."
Canada admits that it's taken the offense "too long" to find effective balance and to produce. He's also willing to put some of that blame on his own shoulders.
"We have to be balanced," he said. "Coach (Mike Tomlin) has a real clear expectation of what we're going to look like on offense and what we're going to do, and we're striving to do those things. But every game dictates something different. Every game is different."
Every game, however, has been a poor one offensively for the Steelers. They've scored six offensive touchdown in five games. They have the fifth-fewest yards and points scored in football. The offense has scored 20 points or less seven straight games, and in Canada's 23 games as offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh's offense has put up more than 20 points in regulation just five times.
"You know, we all got to be that much better," Canada said. "And that's where we're at. And there's no fear, there's no doubt in where we're at with anybody. We just have to make those plays at the right time. So I continue to coach them and push them and we all got to do a little bit better to get that right to get the results that we all need and want."
After the loss to Buffalo, Tomlin discussed changes to the team. The assumption, at the time, was the Canada could potentially be an obvious change. Days later, Tomlin backed off that suggestion, saying he wasn't ready to make changes just to make them, or to 'shoot a hostage.'
Regardless — and even though he likes the development he's seen from some of the younger players — Canada knows the pressure is on him and his players to deliver. Now.
"We're not coaching well enough, not playing well enough," he said. "We're not getting the results we want. So we have to look at why that is. Football is a fundamental game, it always has been. And until we get where we need to be, we've got to get those things found and play better fundamental football."
