First Call: Ben Roethlisberger on Matt Canada’s coaching style, 3rd down approach; James Conner discusses return
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Thursday’s “First Call” has some insights about Matt Canada and the Steelers offense from Ben Roethlisberger. James Conner looks ahead to his return to Pittsburgh Sunday as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
We take a look at the injury report for the Steelers-Cards game. And the Penguins take on a familiar Eastern Conference foe in Florida.
Welcome to the club, Ben
It’s good to see that Ben Roethlisberger is a member of my Pittsburgh Steelers #ShortOfTheSticks complaint club.
During his most recent “Footbahlin’” podcast, the former Steelers quarterback praised a particular connection between quarterback Kenny Picket and tight end Pat Freiermuth during the team’s win in Cincinnati Sunday. It was the first game without deposed offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
Roethlisberger noticed the absence of what was a very common Canada trait during the play. It was a 29-yard gain on a third down in the first quarter.
“The linebacker (Logan Wilson) was sitting at the sticks, expecting, because that’s all we’ve done. We sit at the sticks. Kenny throws at the sticks. We run all our routes at the sticks,” Roethlisberger said. “Well, what did Pat do? He ran beyond the sticks. And the linebacker, who was a good cover guy, is kind of sitting and waiting, and sure enough, Pat takes it beyond ’em, Kenny throws a great ball, and we pick up 20, 30 yards.”
Preach, Ben! Preach!
Canada was obsessed with throwing short to run long on third downs. The problem was, as often as not, the Steelers ended up throwing short to come up short. Like, for instance, six times on completed passes against Cleveland two weeks ago.
Since we brought it up
While we are on the topic of Big Ben breaking down the Steelers offense, here’s what he had to say about what his relationship was like with Canada as the offensive coordinator during his final year on the field in 2021.
“I always worked closely with the coordinator, even when I had a quarterback coach,” Roethlisberger said. “I didn’t feel that with Matt. Even when he was my coordinator. It almost felt like Matt wanted to let the quarterback coach coach me — or coach the quarterbacks. For right or wrong, maybe it’s just the way he does it.”
Roethlisberger, though, did couch those comments by saying it could have been different with Pickett as the QB instead of him.
In other words, perhaps Canada was less hands on with him than Pickett because Pickett came to the Steelers as a rookie last year, and Roethlisberger had almost two decades in the league.
Broken wings
The Steelers appear to be getting good news on the injury front. Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) and Montravius Adams (ankle) were both full participants at practice Wednesday after missing multiple weeks due to injury. So was Kenny Pickett despite being listed with an ankle injury.
The only other injury that appears worthy of tracking is Calvin Austin with an ankle. The receiver didn’t practice at all Wednesday.
Their opponent on Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals, are a bit of a different story. They had nine players on the injury report, including six starters.
Wednesday’s injury report:
TE Trey McBride (groin)and S Jalen Thompsons (ribs) pop up with new injuries.
WR’s Hollywood Brown (heel) and Michael Wilson (shoulder) did not practice
–@DaniSureck pic.twitter.com/O3ERIIoXw4
— Arizona Cardinals Insiders (@AZCardsInsiders) November 29, 2023
Among the injuries that Steelers fans should keep an eye on are receiver Michael Wilson who has been sidelined since Nov. 12 with a shoulder injury. Tight end Trey McBride had seven catches for 60 yards but is dealing with a groin injury. And receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is still trying to get over a troublesome heel.
However, he had played through it last week and caught six passes for 88 yards in the Cardinals’ 37-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Cards are particularly dinged in the secondary. Starting cornerbacks Antonio Hamilton (groin) and Starling Thomas V (ankle) both missed practice as did starting strong safety Jalen Thompson (ribs).
Related
• Steelers vie to host NFL Draft in 2026 or 2027
• Points aside, Steelers QB Kenny Pickett saw positives in 1st game under new offensive regime
• Najee Harris: Steelers offense trusted itself, handled distractions in wake of Matt Canada firing
Conner coming back
When the Cardinals come to town, James Conner will be in the offensive backfield. The ex-Pittsburgh Steelers running back will be making his first appearance at Acrisure Stadium as a member of a visiting team.
Conner signed with the Cardinals in April 2021 after four years with the Steelers. After 18 total touchdowns that season and eight a year ago, Conner only has two this season. He has been limited to eight games due to injury.
However, the former Pitt Panther does have 526 yards rushing on the season and is averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for the people there and just love for them taking a chance, when I was coming out (of Pitt). I was dealing with all types of injuries and cancer, and the Steelers still selected me. So I’m forever grateful,” Conner said via video on the Cardinals YouTube page. “And then obviously the University of Pittsburgh (was) one of the few schools that gave me a scholarship so I’ve got nothing but love (for) the people.”
Conner was a first-team All-American at Pitt in 2014 and a Pro Bowler with the Steelers in 2018. A native of Erie, Conner is expecting to have 15-20 people in attendance for the game.
Battlin’ the Bolts
The Penguins visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. It’s the first of three meetings between the Eastern Conference rivals. They play again on Wednesday in Florida, then for a third time at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday, April 6.
The Bolts are 10-8-5 (25 points) to start the year, good for what would be the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference. Star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy missed the first two months of the season after having back surgery. He won an 8-2 decision over Carolina on Friday, Nov. 24. Then he lost 4-1 to Colorado on Monday.
Former Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov is leading the NHL in scoring with 37 points. He has 15 goals, trailing only Vancouver’s Brock Boeser (17).
The Lightning are averaging 3.48 goals per game, sixth best in hockey. But they are allowing 3.52 goals against per game, sixth most in hockey. At 32.5 %, the power play is second best in the NHL behind only the New Jersey Devils (36.8%). The penalty kill is good, too, at 84.5%. That’s eighth best in the league.
The Penguins have lost five of their last seven games and are tied for sixth in the Metropolitan Division with 21 points.