Mark Madden: Steelers coordinator Matt Canada is outsmarting himself, even when facing the obvious

The Los Angeles Chargers have the worst run defense in the NFL, conceding an average of 155.1 yards per game.

The Steelers need to run the ball down their throats Sunday night.

Just like the Steelers needed to do against Detroit this past Sunday when they had first-and-goal from the Lions’ 5-yard line.

But, in that instance, the Steelers didn’t run the ball even once.

It’s cliched to blame the offensive coordinator. But that’s what we do in Pittsburgh because there’s no chance the head coach will ever get fired.

But Matt Canada has mostly been horrific during this, his first season as Steelers offensive coordinator.

Canada never should have gotten the job in the first place.

Last season was Canada’s first in the NFL, when he served as Steelers quarterback coach. He has had nine employers since beginning his coaching career proper in 1997, so he has proven nothing besides being dispensable. His primary qualification for being promoted to offensive coordinator seems to be that he was already on payroll.

Nine games into the season, the Steelers offense doesn’t have an identity. Canada’s gameplans are haphazard. The element of surprise translates into him outsmarting himself.

Take the Detroit tie, which seems certain to haunt the Steelers in their pursuit of the playoffs.

The Lions came into the game with the NFL’s fourth-worst run defense. With Ben Roethlisberger in covid protocol, Mason Rudolph started at quarterback. Receivers Chase Claypool and JuJu Smith-Schuster were out. It was raining.

Rookie running back Najee Harris was, by any estimate, the Steelers’ best weapon left standing.

So, in the rain, Rudolph threw the ball 50 times. Not well, either.

Against Chicago the week prior, the Steelers handed the ball to a receiver via jet sweep or reverse on six occasions. Those plays gained 37 yards. Not bad.

The Steelers didn’t do that once against Detroit.

Harris carried 26 times and gained 105 yards, a 4-yard average. He should have got the ball more. (Benny Snell got one carry. He was the only back besides Harris to tote the rock. The Steelers don’t trust their backup running backs. That, I agree with.)

You’ve got to execute. The players didn’t. But that gameplan didn’t make sense.

Roethlisberger likely will be out again Sunday. As noted, the Chargers are weak defending the run.

Why not use Zach Banner at tackle-eligible, lean on Zach Gentry at tight end, and even utilize Derek Watt at fullback some?

Forget the element of surprise. Use six offensive linemen. Go big or go home. Create a strength, and attack their weakness.

But Canada won’t do that. It’s too obvious. It won’t make him look smart.

Somebody should tell Canada he hasn’t looked smart all year.

Banner being announced as tackle-eligible used to whip Heinz Field into a frenzy. Now Banner is more radio host than football player. He never plays.

When the Steelers declined to run the ball on first-and-goal from the 5, Tomlin said it was because Detroit had six defensive linemen on the field.

So what? You can go big, too.