Matt Canada not closing the door on the Steelers using more no huddle

The Steelers can still turn to their no huddle if things aren’t going well in Week 3.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense has struggled throughout the first two weeks of the 2021 regular season, and that might be putting it mildly. Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t had time to do much of anything, and even when afforded the time hasn’t been as ‘dialed in’ as we’ve seen in the past. The running game has been non-existent, and many fans are wondering if this is just a continuation of the 2020 season where the team ranked dead last in rushing yards per game, and yards per carry.

There are still a lot of games remaining for the offense to turn things around, but in the Roethlisberger era when things were going sideways, the offense would turn to the no-huddle, or hurry up, offense to get things going. Will the Steelers have this available to them with Matt Canada at the helm? Canada said he isn’t opposed to running a no-huddle to get the offense going.

“It’s a week-to-week deal.” Canada told media. “Week-to-week, we have different things we wanna do. Again, there’s a million things we’re trying to get done with our offense with new pieces and young guys and all those things. We’ll use that. We obviously know Ben [Roethlisberger]’s strengths and certainly try to lean on him between series and do what he wants to do, what he sees, what we see. Ultimately, the things that I chose didn’t work well enough for us to win, but we certainly will use that when we think we need to. We’ll go from there.”

When Canada was pressed about the issue, he was asked if Roethlisberger wants to, or has wanted, to turn to the no huddle offense to provide an offensive spark.

“Ben and I talk all the time. If he wants to go, we find ways to do that.” Canada said.

When Roethlisberger met with the media Wednesday of this week, he mentioned how the no-huddle hasn’t disappeared, but their options are certainly less compared to what he has run in the past. Here is what he had to say about the no huddle.

“We don’t have it in the sense of what we’ve had in years past.” Roethlisberger said. “We’ve got this whole menu of plays that I can go to and call. You always have a no-huddle in the sense that you have a two-minute offense and you’re not huddling in a two-minute offense. In that sense, we have 10 to 12 different plays where in the past maybe we’ve had 50 to 100 plays. It’s different, the way we run it. It depends on how you technically define a no-huddle offense.”

Mike Tomlin was asked about the offense’s ability, or willingness, to run the no-huddle during his weekly press conference. He, like Canada, reiterated how it is a week-to-week thing.

“It wasn’t in the plan last week.” Tomlin said of Roethlisberger’s post-game comments. “We don’t try to limit ourselves in any way. Last week’s plan is last week’s plan. This week’s plan could be this week’s plan. That’s the mentality that I have, and we have. Obviously, you guys who have watched us for any length of time know that we’re no-huddle capable.”

Will the Steelers come out Sunday vs. the Cincinnati Bengals and unleash a no-huddle offense on their AFC North rivals? That might be a bit strong, but the team has clearly shown they are more than willing to do what it takes to move the ball offensively. If they have to maximize matchups with the no-huddle, it shouldn’t be viewed as a negative, but merely doing what is necessary to win.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Week 3 of the 2021 regular season.