Mark Madden: The Steelers' scapegoat is gone, but will that make Kenny Pickett play better?

The Pittsburgh Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

Now we find out who’s really been at fault for the Steelers’ scared, limp offense.

Here’s thinking it hasn’t been Canada. Here’s betting we see more of the same.

Will quarterback Kenny Pickett use the middle of the field now? Will Pickett throw deep? Will the Steelers take risks? Will the Steelers try to do something besides keep the game tight till the fourth quarter, relying on defense in a high-octane era?

I hope all that gets remedied.

But perhaps it’s not only Canada who’s scared and limp. Perhaps he’s the symptom, not the cause.

Canada handled specifics. The Steelers’ approach on both sides of the ball is all Mike Tomlin. The coordinators don’t have autonomy.

The playbook won’t be replaced. Terminology won’t be changed. None of that can happen midseason.

Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner will take over as offensive coordinator. Quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan will call plays. Those two were already there. Not exactly a harbinger of radical adjustment. That’s an odd split of duties, too.

Canada’s dismissal seems to reinforce the Steelers’ commitment to Pickett.

But deciding on Pickett won’t come till the end of next season at the earliest. That’s when the Steelers choose whether to pick up the fifth-year option on Pickett’s rookie contract. Pickett will be the starting quarterback through at least the entirety of the 2024 season.

But Pickett is hardly blameless. Passes in the middle of the field have been there. They got called. Pickett just wouldn’t try them.

Related:

• Steelers fire offensive coordinator Matt Canada
• Mark Madden: Without his 'it' factor, Kenny Pickett is one of NFL's worst quarterbacks

Diontae Johnson was wide open for a touchdown on a crossing route at Cleveland on Sunday. Canada didn’t tell Pickett to not make that throw.

When routes got misread, that wasn’t Canada.

When passes got bounced, that wasn’t Canada.

Firing Canada is scapegoating and PR. If you want blood, you got it.

Yet another offensive coordinator figures to be hired before next season. Hopefully somebody with name value, but probably not. It likely will be another low-budget, no-pedigree Tomlin stooge.

In that vein, don’t dismiss the potential retention of the Faulkner-Sullivan duo. Neither has a sterling resume. Ex-Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich seems an early favorite. He won a Super Bowl in 2021 with Tampa Bay while pretending to be Tom Brady’s offensive coordinator.

None of this is defending Canada or criticizing his firing. The offense is terrible.

The Steelers rank 28th in points per game at 16.6, 28th in yards per game at 280.1. (The former average is skewed by two defensive touchdowns.)

The offense failed to score more than one touchdown in a game six times.

Canada was nominally in charge of that mess.

Canada never should have been the offensive coordinator. His CV didn’t merit. But he was already there, on staff being paid as the quarterbacks coach. Just like Randy Fichtner before him. It was a typically lazy, cheap coaching hire by the Steelers.

Dismissing Canada doesn’t add onto payroll. His contract runs out at season’s end, so this move won’t cost the Steelers additional money.

The Steelers spend on players. They’re frugal when it comes to everything else.

This seems a panic move above all.

The Steelers never fire anybody during the season. But the offense hit rock bottom at Cleveland, especially the passing game. The season appears to be fading. But at 6-4, the Steelers are firmly in the playoff race. Lesser foes loom.

This will give the Steelers’ offensive players a shot of adrenaline: “Oh, it was Canada’s fault. Not ours. He held us back. Now we go.” Heck, they might even score two touchdowns Sunday at Cincinnati.

The other immediate impact is taking heat off Pickett. The citizens were starting to turn on him. Maybe the players, too.

Firing Canada could get the Steelers’ season back on track.

Or it could put the focus squarely on what the problems really are.