News & Links: National Reaction to Canada Firing; Pressure on Pickett Now

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? Colin Cowherd of FS1 thinks the pressure is on Kenny Pickett to show that he’s the Pittsburgh Steelers future franchise quarterback now that offensive coordinator Matt Canada is gone. 

“Firing Matt Canada is the first step… The other one will be much more difficult, moving off the local kid,” Cowherd said.

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? Steelers running back Jaylen Warren had the most rushing yards in Week 11 with 129. His 122 yards after contact rank second among all running backs. Warren also leads the league in rushing over the last three weeks with 317 yards. His 241 yards after contact rank fourth among all running backs during that span. 

? The Steelers have won eight straight games and 11 of its last 12 when facing an opposing quarterback making his first career start. The last QB making his first start they lost to? Brett Favre in 1992. Quarterback Jack Browning will make his first career start for the Cincinnati Bengals against the Steelers on Sunday. 

? Former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex thinks Matt Canada had to be fired, but he thinks there’s some deep seated- issues with Kenny Pickett that have to be fixed.

“Canada had to go obviously. Right move at a time when the schedule is favorable and we still have a legit shot at the division. But this is far from a cure all. Kenny has some deep seated issues that have to be undone. I think his confidence is waning…..,” Essex wrote on X.

? Kenny Pickett’s passing yards in the last four games — 73, 160, 126 and 106. He’s the first non-rookie quarterback since Christian Ponder in 2012 to throw for no more than 160 yards in four straight games despite 50+ total completions, according to Warren Sharp of Sharp Football.

? According to Pro Football Focus, Jaylen Warren and Travis Etienne are the only players in the league with 50+ missed tackles forced this season. Etienne has 53 missed tackles forced on on 206 touches, while Warren has 51 on 92 fewer touches.

? Stephen A. Smith said “it’s about damn time” that the Steelers fired Matt Canada as their offensive coordinator.

? Former NFL cornerback Domonique Foxworth thinks the Steelers had to fire Matt Canada to save the locker room:

“This is unlike the Steelers and it felt like this was a move to kind of save the locker room. I think it feels like this place has always had a distinct culture and all their decisions have been about kind of protecting that culture. And that culture has always been about kind of hunkering down in a siege mentality, us against the world. Matt Canada seemed like he was us and we were going to defend him until last weekend. We started to hear some of the players start chirping. And then he felt like he was holding them back in the eyes of the players. And once the players start feeling that way, that person can’t stay.”

? Former Indianapolis Colts center and interim head coach Jeff Saturday also thought that Tomlin knew he was losing the locker room, and had to make a move.

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