The Matt Canada effect is in full swing throughout the first 5 games of the 2020 regular season.
Among the many exciting developments of the Steelers’ 5-0 start this season has been the evolution of the offense. While Ben Roethlisberger’s return and the addition of dynamic rookie Chase Claypool have largely dominated the conversation, assistant coach Matt Canada has had an impact as well. If you’ve felt the offense has looked different in 2020 than in previous years, you’re not alone. Canada’s imprint has been all over it, most notably in its use of pre-snap motion.
After years of ranking in the bottom half of the league in terms of pre-snap movement, the Steelers were sixth heading into last week’s game against Cleveland. I watched every snap of their offense against the Browns and their previous opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles. Unofficially, I counted 22 variations of such movements involving wide receivers, running backs and tight ends. Some were simple “yo-yo” actions where a receiver motioned into the formation and then went back out to where he started. Others were far more exotic, involving multiple players moving in myriad ways.
The movement which has attracted the most attention so far this season is jet motion. The Steelers have implemented jet in a variety of ways, using it as both a decoy to distract defenders and as a means of getting the football quickly to the perimeter. Canada, who earned a reputation as a motion guru while a college offensive coordinator, is largely responsible for its inclusion in the game-plan. He used it everywhere he went, from his power-run offense at Wisconsin to his read-option scheme at Northern Illinois to his multiple pro and spread offense at Pitt. Why, though? What advantage does it create? And why has it been so effective? This article looks at the jet scheme and how the Steelers have utilized it in 2020.
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