Baltimore Ravens Enjoy Consistency While Rest Of AFC North Deals With Upheaval
After discussing the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada on Tuesday, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin summed up the state of the AFC North in a couple of sentences as his team prepares for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals:
"I'm sure they'll be aggressive in going after us because of our obvious transitional things but that's neither here nor there," Tomlin noted. "We'll be ready. On the other side of the ball, they're going through some transitional things themselves, playing without Joe Burrow."
Welcome to the AFC North.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 16: A detail view of the right hand of Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals is seen on the sidelines against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on November 16, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Burrow, Watson Injuries Hit AFC North
The Bengals have lost starting quarterback Joe Burrow for the remainder of the year.
The Cleveland Browns have lost starting quarterback Deshaun Watson for the remainder of the year.
And the Steelers just fired their offensive coordinator and are replacing him with a combination of two offensive assistants -- quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan and running backs coach Eddie Faulkner.
So, yeah, it's a good time to be the Baltimore Ravens right now.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 29: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens prepares for a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Ravens Set At QB And Coaching Staff
Unlike the Browns and Bengals, the Ravens are not recalibrating their offense because they've got an inexperienced quarterback as their new starter. They've done that in past years but not this one as Lamar Jackson has remained healthy.
Unlike the Steelers, the Ravens are also not changing course on offense because they just dismissed the offensive coordinator and play caller.
The Ravens made that change after last season so their offense, installed in the offseason, practiced throughout that period and training camp, and under the same play-caller all of 2023, isn't changing course.
So the Ravens have a huge continuity advantage over their division rivals now.
And the rest of the division is dealing with upheaval.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 2: Offensive coordinator Matt Canada of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Acrisure Stadium on November 2, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Matt Canada Didn't Bring Results For Steelers
The latest of that turbulence is indeed with the Steelers moving on from Canada, who has been their offensive coordinator for three seasons.
"Did not come to this decision lightly to be really transparent with you," Tomlin said.
"I have a lot of respect for Matt personally and professionally. It was not easy. But I thought it was necessary. This is a result oriented business and, to be short, the improvements were not rapid enough or consistent enough to succeed. You've got to score touchdowns in games and the totality of it has us where we are today."
The Steelers are here because they've averaged only 16.6 points per game this year, which is bad considering it's the fifth-lowest mark in the NFL.
But for a proud franchise this is disastrous because it represents the third-lowest mark the club has ever had since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.
Mike Tomlin Thinking Only About This Week
And the struggles have been consistent. Since Canada was named to replace Randy Fichtner as coordinator in 2021, the Steelers have averaged 18.6 points per game and scored 30 or more points only twice in 44 games.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the decision to fire Canada came from team president Art Rooney II. Tomlin said "I made the change."
"Leadership is lonely. I don't run from it, I run to it," Tomlin added. "The decision was mine and mine alone."
The Steelers will split the offensive coordinator duties. Faulkner will organize the game planning, getting meetings together, leading the review of tape for upcoming opponents.
Sullivan will handle "the bulk" of the play-calling, Tomlin said.
Sullivan has been the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants and Buccaneers in the past.
This move is not about the future or the the future development of quarterback Kenny Pickett, according to Tomlin. This isn't a big picture move but one focused entirely of winning this weekend in Cincinnati.
"This organization is not wired like that," Tomlin added.
That's interesting because the organization isn't wired to fire coaches in season either, having not done that since 1941. But here they are.
Part of the upheaval in the AFC North.