The New Orleans Saints haven’t seen enough out of Pete Carmichael’s 21-game run as offensive coordinator to warrant a change. Despite ranking 22nd in scoring last season and 25th through four games this year with their handpicked quarterback under center in Derek Carr, the Saints are determined to take their time in making a move at play caller.
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are experiencing the same frustration with Matt Canada at the helm of a futile offensive effort. Both teams are in a similarly tough spot, and they’re facing similar stakes in the weeks ahead. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports of Carmichael and Canada that “if production doesn’t ramp up, their respective seats will be hot, based on conversations with sources close to the situation.”
But how many more weeks of poor performance do the Saints need to see before they’re ready to give someone else a shot? Two more weeks? Three? Four? The Saints are 2-2 because Carmichael can’t manage the offense effectively and put points on the board. They’re lucky to be 2-2 seeing as their margin of victory in those two wins was just four points altogether; a couple of kicks go differently and this is an 0-4 team.
Carmichael’s tendencies and shortcomings have been well documented. As observed by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, his offense ranks last in the NFL in using pre-snap motion and play action on passes, teeing up the opposing defense for easy reads to react to. Take out Rashid Shaheed’s punt return score and the Saints are tied with this week’s opponent, the also-lambasted New England Patriots, for the third-fewest points scored (55) across the league. Only the often-mocked New York Giants (46) and banged-up Cincinnati Bengals (49) have scored fewer.
But maybe Carmichael just needs more time to add more variety to the offense and get better production out of his personnel. Surely an offense with a Pro Bowl quarterback, the league’s best receiving running back in Alvin Kamara, a number of talented tight ends (plus do-it-all weapon Taysom Hill), a wide receiver trio that fans spent all summer hyping up, and an offensive line that’s improved each week will be this bad for much longer? Right?
