Missing Bell was critical ... constant gaffes were worse

[stillers4me]

It’s one thing to say you’re going to win a playoff game without your most valuable player. It’s something much more difficult to actually do it.

The Steelers couldn’t overcome the absence of star running back Le’Veon Bell Saturday night. Their season is over after their 30-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Instead of preparing for a trip to Denver next Sunday, the Steelers will wonder what might have been had Bell not had his right knee hyperextended last week against the Cincinnati Bengals in the final regular-season game. Bell was the NFL’s second-leading rusher this season with 1,361 yards. He also was the Steelers’ second-leading receiver with 83 catches for 854 yards. He scored 11 touchdowns.

“You can’t replace a guy like that,” center Maurkice Pouncey said. “He’s a first-team All-Pro player.”

Pouncey made it clear he wasn’t using the loss of Bell as an excuse. None of the Steelers did..........

read more @ http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/ron-cook/2015/01/04/Ron-Cook-Missing-Bell-was-critical-constant-gaffes-were-worse/stories/201501040205

[Moose]

Steeler's didn't want it as bad as Baltimore. Steeler's were out played and out coached. On their HOME field. Baltimore was also missing starter's. One player shouldn't make/break game, unless it's the QB. Steeler's just didn't know how to make adjustments. Plain and simple.

[tube517]

Game and season over. Learn and move on. These young guys still don't know the Steeler way. Good foundation but a lot of pieces still missing.

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[Dwinsgames]

Game and season over. Learn and move on. These young guys still don't know the Steeler way. Good foundation but a lot of pieces still missing.

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hard to argue with that

[Steeldude]

Why not use the backup RB in the same fashion as they use Bell?

That being said, I doubt the Steelers would have won with a healthy Bell. Ravens came to play football. The only person to play football on the Steelers was Harrison. Just think, if Jones doesn't get hurt there would be no Harrison.

[Lady Steel]

I missed Le'Veon last night. A lot. But the Steelers were a mess. That game was a clusterfuck, I'm sorry to say.

But, no use crying over spilled milk. Bell will recover from his injury and we'll get 'em next year! :tt02:

[Dwinsgames]

Why not use the backup RB in the same fashion as they use Bell?

That being said, I doubt the Steelers would have won with a healthy Bell. Ravens came to play football. The only person to play football on the Steelers was Harrison. Just think, if Jones doesn't get hurt there would be no Harrison.


David Johnson could come as a cheap alternative perhaps 5th or as late as 6th round in the draft

[zulater]

Losing Bell for the Steelers was like a surgeon losing sight in his dominant eye or feeling in his knife hand going into delicate surgery. You want to say it's not an excuse. Fine. It's not. It's a reason. Learn the difference then get back to me. :upyours:

If the Packers lose Aaron Rodgers it changes things. If the Cowboys lose Dez Bryant.It changes things. Does it have to be insurmountable? No not always. But to claim losing Bell didn't change things, that it wouldn't have made any difference if he had played, well that's just asinine.

[Devilsdancefloor]

those little things bell brings like BLOCKING or making himself small and gaining that extra yard is what was missing last night. im still frustrated about the whole thing.

[stillers4me]

those little things bell brings like BLOCKING or making himself small and gaining that extra yard is what was missing last night. im still frustrated about the whole thing.

He's a very special player. And why I'm just as glad he wasn't rushed back onto the field yesterday. He'll be back to fight another war next year.

I feel better about the whole loss thing today. Our defense is not up to a deep playoff run this year. Why risk Bell's career when we need him tomorrow.

[zulater]

those little things bell brings like BLOCKING or making himself small and gaining that extra yard is what was missing last night. im still frustrated about the whole thing.

In a way he's like the rb version of Ben. By that I mean how many times did he take a play that had no business going anywhere and make a guy miss, then end up 20-40 yards downfield? Instead of punting from inside your 20 lo and behold here you are with a first down inside enemy territory.

It's funny I still have knowledgeable friends who insist that if you were to redraft the 2013 draft they would still put 10-15 players above him. And I have to laugh between scoffing. Because while I'm no expert, a back the quality of Bell is a rarity in this league, and will win you games that outside of a qb virtually no one else will. A shutdown corner? Pass to the other side. A great left tackle? Move your best pass rusher to the other side of the field, or free him up with stunts. Bell is way above an "ordinary" 1,000 yard rusher. He's a complete back, the kind that comes along once every decade. He outruns his blocking routinely. He catches the ball better than any slot receiver in the league. And he picks up blitzes with the best of them.

You give me the choice of any player in any one of the last five drafts and I'm picking LeVeon Bell. :coffee:

[Steel 36 Bus]

If Tate or Harris or even Archer somehow had a monster game it would have diminished the kind of IMPACT PLAYER L Bell really is. the outside naysayers would have said see it's the system. any rb could do what Bell did this yr. when the knowledgeable football fans know that it would have been completely false. L Bell is a one of a kind RB and is only going to get better, and the rest of the NFL is gonna have to deal with him the next so many yrs.

[Steeldude]

The Ravens owned the trenches. The Steelers were soft on Saturday.

They have yet to replace Polamalu, Smith, Harrison, Farrior, Taylor and so on. I doubt Jones is the answer. Shazier needs to get stronger and stay healthy. There is nothing promising about the secondary at all. Thomas is unknown. He will probably rot on the bench until he is a UFA.

What lies ahead in the draft? Solid football players or fancy/splash players?

[zulater]

The Ravens owned the trenches. The Steelers were soft on Saturday.

They have yet to replace Polamalu, Smith, Harrison, Farrior, Taylor and so on. I doubt Jones is the answer. Shazier needs to get stronger and stay healthy. There is nothing promising about the secondary at all. Thomas is unknown. He will probably rot on the bench until he is a UFA.

What lies ahead in the draft? Solid football players or fancy/splash players?

The Ravens didn't own the trenches. The Steelers moved the ball between the 20's fairly well throughout the game. The Ravens were situationaly better. They created turnovers and negative plays ( sacks) at inopportune moments. I think Bell's absence had a lot to do with these critical breakdowns. Call it excuse making if you want. But the guy was team MVP for a reason.

Bottom line 22 first downs and nearly 400 total yards and over 35 minutes time of possession isn't being owned in the trenches.

[GBMelBlount]

Why not use the backup RB in the same fashion as they use Bell?

That being said, I doubt the Steelers would have won with a healthy Bell.

Ravens came to play football.

The only person to play football on the Steelers was Harrison. Just think, if Jones doesn't get hurt there would be no Harrison.

QFT.

Harbaugh prepares well for important games.

This is evidenced by him being 6-0 in first playoff games.

Our approach?

:whoo:

"Hey, just glad to be here...Tee hee hee!"

[Psycho Ward 86]

In a way he's like the rb version of Ben. By that I mean how many times did he take a play that had no business going anywhere and make a guy miss, then end up 20-40 yards downfield? Instead of punting from inside your 20 lo and behold here you are with a first down inside enemy territory.

It's funny I still have knowledgeable friends who insist that if you were to redraft the 2013 draft they would still put 10-15 players above him. And I have to laugh between scoffing. Because while I'm no expert, a back the quality of Bell is a rarity in this league, and will win you games that outside of a qb virtually no one else will. A shutdown corner? Pass to the other side. A great left tackle? Move your best pass rusher to the other side of the field, or free him up with stunts. Bell is way above an "ordinary" 1,000 yard rusher. He's a complete back, the kind that comes along once every decade. He outruns his blocking routinely. He catches the ball better than any slot receiver in the league. And he picks up blitzes with the best of them.

You give me the choice of any player in any one of the last five drafts and I'm picking LeVeon Bell. :coffee:

Hell, convert leveon bell into a receiver and he'll probably end up with 1,000 yards every year. The man is that good. I think one of the most overlooked of his incredible statistics this year was his yards per catch. 10.3 is just ridiculous for a running back.