Bell carrying Steelers offense in Ben's absence

[hawaiiansteeler]

Bell carrying Steelers offense in Roethlisberger's absence

By WILL GRAVES (AP Sports Writer)
AP - Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Le'Veon Bell didn't grow up as the fastest kid on the field, the kind who turns into a vapor trail the instant the ball touches his hands.

The speed of Bell's brain, however, was never in doubt. The Pittsburgh Steelers running back had a way of figuring out where to go and how to get there.

If that meant cutting back, he'd cut back. If that meant putting his hand on the rear of one of his linemen, guiding them like a human shopping cart, so be it.

''I do it to let them know I'm behind them and they can kind of hurry up, or I push them in the direction I want to go,'' Bell said.

And make no mistake, that direction is always whichever way the end zone happens to be. Bell produced the signature play of his burgeoning career in last Monday's 24-20 victory over San Diego, stretching across the goal line for the winning score as time expired, taking the direct snap, then placing his right hand on pulling guard David DeCastro as if to say ''I'm following you, big fella.''

Even with 5 seconds remaining, Bell wasn't in a rush. He trusted the call, trusted his line and trusted the instincts that have made him one of the league's most versatile and dynamic players - even if it went against injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's sage advice not to waste any time.

''Ben was telling me 'Don't dance around in case we need another play and that's what I had in my mind,''' Bell said. ''I'm just going to hurry it up and get in. But as the play went and I got in the end zone and scored, he was like, 'You're still dancing around.' I guess it's just the way I run.''

to read rest of article:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bell-carrying-steelers-offense-roethlisbergers-absence-215809391--nfl.html

[86WARD]

As he should be...it should be 55% Bell, 30% AB and then the rest...lol.

[zulater]

I have an internet friend who's a respected"draftnic". He really does his homework and generally I respect his opinion implicitly on matters of the draft.
But like many of his kind he's got a thing about running backs. He subscribes to the new fangled philosophy that the earliest you ever take a back is in the second round. So I asked him at the end of last season if you could re-draft the 2013 draft how high would Bell go, thinking that he would be forced to say first overall. Well I couldn't get him to admit to that, but he did at least acknowledge that Bell at least would have to go in the first half of the first round, but I really couldn't pin him down on who specifically he would take over Bell.

Well now I'm going to say it to all you draft expert's. If you don't think Bell is the best player to come out of the 13 draft then you've been sniffing toxic fumes that addled your brain. The other night Bell got most of his yards against an 8 man box. Normal feature backs can't do that. This guy is special. We got so lucky getting him.

So whine all you want about Jarvis Jones, at the end of the day we got the best player out of the 2013 draft.

[teegre]

I have an internet friend who's a respected"draftnic". He really does his homework and generally I respect his opinion implicitly on matters of the draft.
But like many of his kind he's got a thing about running backs. He subscribes to the new fangled philosophy that the earliest you ever take a back is in the second round. So I asked him at the end of last season if you could re-draft the 2013 draft how high would Bell go, thinking that he would be forced to say first overall. Well I couldn't get him to admit to that, but he did at least acknowledge that Bell at least would have to go in the first half of the first round, but I really couldn't pin him down on who specifically he would take over Bell.

Well now I'm going to say it to all you draft expert's. If you don't think Bell is the best player to come out of the 13 draft then you've been sniffing toxic fumes that addled your brain. The other night Bell got most of his yards against an 8 man box. Normal feature backs can't do that. This guy is special. We got so lucky getting him.

So whine all you want about Jarvis Jones, at the end of the day we got the best player out of the 2013 draft.

Question:
Is this the same draftnik who swore/swears that Pouncey was a bad pick?... (it should have been Brian Bulaga merely because OC is not as important as OT).

[zulater]

Question:
Is this the same draftnik who swore/swears that Pouncey was a bad pick?... (it should have been Brian Bulaga merely because OC is not as important as OT).

Not sure? The guy I'm referring to is Curtis Popejoy who sometimes contributes to Bleacher Report. He used to post as Big Curt over at a board I posted at for years. Again I have nothing but respect for the guy, and he's solid loyal to the black and gold. It's just he like so many people that are into the draft, can't get past the notion that most good backs are inter changeable. That the final determination of a backs success or failure lies in surrounding circumstances such as line,system, etc...Which I think is true for most backs, even many good backs. A perfect example being Demarco Murray who excelled in Dallas but is stuck in first gear in Philly.
To give another example closer to home. Rashard Mendenhall had a very productive season in 2010. He helped get the Steelers to the Super Bowl. But while for a couple years he was a good back, he was the perfect example of the draft guru's prejudice. Put any one of a dozen other quality backs of the time in for Rashard and the Steelers fate remains unchanged. Now imagine LeVeon on that 2010 team. Aaron Rodgers is still looking for his first Super Bowl if that was the case. In that I have no doubt.

Just the way he sets up his blocks, his vision, strength, balance, speed, and power. If the guy had Dwight Stone hands he would still be the best back in the league. But as we know he doesn't. He catches the ball as good as any back in the league, which is being modest. Name one that catches the ball better?

This is truly a special player one we are very lucky to have. If LeVeon stay healthy he'll end upm the best back the Steelers ever had, which is saying a lot for a team that had Jerome Bettis and Franco Harris.

[86WARD]

2014 draft...1st overall should be Devonta Freeman and Le'Veon Bell first overall in 2013. No doubt.

[ALLD]

As he should be...it should be 55% Bell, 30% AB and then the rest...lol.

Bell should get 25 touches every game. AB should be targeted at least 10 times too. Has anybody noticed that after the screw up in the EZ during the Patriot game that DHB has quietly made some beautiful clutch catches? He now looks like a #1 draft pick. Then don't forget about Wheaton too. Then there is Bryant who has yet to see the field, but should look like a superstar once he is at 100%.

Steelers are loaded on offense. They just need to make sure Haley does not get too cute trying to look smarter than he is and stick to a solid game plan.

[86WARD]

Bell should get 25 touches every game. AB should be targeted at least 10 times too. Has anybody noticed that after the screw up in the EZ during the Patriot game that DHB has quietly made some beautiful clutch catches? He now looks like a #1 draft pick. Then don't forget about Wheaton too. Then there is Bryant who has yet to see the field, but should look like a superstar once he is at 100%.

Steelers are loaded on offense. They just need to make sure Haley does not get too cute trying to look smarter than he is and stick to a solid game plan.

DHB has been playing well, but I wouldn't say a #1...

[zulater]

DHB has been playing well, but I wouldn't say a #1...

I would put it this way. He at least looks as if he belongs in the wr rotation. That wasn't true the past two seasons. He did earn his roster spot as a special teams player previously, but now it looks as if he's a guy that you're not saying "oh shit" every time he's in the offensive formation. (Dri Archer, you're still there :lol:)

[teegre]

Not sure? The guy I'm referring to is Curtis Popejoy who sometimes contributes to Bleacher Report. He used to post as Big Curt over at a board I posted at for years. Again I have nothing but respect for the guy, and he's solid loyal to the black and gold. It's just he like so many people that are into the draft, can't get past the notion that most good backs are inter changeable. That the final determination of a backs success or failure lies in surrounding circumstances such as line,system, etc...Which I think is true for most backs, even many good backs. A perfect example being Demarco Murray who excelled in Dallas but is stuck in first gear in Philly.
To give another example closer to home. Rashard Mendenhall had a very productive season in 2010. He helped get the Steelers to the Super Bowl. But while for a couple years he was a good back, he was the perfect example of the draft guru's prejudice. Put any one of a dozen other quality backs of the time in for Rashard and the Steelers fate remains unchanged. Now imagine LeVeon on that 2010 team. Aaron Rodgers is still looking for his first Super Bowl if that was the case. In that I have no doubt.

Just the way he sets up his blocks, his vision, strength, balance, speed, and power. If the guy had Dwight Stone hands he would still be the best back in the league. But as we know he doesn't. He catches the ball as good as any back in the league, which is being modest. Name one that catches the ball better?

This is truly a special player one we are very lucky to have. If LeVeon stay healthy he'll end upm the best back the Steelers ever had, which is saying a lot for a team that had Jerome Bettis and Franco Harris.

I couldn't agree with you more.

My initial analysis of Bell was "Larry Centers who can run." That's an underestimate; he's essentially a bigger version of Marshall Faulk. Great vision, great hands, you can split him out as a WR...

[zulater]

I couldn't agree with you more.

My initial analysis of Bell was "Larry Centers who can run." That's an underestimate; he's essentially a bigger version of Marshall Faulk. Great vision, great hands, you can split him out as a WR...



Marshall Faulk is a great comparison. Hope you don't mind but I'll be heisting that for future analogies. :chuckle:

[86WARD]

I would put it this way. He at least looks as if he belongs in the wr rotation. That wasn't true the past two seasons. He did earn his roster spot as a special teams player previously, but now it looks as if he's a guy that you're not saying "oh shit" every time he's in the offensive formation. (Dri Archer, you're still there :lol:)

He's definitely earned a spot in the offensive WR rotation. No doubt. Like you said...he was a solid special teams player and he's stepped his game up as far as being a receiver. If he handles some of the "little things", he'll put up some decent numbers in this offense.

As for Bell being compared to Faulk, I heard that from someone on draft day and have been using it ever since. I think one of the guys on the NFL Network used it...may have been Warner...and he would know...

[katmandu]

The guy I'm referring to is Curtis Popejoy who sometimes contributes to Bleacher Report. He used to post as Big Curt over at a board I posted at for years.

Again I have nothing but respect for the guy, and he's solid loyal to the black and gold. He can't be the real deal unless he's here on this board with US !

Tell him to get his ass on over here!

[teegre]

Marshall Faulk is a great comparison. Hope you don't mind but I'll be heisting that for future analogies. :chuckle:

It's all yours.