Bell Can't Find The Hole!

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

He may have issues with the ladies but as for the Steelers there was no hole for him to hit. Say what you want he is a goof for holding out and etc and I agree. After watching both games he could have waited for Christmas and still no holes for him to hit. I expect things to change in the next few weeks as the OL starts to gel.

[DesertSteel]

He may have issues with the ladies but as for the Steelers there was no hole for him to hit. Say what you want he is a goof for holding out and etc and I agree. After watching both games he could have waited for Christmas and still no holes for him to hit. I expect things to change in the next few weeks as the OL starts to gel.
Maybe if he'd been there in camp him and the OL would be more in sync? It is an atypical running style and I'm not sure it works to just plug it in.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Remember last season when Bell missed a few games and then kick arse right away ? It's the OL and they are playing average right now!

[pczach]

Remember last season when Bell missed a few games and then kick arse right away ? It's the OL and they are playing average right now!

There's a difference between missing a few games and being out the entire offseason and missing all of OTA's, training camp, and all of preseason. It's not even comparable.

When he missed a few games, he had all of preseason and a bunch of games to get all the timing down.

The other thing people are missing is that every year there are new wrinkles and assignments built into the offense. He is clearly struggling with some of that as well. When you say there haven't been holes for him to run in, you need to watch some of the film from directly behind the offense. He is not seeing holes, and sometimes, he has run to the wrong hole. In other words, several times he has run right by the hole that was open and blocked for that specific play, and he ran into the teeth of the defense.

He will catch up soon and get his legs completely under him, but clearly it has been a struggle. It reminds me of when he was a rookie and he was feeling things out early in the year and people were saying he isn't a great back and that they didn't see anything special about him and that he was a wasted pick. Many said the team should have drafted a different RB.

All will be well soon, but he is definitely not feeling it yet. He will.

[AtlantaDan]

There's a difference between missing a few games and being out the entire offseason and missing all of OTA's, training camp, and all of preseason. It's not even comparable.

When he missed a few games, he had all of preseason and a bunch of games to get all the timing down.

The other thing people are missing is that every year there are new wrinkles and assignments built into the offense. He is clearly struggling with some of that as well. When you say there haven't been holes for him to run in, you need to watch some of the film from directly behind the offense. He is not seeing holes, and sometimes, he has run to the wrong hole. In other words, several times he has run right by the hole that was open and blocked for that specific play, and he ran into the teeth of the defense.

He will catch up soon and get his legs completely under him, but clearly it has been a struggle. It reminds me of when he was a rookie and he was feeling things out early in the year and people were saying he isn't a great back and that they didn't see anything special about him and that he was a wasted pick. Many said the team should have drafted a different RB.

All will be well soon, but he is definitely not feeling it yet. He will.

I have posted this previously, but the last time I recall arguably the best running back in football blew off the entire preseason was when Emmitt Smith held out and did not report until after the second game of the 1993 regular season for the Cowboys.

Smith (who was running behind one of the best offensive lines of all time) was in gear by the end of the season (283 carries/1486 yards in a 14 game season for Smith) but went for 8 carries/45 yards in his first game back and did not get 100 yards rushing until week three.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../gamelog/1993/ (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitEm00/gamelog/1993/)

I agree that Bell is rusty but look for full speed Bell tomorrow if it is only a matter of becoming more familiar with the plays and getting in football shape rather than a problem with the O-line or Bell changing his playing style to try to avoid injury (an impossibility for a NFL running back).

[ALLD]

As I said in another post they should activate Bell, Connors and Watson. Then give Ben the game off by handing the ball off or shuffling 70% of the plays. Bears won't be able to stop our 3 RBs.

[AtlantaDan]

As I said in another post they should activate Bell, Connors and Watson. Then give Ben the game off by handing the ball off or shuffling 70% of the plays. Bears won't be able to stop our 3 RBs.

I would like to see some Watson

[GBMelBlount]

I have posted this previously, but the last time I recall arguably the best running back in football blew off the entire preseason was when Emmitt Smith held out and did not report until after the second game of the 1993 regular season for the Cowboys.

Smith (who was running behind one of the best offensive lines of all time) was in gear by the end of the season (283 carries/1486 yards in a 14 game season for Smith) but went for 8 carries/45 yards in his first game back and did not get 100 yards rushing until week three.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../gamelog/1993/ (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitEm00/gamelog/1993/)

I agree that Bell is rusty but look for full speed Bell tomorrow if it is only a matter of becoming more familiar with the plays and getting in football shape rather than a problem with the O-line or Bell changing his playing style to try to avoid injury (an impossibility for a NFL running back).

Smith, despite having low yardage in his first game back, still averaged over 5 ypc.

Bell (who has averaged about 5 ypc over the last two years), is only averaging 3.2 yards on 37 carries.

I do think it is a combination of both Bell and the line, improving, and I do feel they will get if figured out over the next several games.

https://media0.giphy.com/media/l397998l2DT0ogare/200_s.gif

[polamalubeast]

Smith, despite having low yardage in his first game back, still averaged over 5 ypc.

Bell (who has averaged about 5 ypc over the last two years), is only averaging 3.2 yards on 37 carries.

I do think it is a combination of both Bell and the line, improving, and I do feel they will get if figured out over the next several games.

Bell is not very good as receiver also right now(4 catchs for only 4 yards vs MIN)

I hope that Bell will be better soon

[steelreserve]

Excuses.

Poor results are poor results.

If showing up to practice doesn't matter, then skipping practice, being ineffective in the games, and blaming it on everything else does not do much to strengthen your point of view; in fact, anyone but an idiot would say it's evidence for the opposite.

You don't want people criticizing your preparation and work ethic, don't give them a reason to criticize it. Certainly don't give them one that's the equivalent of getting a bull's-eye tattoo from shoulder blade to shoulder blade.

[Mojouw]

How many series (or snaps) did the starting 5 offensive line + starting TE + starting WRs + QB + Connor player in the preseason games?

Because mostly non-contact practice, which is what the majority of OTAs and camp are due to the CBA is not gonna really give you much. It is all about those preseason "game" snaps to knock off the rust.

If I remember the preseason games, and I paid just above zero attention to them, the starting combinations hardly played together at all. So in reality Bell missed what? 30-60 plays of "establishing" continuity? Would Bell have even have seen that many snaps? Tomlin might have kept him nailed to the sidelines.

Criticizing Bell and the o-line is more than valid at this point, but lets all be realistic about what we are actually critiquing. I think that the sluggish pace of the offense to open the season is more a reflection of a league-wide phenomena that no established offensive starters really play in the preseason and outside of teams with new coaches, it takes 1-3 weeks to get the whole thing up and running in September.

I truly believe that even if Bell was at the whole camp and all this and that, it would still be a "bad" offense right now. This is what the NFL is now.

[DesertSteel]

I guess we'll get the chance to find out again next year since he'll do the exact same thing again.

[polamalubeast]

How many series (or snaps) did the starting 5 offensive line + starting TE + starting WRs + QB + Connor player in the preseason games?

Because mostly non-contact practice, which is what the majority of OTAs and camp are due to the CBA is not gonna really give you much. It is all about those preseason "game" snaps to knock off the rust.

If I remember the preseason games, and I paid just above zero attention to them, the starting combinations hardly played together at all. So in reality Bell missed what? 30-60 plays of "establishing" continuity? Would Bell have even have seen that many snaps? Tomlin might have kept him nailed to the sidelines.

Criticizing Bell and the o-line is more than valid at this point, but lets all be realistic about what we are actually critiquing. I think that the sluggish pace of the offense to open the season is more a reflection of a league-wide phenomena that no established offensive starters really play in the preseason and outside of teams with new coaches, it takes 1-3 weeks to get the whole thing up and running in September.

I truly believe that even if Bell was at the whole camp and all this and that, it would still be a "bad" offense right now. This is what the NFL is now.

It's just obvious that Bell is not in football shape right now.

I hope it will change tomorrow or in Baltimore.

But history tells us that players struggle early when the player skip the training camp.Just look at Aaron Donald with the Rams.Their run defense is awful.

[Steeldude]

I'm glad Bell passed on the $18 million per year offer. I didn't want to see another Woodley contract. If he continues this play all season let him walk.

[Craic]

As I've said in other threads, this is really much ado about nothing. Sure, he didn't look good in the first game. But he made a 100 percent jump in the second game. In the first game, he was missing holes and getting brought down with first contact. In the second game, he was creating holes and pushing forward for 2-3 yards where no yards existed due to the defensive line winning the battles.

That said, he still wasn't the Le'Veon Bell we're all used to seeing, but last Sunday, he was still the best RB the Steelers have had in a long time.

[st33lersguy]

It would be great if people would stop making excuses for Bell. No leeway should be given to a selfish player who whines like a little crybaby all offseason about not getting paid an unreasonable amount of money then doesn't show up until after preseason like his team wanted him to. If Selfish Bell doesn't start putting up numbers soon, he won't get his big payday with the Steelers, he'll have to chase the money to some poorly run organization that likes to overpay for free agents and that has no chance of competing for a Super Bowl.

[pczach]

It would be great if people would stop making excuses for Bell. No leeway should be given to a selfish player who whines like a little crybaby all offseason about not getting paid an unreasonable amount of money then doesn't show up until after preseason like his team wanted him to. If Selfish Bell doesn't start putting up numbers soon, he won't get his big payday with the Steelers, he'll have to chase the money to some poorly run organization that likes to overpay for free agents and that has no chance of competing for a Super Bowl.


What I'm posting about Bell are not excuses. They're reasons.

I'm simply explaining why he isn't performing to his usual standards. He's the one that has put himself in this spot and opened himself up to criticism and resentment from many.

[SteelerFanInStl]

It would be great if people would stop making excuses for Bell. No leeway should be given to a selfish player who whines like a little crybaby all offseason about not getting paid an unreasonable amount of money then doesn't show up until after preseason like his team wanted him to. If Selfish Bell doesn't start putting up numbers soon, he won't get his big payday with the Steelers, he'll have to chase the money to some poorly run organization that likes to overpay for free agents and that has no chance of competing for a Super Bowl.

It would be great if people would stop blaming Bell for everything. You sure seem to have a lot of pent up hate for him. You act like as if he did something to you personally. Get over it already.

[Craic]

It would be great if people would stop making excuses for Bell. No leeway should be given to a selfish player who whines like a little crybaby all offseason about not getting paid an unreasonable amount of money then doesn't show up until after preseason like his team wanted him to. If Selfish Bell doesn't start putting up numbers soon, he won't get his big payday with the Steelers, he'll have to chase the money to some poorly run organization that likes to overpay for free agents and that has no chance of competing for a Super Bowl.

There's a big difference between excuses and accurate assessments. If Ben held out of camp, then came in and hit his receivers in the hands all day, but they dropped the ball, would pointing out they dropped 25 of 30 passes be making excuses for Ben? According to your assessment, we should give no leeway and blame Ben. Period. Regardless of what the other 10 players on the field are doing.

Do I like how Bell handled the situation? No, not at all. Do I think it harmed his game? Absolutely. But to view that in a vacuum instead of the context of a front line not opening up holes and this only being the second game of the season is pretty near-sighted IMO.

[st33lersguy]

There's a big difference between excuses and accurate assessments. If Ben held out of camp, then came in and hit his receivers in the hands all day, but they dropped the ball, would pointing out they dropped 25 of 30 passes be making excuses for Ben? According to your assessment, we should give no leeway and blame Ben. Period. Regardless of what the other 10 players on the field are doing.

Do I like how Bell handled the situation? No, not at all. Do I think it harmed his game? Absolutely. But to view that in a vacuum instead of the context of a front line not opening up holes and this only being the second game of the season is pretty near-sighted IMO.

You think Bell not being in sync with his o-line because he wasn't in camp has something to do with that as someone already pointed out on this thread?

[Hawkman]

If things don't work out with Bell, we could always try and get Saquon Barkley. He accounted for 305 yards of offense tonight. 211 on the ground and 94 in the air. DAMN!

[Craic]

You think Bell not being in sync with his o-line because he wasn't in camp has something to do with that as someone already pointed out on this thread?

Bell is not responsible for opening holes at the LOS. He's only responsible for exploiting the holes the Oline creates. Anything he adds to opening up holes is simply a bonus. So, no. I don't, not for his second game. For his first game, he was missing holes. That did have something to do with him missing camp, but I already said that.

[Steeldude]

It would be great if people would stop blaming Bell for everything. You sure seem to have a lot of pent up hate for him. You act like as if he did something to you personally. Get over it already.

I see no hate from him. If Bell wants more than $18 million a season then he needs to get his act together and prove he is worth it. For $18+ million he shouldn't even need an O-line : )

[SteelerFanInStl]

I see no hate from him. If Bell wants more than $18 million a season then he needs to get his act together and prove he is worth it. For $18+ million he shouldn't even need an O-line : )

There's plenty of hate against Bell on this forum. It's easy to see. People are taking his holdout personally. They need to get over it and let the team handle that. It's a business. What a player is worth and how much the Steelers are willing to pay is up to the Steelers, not the fans. I will put my trust in them that they will make the right decision when it's time.