Dec 11, 2016 5 min read

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reached a milestone victory Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

But it was Le’Veon Bell who had the signature game.

Bell rushed for a team-record 236 yards on 38 carries, matched the team record with three touchdowns and added 62 yards on four receptions as the Steelers bullied their way past the Bills, 27-20, on a snowy day at New Era Field.

The win was the 100th in the regular season for Tomlin, making the Steelers the only team in NFL history to have three coaches – Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher are the others – reach that milestone. Tomlin, who was given a game ball by the players following the win, didn’t want to talk about his milestone.

He was all about what Bell and his blockers had accomplished.

“I can’t say enough about our run game,” Tomlin said. “And when I talk about our run game, it’s not just Le’Veon Bell. Our guys out front did a heck of a job. Fullback Rosey Nix and our big personnel packages did a really good job of blocking a myriad of fronts, because as the game wore on, they threw a lot at us.”

None of it worked.

As a result, the Steelers (8-5) are in first place and awaiting the result of Baltimore’s game Monday night at New England. If the Ravens (7-5) win, they remain tied with the Steelers atop the AFC North standings but Pittsburgh would be the No. 6 team in the AFC playoffs. If the Ravens lose, then the Steelers move one game ahead with just three remaining.

Bell’s big performance helped the Steelers overcome an off day by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was was 17 of 31 for 220 yards but failed to throw a touchdown and was intercepted three times.

“They made some good plays on us,” said Roethlisberger. “When you’re running the ball as well as we were, you might as well stick to it.”

The Bills (6-7) are likely out of the playoff race. They were happy with what they did against Roethlisberger. With what they did against Bell, not so much.

“(Roethlisberger) had a 37 quarterback rating,” said Bills head coach Rex Ryan. “I think we would have signed up for that at the start of the game. However, we wouldn’t have signed up for 230 yards rushing by a back.”

Bell had 13 carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns in the first half as the Steelers dominated but led by just 14-7 because Roethlisberger threw one red zone interception and another that set up an easy score for the Bills.

Of the Steelers’ 34 offensive plays in the second half, Bell touched the ball on 26 of them, carrying 25 times and catching one pass. That included nine carries on a 10-play touchdown drive on Pittsburgh’s opening possession of the second half that ended with Bell’s third touchdown, a five-yard run.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of backs that can do all the things I can do,” said Bell, who also went over 1,000 rushing yards rushing for the season.

“I take pride in staying in the game because at any moment, the game can change and I want to be part of that play.”

The Steelers came into the game concerned about their ability to stop Buffalo’s rushing attack, which was averaging a league-high 162 yards per game. LeSean McCoy had just 27 yards on 12 carries and dual-threat quarterback Tyrod Taylor was shadowed at the line of scrimmage by linebacker Ryan Shazier and had just two yards on three rushes. Taylor also was sacked five times and threw an interception, that by rookie cornerback Artie Burns.

Three of Pittsburgh’s sacks came in the first quarter and set the tone as the Steelers held the Bills to minus-1 yard and no first downs in the first 15 minutes.

“That’s what we wanted to do,” said defensive end Stephon Tuitt. “When I sacked Tyrod early in the game, that’s how we want to start. Just doing that, gets us going. Once we have that fire and continue to keep it glowing, we’re a hard team to beat.”

They were on this day. And despite the Bills making things closer than they really were with a late TD run by McCoy and a touchdown pass from Taylor to tight end Charles Clay, the Steelers were never in jeopardy of losing, largely thanks to Bell.

“You have to give credit to the guys up front opening up holes,” said Bell. “(offensive coordinator) Todd Haley for giving me the rock, allowing me the opportunity to make plays, receivers on the edge for blocking. Ben putting us in the right play. It was a total team effort.”

Bell broke Willie Parker’s single-game rushing record of 223 yards set in 2006 against the Browns. … The Steelers had kickers Chris Boswell and Randy Bullock both active but only played Boswell. … The Steelers outgained the Bills 460-275 and held the ball for 38:41. … Linebacker Bud Dupree started and played along with James Harrison. Dupree led the Steelers with two sacks, his first two of the season. … The Bills had seven first downs on their first nine possessions before gaining 157 yards and seven first downs on their final two possessions.