Bell close to making ‘splash’ plays
PITTSBURGH – Le’Veon Bell has been limited to just 3.2 yards per carry in the Steelers’ first two games.
More telling might be that he has only 19 yards on seven receptions in wins over Cleveland and Minnesota.
But Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday he was pleased with the way Bell and the team’s running game progressed from Week 1 to Week 2.
“Not being highly penalized or not being as highly penalized like we were in Cleveland, it allowed us to maintain more balance in terms of the number of runs that we were able to call,” Tomlin said. “We were able to get Le’Veon a number of touches. I thought the only thing that our run game lacked was the splash play. The 25-yard run or the 35-yard run. That turns an 80-something yard day for him to a 120-something yard day.”
Bell had 11 runs of 20 or more yards last season, including three in the postseason. But he left last season’s AFC Championship loss to New England with a groin injury that required offseason surgery. Bell said that issue hasn’t bothered him during games or robbed him of any burst of speed.
“I haven’t thought about it,” Bell said of the injury. “During the course of me warming up, I make sure I take extra care of it. I know I had the surgery. But I feel good. When I’m in the game, I don’t even think about it.”
After being limited to 32 yards in Pittsburgh’s season-opening win at Cleveland, Bell had 87 rushing yards against Minnesota. He had a long gain of only 11 yards and took 27 carries to get to that total.
Some might want to attribute Bell’s struggles to being rusty after sitting out training camp and the preseason. Bell said he felt much better against the Vikings than he did against Cleveland.
“Sometimes, there was not much there,” he said. “You have to give a lot of credit to (Minnesota).
“It was pretty tight all game. Those guys were getting off blocks and making tackles.”
It’s not all that unusual for Bell to get shut down in the running game. Last season, Atlanta and Kansas City held him to a combined 110 yards on 40 carries in back-to-back games. Bell, however, contributed 115 yards on 15 pass receptions in those games.
Tomlin saw enough of Bell against the Vikings to say the Pro Bowl running back wasn’t the issue.
“A large element of that is continuing to secure our blocking on the perimeter. We’re doing a great job of getting hats on hats with our big people,” Tomlin said. “We need to continue to grow in terms of identifying the people that we need to get blocked based on schemes … and doing a good job of making sure we have hats on hats so that the six- and eight-yard runs have potential to be a 35-yard run.”
That won’t be easy against Chicago.
Though the Bears (0-2) are winless, opponents are averaging only 3.2 yards per rushing attempt and have yet to give up a run of 20 yards.
But, as the Steelers proved last season, when Bell rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of eight games, they can run the ball against any defense if they stick with it.
“We’re going to continue to do what we’ve been doing and know that if we do and stay committed, the splash plays are going to come,” Tomlin said. “I know (Bell) shares that mentality. I’m not overly concerned about him pressing and trying to do too much.”
When asked why outside linebacker James Harrison, listed as the backup to T.J. Watt, did not play against the Vikings when Watt suffered a groin injury in the second quarter, Tomlin said it was because the team decided to go with the “hot hand.” Anthony Chickillo, who replaced Watt, had two sacks against Cleveland while starting in place of Bud Dupree. … Tomlin said defensive end Stephon Tuitt (arm), safety J.J. Wilcox (concussion) and tight end Vance McDonald (back) are making progress and have a chance to play against Chicago after sitting out against Minnesota. … Watt, tight end Jesse James (back) and offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert (hamstring), each of whom left with injuries against the Vikings, could play this week.