Bell’s past 2 seasons ended against Bengals
PITTSBURGH — The last two times Le’Veon Bell played against the Cincinnati Bengals they ended his season.
n Reggie Nelson halted Bell’s 2014 season a week before the playoffs with a blast to the right knee.
n Vontaze Burfict ended Bell’s 2015 season in Week 8 with a tackle from behind that pulled Bell by the shoulder pads as Burfict slung himself into Bell’s right knee and tore two ligaments.
Bell missed the first meeting with the Bengals this season due to an NFL suspension for violating the substance abuse policy and Burfict missed the game because of an NFL suspension for repeated violations of player safety rules.
Both will be back on the field Sunday in Cincinnati, and Bell is wary.
“I’m just going to go out there and play football,” said Bell. “He’s going to do whatever he’s got to do, but I’m going to play football. I’m not necessarily worried about being dirty or doing anything to try to hurt those guys. I’m pretty sure they’re going to do whatever they’ve got to do to try and get me off the field.
“It is what it is. I understand that. The last two times I played them it’s been that way. I’m obviously not going to let it happen a third time so I’m going to be prepared for everything. Got to. That’ll be my mindset. I’ve got to be smart about it.”
The Steelers have to be smart about it, too. While their mantra this week has been “just play this game the way it’s supposed to be played,” as Ben Roethlisberger put it, they also have to protect Bell. The reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week has become their meal ticket, even a league MVP candidate.
“I would put my vote in for 26 any day,” Roethlisberger said.
“He’s by far the best back in the league,” said Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones. “He can catch it out the backfield, he can run you over, he can make you miss. This is going to be a team effort stopping that guy. He brings a lot to the offense.”
In spite of missing the first three games under the aforementioned suspension, Bell is fourth in the NFL in rushing with 1,053 yards and sixth with an average per carry of 4.83 yards.
Bell leads the league in yards from scrimmage per game with an average of 162. He’s second in rushing with an average of 105 per game.
He’s making up that lost ground at a rapid clip, as his team-record 236 rushing yards and his 298 yards from scrimmage this past Sunday in Buffalo attest.
Bell has rushed for over 100 yards the last four games, which coincides with the Steelers’ four-game win streak that’s put them in the thick of a wide-open playoff race.
Does Bell consider himself an MVP candidate?
“I’ve been hearing it. It’s an honor,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve got three games left. I want to do whatever it takes to win these three games. I’m not really worried about any award. I just think I’ve got to do whatever it takes to win the Super Bowl, so whatever happens happens. I’ll let everything handle itself.”
ROAD TRIP BLUES
The dichotomy of Roethlisberger’s home/road performances continued last Sunday when he threw three interceptions at Buffalo to give him eight interceptions in seven road games compared to three interceptions in six home games.
His passer rating on the road is 76.3 compared to 119 at home.
How does he get past this most recent performance?
“Talk about Cincinnati,” said Roethlisberger, who happily talked up the running game.
“Being able to perform when your quarterback is having a bad day at the office, other guys were able to step up and make things happen,” he said. “At this time of year, whether it’s elements, the weather, the conditions, injuries, whatever it might be, you’ve got to be able to have other facets of the offense step up and rise up. Bringing Hub (Chris Hubbard) in, bringing (Rosie) Nix in, doing different kinds of things in December and January-type football. You’ve got to be able to make adjustments on the fly if you want to win.”
HUB-BUB
Hubbard is the Steelers’ third offensive tackle and he played a whopping 30 snaps, or 40 percent, against Buffalo.
The other name for that position is tight end, and that means the 295-pounder has to at least give the threat of being able to catch a pass.
“Yeah, they’ve got to honor that,” said Hubbard. “And I did run a route Sunday on one of our plays.”
Was he open?
“I was open but Ben made a quick decision to AB (Antonio Brown) and it worked out well.”
When was the last time Hubbard caught a pass?
“In practice last Friday,” he said.
What about competitively?
“A little bit in high school and some in college,” he said. “I caught one pass in college.”
Was he a tight end at UAB?
“No. The quarterback made the wrong decision, because I was playing tackle at the time,” Hubbard said. “He just threw the ball to me and I caught it. I was like, ‘OK.'”
Did it stand as a completion?
“No, it didn’t stand,” he said. “I got a flag. I took a pounding, too.”
Did Hubbard go back to the huddle Sunday and tell Roethlisberger he was open?
“No, I’m not telling Ben anything. If Ben sees me, he’ll toss it to me. I’m more than happy that he acknowledges me anyway.”
INJURY REPORT
Perhaps the Steelers can ease Bell’s heavy workload Sunday with DeAngelo Williams, who practiced Wednesday and expects to play for the first time since the Baltimore game Nov. 6.
Williams underwent a meniscus trim procedure after that game.
Also returning to practice after missing the Buffalo game with a chest injury was left guard Ramon Foster.
Foster’s replacement at Buffalo, B.J. Finney, returned to practice Wednesday along with nose tackle Javon Hargrave, but both remain in the concussion protocol and had yet to be cleared for a second practice.
Roethlisberger and C Maurkice Pouncey were given the day off from the hard indoor practice field, while RT Marcus Gilbert was limited due to his ankle. S Shamarko Thomas is still out with a concussion.
Jones (ankle) was the only starter to miss Wednesday’s practice for the Bengals. WR A.J. Green (hamstring) and DE Carlos Dunlap (neck) were limited.