Le'Veon Bell

[ATL96Steeler]

I think the O-line will still do the work for Bell, just because they want to win. Yeah there's probably gonna be some sore feelings towards him, but I think they put it to the side for the betterment of the team.

Agreed....Foster will bite his tongue if the rest of the OL & team decide they want him back....truth be told, Bell needs some good games to get the big money so I'm thinking if he's coming back week 7 instead of 10 of whatever the mandate is, he wants to play as well.

 

[Yo Tee]

Agreed....Foster will bite his tongue if the rest of the OL & team decide they want him back....truth be told, Bell needs some good games to get the big money so I'm thinking if he's coming back week 7 instead of 10 of whatever the mandate is, he wants to play as well.

The only question really in my mind is how good does he play. I wonder if he's actually been trying to stay in football shape or not. It'll be interesting to see how the next few weeks play out.

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

The only question really in my mind is how good does he play. I wonder if he's actually been trying to stay in football shape or not. It'll be interesting to see how the next few weeks play out.

The only way to be in football shape is to actually play games and practice which he hasn’t done since January so of course he’s not in football shape. The question you’re really wondering is if he’s stayed in physical condition and the obvious answer to that judging by the pics in his tweets is NO. Now, he could be getting into better condition now but last year proved it will take about 3 weeks for him to be back into football shape. That’s probably why they’re talking about a RBC approach.

 

[Yo Tee]

The only way to be in football shape is to actually play games and practice which he hasn’t done since January so of course he’s not in football shape. The question you’re really wondering is if he’s stayed in physical condition and the obvious answer to that judging by the pics in his tweets is NO. Now, he could be getting into better condition now but last year proved it will take about 3 weeks for him to be back into football shape. That’s probably why they’re talking about a RBC approach.

Is an RBC something the Steelers would actually do or no? I can't see us running two backs collectively like the Saints do.

 

[Superbelt]

Is an RBC something the Steelers would actually do or no? I can't see us running two backs collectively like the Saints do.

No way in hell.

Tomlin 'Runs the Wheels Off'.

It's one guy until his leg is bent at an unnatural angle.

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

No way in hell.

Tomlin 'Runs the Wheels Off'.

It's one guy until his leg is bent at an unnatural angle.

True but if Bell ain't in shape it may start as a RBC until he is and then Tomlin will revert to form. Even when they give Conner a heavy workload they don't work Ridley in much if at all. And when Conner doesn't get a heavy workload no one else is worked in. So if they do start with a RBC, it won't last very long.

 

[Superbelt]

Conner has an important advocate. At least.

Ben Roethlisberger: I'll push for James Conner to 'get as much run as he can'

“The good thing, Joe, is that I’m not the coach, right? I don’t have to make that decision. What I would say is, I don’t think we put [James] on the shelf by any means,” he said.

“Now granted, I think Le’Veon’s one of the best in the business, I think we all understand that and can agree on that. But what James needs to understand — and he’s gonna say the right things, and he should [as] a younger guy with a veteran, awesome football player ahead of him — but when Le’Veon comes back, in no way, shape or form should James just say, ‘OK, it’s all yours. I’m gonna sit back and when you need me, use me.’

“And I will push for James to get as much run as we can because we’ve seen some great things from him in all phases of football. He’s picking up blitzes, he’s catching the ball, he’s running hard and making plays and playing with a passion, so we need to keep using that.”​

 

[Yo Tee]

Conner has an important advocate. At least.

Ben Roethlisberger: I'll push for James Conner to 'get as much run as he can'

“The good thing, Joe, is that I’m not the coach, right? I don’t have to make that decision. What I would say is, I don’t think we put [James] on the shelf by any means,” he said.

“Now granted, I think Le’Veon’s one of the best in the business, I think we all understand that and can agree on that. But what James needs to understand — and he’s gonna say the right things, and he should [as] a younger guy with a veteran, awesome football player ahead of him — but when Le’Veon comes back, in no way, shape or form should James just say, ‘OK, it’s all yours. I’m gonna sit back and when you need me, use me.’

“And I will push for James to get as much run as we can because we’ve seen some great things from him in all phases of football. He’s picking up blitzes, he’s catching the ball, he’s running hard and making plays and playing with a passion, so we need to keep using that.”​

As much as I've said, negatively, about Conner's previous 3 weeks before the Falcons game, there's one thing you can't take away from him and that's his loyalty to the team and if he keeps playing the way he did against Atlanta, there's no reason to take him off the field, in my opinion. Let Bell get the leftovers from when Conner has had his fill of the carries.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Conner has an important advocate. At least.

Ben Roethlisberger: I'll push for James Conner to 'get as much run as he can'

“The good thing, Joe, is that I’m not the coach, right? I don’t have to make that decision. What I would say is, I don’t think we put [James] on the shelf by any means,” he said.

“Now granted, I think Le’Veon’s one of the best in the business, I think we all understand that and can agree on that. But what James needs to understand — and he’s gonna say the right things, and he should [as] a younger guy with a veteran, awesome football player ahead of him — but when Le’Veon comes back, in no way, shape or form should James just say, ‘OK, it’s all yours. I’m gonna sit back and when you need me, use me.’

“And I will push for James to get as much run as we can because we’ve seen some great things from him in all phases of football. He’s picking up blitzes, he’s catching the ball, he’s running hard and making plays and playing with a passion, so we need to keep using that.”​

I'm okay with a primary RB system assuming your backup gets a couple of series in each half...but a true RBC...I'm not sure if I like that...they run a platoon system here in ATL and I think the RBs tend to do better when they are the main RB.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I'd love for them to incorporate some sort of RBBC... Simply because the polarizing running styles will be very difficult for defenses to key on. Right when the LBers think they have one guy's tendencies & rhythm down then BOOM... The other comes in and they lose gap containment.

But what I want and what the coaches will do is like shitting in one hand and wishing in the other...

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

That $5m goes into next year's cap. Learned that from our very own @Superbelt

 

[Superbelt]

That $5m goes into next year's cap. Learned that from our very own @Superbelt

With Conner out there like a wrecking ball, I gotta hope Bell isn't back until week 10 at the earliest. Maybe even hold out the whole year.

Bank that money. We don't need him, barring injury.

 

[dare2be]

Like I said before, Lea'Vem-gon.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

That $5m goes into next year's cap. Learned that from our very own @Superbelt

Most people with half a brain are not "getting it"....sacrifice money this year to preserve his health to make more money in 2019...Okay Leveon...if you say so.

His agent got his finance degree from Walmart.

 

[Psych-Ward]

Most people with half a brain are not "getting it"....sacrifice money this year to preserve his health to make more money in 2019...Okay Leveon...if you say so.

His agent got his finance degree from Walmart.

It was on rollback....

 

[Psych-Ward]

Le'Veon Bell a no-show despite conflicting reports about his arrival


Well color me shocked.....

 

[dare2be]

I hope he never plays another game in the NFL.

CFL will be calling. He can get his 18 million there. Just don't tell him about the exchange rate.

 

[Superbelt]

You know what would REALLY be a hit to his ability to land a monster contract?

If Bell came back and Conner outperformed him. Assuming they would split time, what if it was clear that Conner was the more productive back in the same situations.

I wonder if Bell might be afraid to come back and be subject to that comparison.

 

[Mangler]

I wonder if Bell can pass the physical. I still think he made have hurt himself in the offseason...hammy or groin?

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

Bell showing up was fake news. I believe only the media and Bell's fantasy football owners said he was showing up this week cause they need something to talk about or hope for.

The team never said they expected him to show up this week and Bell never said he was showing up. I'm with @Mangler on Bell being hurt or too outta shape to show up now.