Bell’s past 2 seasons ended against Bengals
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� The last two times Le无毛视频橵eon Bell played against the Cincinnati Bengals they ended his season.
n Reggie Nelson halted Bell无毛视频檚 2014 season a week before the playoffs with a blast to the right knee.
n Vontaze Burfict ended Bell无毛视频檚 2015 season in Week 8 with a tackle from behind that pulled Bell by the shoulder pads as Burfict slung himself into Bell无毛视频檚 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.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 just going to go out there and play football,无毛视频� said Bell. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 going to do whatever he无毛视频檚 got to do, but I无毛视频檓 going to play football. I无毛视频檓 not necessarily worried about being dirty or doing anything to try to hurt those guys. I无毛视频檓 pretty sure they无毛视频檙e going to do whatever they无毛视频檝e got to do to try and get me off the field.
无毛视频淚t is what it is. I understand that. The last two times I played them it无毛视频檚 been that way. I无毛视频檓 obviously not going to let it happen a third time so I无毛视频檓 going to be prepared for everything. Got to. That无毛视频檒l be my mindset. I无毛视频檝e got to be smart about it.无毛视频�
The Steelers have to be smart about it, too. While their mantra this week has been 无毛视频渏ust play this game the way it无毛视频檚 supposed to be played,无毛视频� 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.
无毛视频淚 would put my vote in for 26 any day,无毛视频� Roethlisberger said.
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 by far the best back in the league,无毛视频� said Bengals cornerback Adam 无毛视频淧acman无毛视频� Jones. 无毛视频淗e 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.无毛视频�
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无毛视频檚 second in rushing with an average of 105 per game.
He无毛视频檚 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无毛视频� four-game win streak that无毛视频檚 put them in the thick of a wide-open playoff race.
Does Bell consider himself an MVP candidate?
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e been hearing it. It无毛视频檚 an honor,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淥bviously, we无毛视频檝e got three games left. I want to do whatever it takes to win these three games. I无毛视频檓 not really worried about any award. I just think I无毛视频檝e got to do whatever it takes to win the Super Bowl, so whatever happens happens. I无毛视频檒l let everything handle itself.无毛视频�
ROAD TRIP BLUES
The dichotomy of Roethlisberger无毛视频檚 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?
无毛视频淭alk about Cincinnati,无毛视频� said Roethlisberger, who happily talked up the running game.
无毛视频淏eing 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,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淎t this time of year, whether it无毛视频檚 elements, the weather, the conditions, injuries, whatever it might be, you无毛视频檝e 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无毛视频檝e got to be able to make adjustments on the fly if you want to win.无毛视频�
HUB-BUB
Hubbard is the Steelers无毛视频� 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.
无毛视频淵eah, they无毛视频檝e got to honor that,无毛视频� said Hubbard. 无毛视频淎nd I did run a route Sunday on one of our plays.无毛视频�
Was he open?
无毛视频淚 was open but Ben made a quick decision to AB (Antonio Brown) and it worked out well.无毛视频�
When was the last time Hubbard caught a pass?
无毛视频淚n practice last Friday,无毛视频� he said.
What about competitively?
无毛视频淎 little bit in high school and some in college,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 caught one pass in college.无毛视频�
Was he a tight end at UAB?
无毛视频淣o. The quarterback made the wrong decision, because I was playing tackle at the time,无毛视频� Hubbard said. 无毛视频淗e just threw the ball to me and I caught it. I was like, 无毛视频極K.'无毛视频�
Did it stand as a completion?
无毛视频淣o, it didn无毛视频檛 stand,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 got a flag. I took a pounding, too.无毛视频�
Did Hubbard go back to the huddle Sunday and tell Roethlisberger he was open?
无毛视频淣o, I无毛视频檓 not telling Ben anything. If Ben sees me, he无毛视频檒l toss it to me. I无毛视频檓 more than happy that he acknowledges me anyway.无毛视频�
INJURY REPORT
Perhaps the Steelers can ease Bell无毛视频檚 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无毛视频檚 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无毛视频檚 practice for the Bengals. WR A.J. Green (hamstring) and DE Carlos Dunlap (neck) were limited.