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Can Bell be Bettis?

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When the Steelers have Ben healthy with all the skill players, the offense is tough to stop.

AB is pretty much un-coverable on the short to medium stuff. Miller is very solid off play action or over the middle with sure hands. Wheaton is super quick. And Bryant can burn just about anyone deep.

With all of the above, defenses must respect it, and back off a bit, which creates additional room for Bell to operate as a runner or receiver.

Now that Ben is gone for 4-6 weeks, Bell will have to be the man the way Bettis used to be when the Steelers had shaky QB play. It clear we are going to need to run the ball more often.

Can Bell do this of 4+ games? This is to say run it 25+ times for 100+ yards when the defense doesn't have to worry much about our passing attack?
 
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Bell doesn't have to do it all on his own. I'm confident Williams will also step in to carry the increased load in the next few weeks....obviously...
 
Cope said:
Bell doesn't have to do it all on his own. I'm confident Williams will also step in to carry the increased load in the next few weeks....obviously...
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Williams just ran in once vs the Rams. Sure he'll get 5-8 carries, but the load will be on Bell.
 
I'm confident, guys. This offense has so many options, so many threats, and a great line. We can do this
 
AggieSteel said:
I'm confident, guys. This offense has so many options, so many threats, and a great line. We can do this
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The OL did not look so great. Beachum in particular has had a bad start to the season. I think he was flagged twice yesterday, and beaten for a sack.
 
third game was bad.. don't remember him having bad first two games. No one said boo when deangelo ran for 120.
 
as someone said in another thread, we won't face another front seven as tough as the Rams'. If the Oline stays healthy there will be running lanes for Bell and D'AW.
Vick should be practicing with the WRs extra hours on timing through the short week.
 
Coach said:
The OL did not look so great. Beachum in particular has had a bad start to the season. I think he was flagged twice yesterday, and beaten for a sack.
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Let me take you back to another week 3 in 2008. We were playing the Eagles and we were sacked 9 times. 9 ******* times!!! No way can that team make the playoffs... They won the Superbowl that season.
 
I have all the faith in the world in the players. It's the coaches I have no trust in.

Bell can handle anything and anyone.

I think it would be a mistake especially against the Ravens to try and run the ball or get into some low scoring defensive battle.

It plays right into their strength. They want that type of game.

Look how it was yesterday when we bunched up. The offense basically stopped.

Don't want Vick throwing 50 times but if they try running every first and second down. We will lose.

Now more than ever does this team need to be well coached and prepared and I truly believe they are incapable of it.

I get Vick a couple of easy early quick short throws to get him comfortable and let ravens know we are not scared to throw the ball.

Have some balance and then they can establish the run. Coming out and having third and longs at the start of the game won't be good.

Go three and out a few times early and have to start trusting the defense to be on the field all night we will lose every game.

Guess what I am saying is don't be predictable.
 
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madtacker said:
I have all the faith in the world in the players. It's the coaches I have no trust in.

Bell can handle anything and anyone.

I think it would be a mistake especially against the Ravens to try and run the ball or get into some low scoring defensive battle.

It plays right into their strength. They want that type of game.

Look how it was yesterday when we bunched up. The offense basically stopped.

Don't want Vick throwing 50 times but if they try running every first and second down. We will lose.

Now more than ever does this team need to be well coached and prepared and I truly believe they are incapable of it.

I get Vick a couple of easy early quick short throws to get him comfortable and let ravens know we are not scared to throw the ball.

Have some balance and then they can establish the run. Coming out and having third and longs at the start of the game won't be good.

Go three and out a few times early and have to start trusting the defense to be on the field all night we will lose every game.

Guess what I am saying is don't be predictable.
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I agree with this

We need to play these next few weeks like we did the 2005 playoffs. Come out throwing early and often, especially to Heath, on high percentage plays to get Vick's confidence up. Especially since they'll expect us to pound Bell and Williams.
 
If I'm an opposing defense I'm going to do everything I can to force Mike Vick to beat me. Which means I'm loading the box and playing for a running game and short passes. If Mike Vick can handle the blitz and get his reads right and deliver the ball to the right guy, then after he kicks my *** I walk up to him after the game and congratulate him on a game well played and move on, but I'm not letting Bell, Brown, Miller, Williams and Wheaton beat me, I'm blitzing early and often to make Vick think and hopefully, panic to some degree. Outside rush guys would hold their lanes to keep him in the pocket and I try and put pressure from the middle of the line to keep him in the pocket, get nervous and get happy feet.

I'm making sure I shut down the running game at all costs and force the Steelers to win the game by passing. Any down and long will play to the Ravens favor and not the Steelers.

Papillon
 
Cope said:
Let me take you back to another week 3 in 2008. We were playing the Eagles and we were sacked 9 times. 9 ******* times!!! No way can that team make the playoffs... They won the Superbowl that season.
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Yes, but who was on the defense then in 2008. See below.

LDE Aaron Smith
NT Casey Hampton
RDE Brett Keisel
LOLB LaMarr Woodley
LILB James Farrior
RILB Larry Foote
ROLB James Harrison
LCB Ike Taylor
RCB Bryant McFadden
SS Troy Polamalu
FS Ryan Clark

Cope, only one player is left and he's a part timer now. Harrison!

The offense featured players like Ward, Parker, Holmes and Miller

And Airans and Lebeau were calling the shots.
 
He's big and fast like Bettis, not quite as big, but I'm still waiting for the red zone offense to get better.
Bettis' deal was that by the 4th quarter the opposing defense was beat up from trying to tackle him and often didn't want any more parts of him.
I remember a study that listed the toughest feats in sports, weighed by level of difficulty and probability of success. #1 was hitting a major league curveball. #2 was tackling Jerome Bettis.
 
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Bell is also a threat to catch the ball which Bettis never was.
 
I load up to stop the run over the next 4 to 6 weeks to make the Steelers put the ball in Vick's hands. I'm not sure what the Steelers would look like if they go back to a ground and pound offense. I think they are capable, but it will be an adjustment.
 
Bell is more like a Marshall Faulk/Bettis hybrid. 3 or 4 more seasons like 2014 and he will begin to get some HOF buzz.
 
Cope said:
Let me take you back to another week 3 in 2008. We were playing the Eagles and we were sacked 9 times. 9 ******* times!!! No way can that team make the playoffs... They won the Superbowl that season.
Click to expand...

That game was truly a pathetic performance by our O-line, makes my guts twist just thinking about it. If someone would've told me, on that particular Sunday evening, that the Steelers would go on to win the SB that season, I'da **** where I stood
 
Williams will also step in to carry the increased load in the next few weeks....obviously...
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Ya. He had that 1 whole carry last week after leading the AFC in rushing. I'm sure coach will lean on him BIG TIME!

Cause he's a leader of men and all that...
 
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