• Please be aware we've switched the forums to their own URL. (again) You'll find the new website address to be www.steelernationforum.com Thanks
  • Please clear your private messages. Your inbox is close to being full.

Bell staking his claim as the best

antdrewjosh

antdrewjosh

Well-known member
Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2014
Messages
9,543
Reaction score
3,401
Points
113
Location
Newark,NJ
http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN ...bell-ranked-second-in-broken-tackles-in-2014/

I pray this kid has his head on straight this year. Loved him coming out the draft but he has been a joy to watch in every facet of the game. Pass blocking catching out the backfield and lining up as a legitimate WR threat.
 
I believe he will be even better this season.............hopefully no injuries derail him/us this season.
 
blitzburghv5 said:
I believe he will be even better this season.............hopefully no injuries derail him/us this season.
Click to expand...



Injury as in physically hurt or the toke-n-test...............???



Salute the nation
 
Staying healthy is always key and if this kid can stay remain healthy he will put up some excellent numbers. However, with that being said, I do not like this Tomlin crap of run him till the wheels come off. Seems we tried that before and it didn't work out to well. I would have liked to have seen us draft a RB to relieve the load on Bell and I sure the hell hope DeAngelo has enough left in the tank to fill that role.I just think by keeping Bell on the field as much as we do will wear him down quicker and use him up faster and make him much more susceptibe to injury. I don't want to burn him out before his time.
 
Team will have to make a difficult Dez Bryant, Tony Romo, Demarco Murray decision in a few years. You can't pay Ben, Bell and Brown their market value. You just won't be able too.
 
That is actually a little surprising in regards to the broken tackles. Last year, he said he changed his style and really didn't take many hits. His body felt great after the games as compared to his first year. So, if he is not lowering the boom like Beast Mode and still able to break tackles, that is a real good thing for his longevity.
 
I know everyone likes to bring up Tomlin running the wheels off Parker, but Parker broke his leg in a freak instance. It wasn't that he was worn down, or pulled muscles continuously. He broke his leg, lost his speed, and that's what made him a good back. Speed backs are only good for so long to begin with, take their speed prematurely and it's an even more abrupt ending.
 
SteelerSask said:
Team will have to make a difficult Dez Bryant, Tony Romo, Demarco Murray decision in a few years. You can't pay Ben, Bell and Brown their market value. You just won't be able too.
Click to expand...

ABrown will be the one to go..........Franchise QB is a no-brainer.......a multi-talented back like Bell is rare.........WR, you can replace much easier than RB or QB.......right now, this is a great problem to have but at some point, youre right...we will have to jettison Brown
 
I'd rather have Bell miss the first 3 games than the last 3 games.

Also, when it comes to numbers, Ben is first priority, and RBs are cheap to retain (since their careers are generally shorter, they rarely make it to a 3rd contract). It is possible to retain all 3 with a rising cap, but AB would have to be paid in the top 10, not #1, even if his performance merits it.
 
It's not that they are trying to play him so much he is the best back we have in pass pro and as a reciever. Your not going to risk Ben's health to rest Bell.
 
I agree, but at the same time you have to think in the long term of the season and his career. The problem last year was they got themselves into a win or else situation with ridiculous losses early to teams like Tampa. This facilitated playing him virtually every down, which wore him down, sent his backup packing and ultimately to the early playoff exit, though that part is highly debatable because Jones low hit would have felled virtually any back. Though I still think a motivated Blount could have been a huge difference in the Ravens playoff game.
 
Bell injury was a freak thing. He got hurt playing WR. Unfortunately was put into a vulnerable position could of happened to anyone. Nelson only went low because Bell trucked him earlier in the game. I don't remember Emmit Smith wearing down. If you watch closely Bell is usually giving out the blows and not taking them.
 
Thats what I'm saying Sask, we need a young tough back that we can use to relieve Bell. I'm not sure DeAngelo has that much left. I don't want to wear him down and I can see Tomlin doing exactly that.
 
Everyone wears down. Give or receive the hits. It all hurts and wears you out. You quote Emmett Smith. I could quote 50 running backs that wore down between 29-31. That is about a five year run and he is on year 3.
 
I don't believe in that wear down myth. It's all about the backs running style. All the great ones have the ability to avoid big hits. They dish out the punishment not take it. Bell has displayed that to me. Bettis had that ability as a big back. Until they find someone they can trust in pass pro bell will continue to play allot
 
Its no myth. Thats because you can watch these guys take the beatings they do from the comfort of your living room like the rest of us. Try going out every week and getting into collisions like these guys do and then get back to me. Thats why when these guys finally hang it up they can barely walk. That is exactly why the shelf life on these RB's is generally 5-7 years. Sure you're going to get the exception now and then like Emmitt Smith but they are few and far between.
 
I was always more sore after a football game than after a practice. Taking hits does take a toll.
 
One other thing to take into consideration with these guys is the kind of hits they take. When Emmitt was playing for much of his career he had a very good run blocking line and often was getting contact by defensive backs and some linebackers. I also suspect that because of the blocking he had there were not a lot of square hits from big players on him. If you look at that and the possibility of him being one of the special players that is able to endure the game it adds up for him.

Most guys don't have all of those things so they get used up quicker.
 
antdrewjosh said:
I don't believe in that wear down myth. It's all about the backs running style. All the great ones have the ability to avoid big hits. They dish out the punishment not take it. Bell has displayed that to me. Bettis had that ability as a big back. Until they find someone they can trust in pass pro bell will continue to play allot
Click to expand...
Every collision whether you came out on top or get rocked takes a toll. The energy of the collision might not be equally dispersed but it is felt by both. That is fact. And Jerome Bettis is the perfect example of this. How many times did he look unstoppable in October and November, only to be a injury list guy/ OK in the playoffs. Virtually EVERY SEASON.
 
SteelerSask said:
Team will have to make a difficult Dez Bryant, Tony Romo, Demarco Murray decision in a few years. You can't pay Ben, Bell and Brown their market value. You just won't be able too.
Click to expand...

Ben is already taken care off. Brown or Bell? Hard call. I think Brown would be the safer play even if he's a little older.
 
Emmit Smith wasn't the only back to have a long career. Walter Payton, Franco, Barry, Marshall alot others. What they all had in common was they didn't take big hits. Bell displayed that ability to me I've never seen him take a big hit whether in Pittsburgh or Michigan State. This is as a RB, I'm not counting the hit he took playing WR. I'm also not comparing him to any of those guys. He has a long way to go to be in their league. Just saying he has that knack that the special backs do to avoid heavy contact. I know the shelf life for most backs is short. But the special ones seem to last longer because of that trait of avoiding the big hits. Which is usually attributed to their vision. Which while he has only been here two years we all agree or should that he has excellent vision.
 
Last edited:
I guess you missed when his helmet went flying against the Ravens and it looked like his head might be in it. Then he kinda did the chicken for a few moments. Or maybe when it appeared that his knee would need total reconstruction on his last play last season. Now one could chalk that up to chance or freak luck. However, my experience tells me that the running back position is a short term job. If you carry the ball 25 times a game for 16 plus games for 5 seasons that is a lot of opportunities for a freak accident to occur. Which explains the short shelf life of most backs.
 
antdrewjosh said:
Emmit Smith wasn't the only back to have a long career. Walter Payton, Franco, Barry, Marshall alot others. What they all had in common was they didn't take big hits. Bell displayed that ability to me I've never seen him take a big hit whether in Pittsburgh or Michigan State. This is as a RB, I'm not counting the hit he took playing WR. I'm also not comparing him to any of those guys. Just saying he has that knack that the special backs do to avoid heavy contact. I know the shelf life for most backs is short. But the special ones seem to last longer because of that train of avoiding the big hits. Which is usually attributed to their vision. Which while he has only been here two years we all agree or should that he has excellent vision.
Click to expand...

I do not believe you can discount any hits regardless of his role when he took it. The last hit took him out of the game and from what was said might have put him on injured reserve if it happened earlier in the season. There is still speculation regarding his recovery now in some circles.

I agree that your point about some guys avoiding taking the big hit is valid but it still only takes one to end the season or career. I also differ in the thoughts regarding wearing down. All players do. As the game goes on they get tired and banged up. They become a bit slower in their reaction times and responses. Had Bell been able to react just a fraction of a second quicker maybe he would not have had his foot planted when he took the hit that knocked him out of the game.
 
SteelerSask said:
I guess you missed when his helmet went flying against the Ravens and it looked like his head might be in it. Then he kinda did the chicken for a few moments. Or maybe when it appeared that his knee would need total reconstruction on his last play last season. Now one could chalk that up to chance or freak luck. However, my experience tells me that the running back position is a short term job. If you carry the ball 25 times a game for 16 plus games for 5 seasons that is a lot of opportunities for a freak accident to occur. Which explains the short shelf life of most backs.
Click to expand...


That was a once in blue thing sell out your body play. And I said I don't count the play lined up at WR. You have way less control of things going after a pass then when you are running with the football. I'm just saying get used to him running the ball allot and getting allot of touches because he is the best option on first second and third down. Because if his running skills catching skills and blitz pick up. No one comes close so he will continue to play all three downs.
 
Clearly you won't be convinced here. While I would say that there is some validity to your idea about vision and giving contact over receiving it helping, there is just no one who can play that game in that position with 300 lb interior d lineman and 260 lb rush ends and linebackers running 4.6 40's getting away from that. Maybe some will wear down a little less, but the toll will be taken from all. And I think you can only look in retrospect at a guys career about his ability to be durable and avoid the big hits. Good luck to Bell, but at his current rate of carry, I'd plan on four or five years and letting him walk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top