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Why isn't Bell out there on 3rd and 4th downs?

C

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This to me is mystifying. Tomlin should have learned his less from the Ravens game, when Bell was not out there on some critical 3rd and 4th downs. We lost because of it. Rest Bell when needed, but get him on the field when it matter most.

Williams missed several chances to easily extend drives yesterday that I think Bell converts.
 
Bottom line we lost because we're playing with our 4'th QB, A left tackle who is not ready to be a starter in this league, some very conservative play calling, no Tuitt at DE, inability to cover anyone's TE,very little QB pressure and a porous secondary. Bell not playing on 3'rd and 4'th downs was not the problem Coach.
 
yeah - Cam Thomas was starting for Tuitt - start there - that's a huge dropoff - Charcharcharcandrick West gashed them all game. I think the D came out cocky and thought this would be an easy game. Chiefs spread it around and the D had no answers.

...and it wasn't conservative to start the game - Haley comes out throwing bombs, calling plays like Landry was Ben, 3 and out, 3 and out, 3 and out - wasted a whole half with nothing to show for it - take the safe throws and run the damn ball!
 
Any team that is patient enough to dink and dunk us down the field is going to have success. We cannot defend that type of offense and we've proven this year in and year out because we lack corners to defend it and our pass rush is still lacking without blitz packages.
 
All I know is 3rd and 2 from the KC 6, I'm running Bell twice. If you claim you have the balls and no fear to put it all on the line to win a game at the end, then do it in the beginning to get yourself an early lead on the road. And for god's sake, use your best player to do it.
 
There should have been a heavy dose of screen passes to LeVeon all game. But nothing. SHDH.
 
steelhurt said:
Bottom line we lost because we're playing with our 4'th QB, A left tackle who is not ready to be a starter in this league, some very conservative play calling, no Tuitt at DE, inability to cover anyone's TE,very little QB pressure and a porous secondary. Bell not playing on 3'rd and 4'th downs was not the problem Coach.
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I disagree. Bell should be on the field on important 3rd and 4th downs. This was just one of the many reasons why the Steelers lost. As for covering the TE, could we not chip him at the line of Scrimmage?
 
Hines57 said:
Was asking this same question while at the game. The 3rd down pass to Williams and the 4th down run, get the ball to Bell.
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To me it isn't just running with Bell. Why do they bring in their Jumbo set and bunch everyone in on short yardage situations all the time. Keep them spread out. Oh well. I'm just an disgruntled fan.
 
Wait I thought the Steelers were making a monumental mistake not utilizing Williams. That they were going to run Bell into the ground. This is why Blount wanted out. Now Williams get his chances doesn't succeed and now Bell shouldn't come out the game???
 
Coach said:
I disagree. Bell should be on the field on important 3rd and 4th downs. This was just one of the many reasons why the Steelers lost. As for covering the TE, could we not chip him at the line of Scrimmage?
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Coach, just saying that not having Bell in on those downs didn't cost us the game but the other things I mentioned sure did. As for chipping the TE at the line. Couldn't hurt now could it? I'm giving you reasons for the loss and not solutions but your suggestion may have been what we needed to do. You'll have to ask a higher authority than me on that one like Butler.
 
Some posters here see what I see. Bell's a triple threat talent. He can run, catch or block yet Tomlin and Haley keep more limited players on the field on 3rd or 4th down?

This isn't rocket science. It's coaching 101 stuff Although it's not in his personality, I think Bell should be using the media to get him the damn ball in important situations. As a top 1-3 NFL back, he's well within his right to do so.

Relying on Tomlin or Haley to put the best players in the right positions has been a problem.
 
Coach said:
This to me is mystifying. Tomlin should have learned his less from the Ravens game, when Bell was not out there on some critical 3rd and 4th downs. We lost because of it. Rest Bell when needed, but get him on the field when it matter most.

Williams missed several chances to easily extend drives yesterday that I think Bell converts.
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Several chances? What game were you watching? Other than the TD pass he dropped, Williams was above the line yesterday.
 
I thought the 4th down try should have been a FG attempt in the first half. I was in that end zone and Boswell did miss at least 1 kick that way kicking in pregame. There was some swirling wind but I think he could have made the kick. My second guessing is the fact that we went with Williams without a FB in front of him. Bring in a damn FB if you want to go get that yard.

The 3rd down play with the incomplete pass to Williams, I'm not a big rollout fan where you take away half the field and really limit where you can go. That's on Williams, he should have caught that. Tough break for us just like the tipped AB pick.

We got outplayed yesterday, not really much else to say about it.
 
stillwright said:
To me it isn't just running with Bell. Why do they bring in their Jumbo set and bunch everyone in on short yardage situations all the time. Keep them spread out.
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This ^^^

Running off the right guard when the defense has 7 defenders within 10' makes no sense. Either spread out, or if they pack the middle, @#% 'em and run a toss to Bell. Let the fat ******* try to beat him to the corner.
 
I appreciate what Williams did while Bell was out, but he's been a carry splitting back his entire career for a reason. He's solid, but he should not be taking carries away from Bell. If you feel like you have to give Bell more rest, do it on earlier downs. Any time he sits on 3rd or 4th down shows our coaching staff is incompetent. Give him the damn ball already and stop trying to out think people, you suck at it.
 
If we had a big white guy, we could have given him the ball. Nobody expects the big white guy to get the ball.
 
I have no problem spelling Bell with Williams.... But if you are going to have a third down play with a pass to the RB as a option.... put Bell in.
 
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Well what the hell is the point of dressing Bell if we aren't going to use him when its most critical then?
 
You have to go to your best players in crucial situations. If he needs a break, give it to him after he picks up a first down.
 
I think Tomlin is saving him a little for the unleashing of hell. I think we make a strong push into the post season.
 
How many people think Bell catches that pass by the goal line that DeAngelo dropped? That's either a TD or first and goal from 3....wasted opportunity right there because, like others have stated, Tomlin and Haley are too dumb to have their best offensive weapon on the field.
 
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