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