Will Todd Haley consider a two-back system when Le’Veon Bell returns?
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Given DeAngelo Williams鈥� production through the first two weeks of the season, would it be smart for Todd Haley to implement a two-back system when Le鈥橵eon Bell returns?
After the Steelers鈥� Week 3 game in Philadelphia, Bell will be eligible to return from a three-game suspension for a violation of the NFL鈥檚 substance abuse policy.
In Bell鈥檚 absence, Williams hasn鈥檛 been simply productive while carrying the load for the Steelers. Williams has been the the best running back in the NFL.
Williams eclipsed 10,000 yards for his career with 132 all-purpose yards against the Bengals. His 94 yards on the ground kept him atop the league鈥檚 rushing leaders heading into Week 3, as Williams, with 237 yards in two games, holds a 41-yard lead over the Jets鈥� Matt Forte.
Williams set a career-high in carries against the Bengals with 32 rushing attempts, and he has gotten better late in games. Through two games, Williams鈥� rushing totals in the second half are far better than the first 鈥� he has accumulated a combined 154 yards in the latter half, as opposed to a combined 83 yards in the first two quarters.
Williams, 33, isn鈥檛 showing any signs of slowing down, though he doesn鈥檛 see himself as anything more than a backup to Bell.
鈥淣o, I am an insurance policy,鈥� Williams told MMQB鈥檚 Peter King after Sunday鈥檚 win. 鈥淚鈥檓 driving the car till L-Bell gets back. I鈥檓 trying to keep us in good position till he gets back. That鈥檚 good with me. When I came here, I came here to win a Super Bowl. That鈥檚 the only thing I care about.鈥�
Is he right, though? Granted, Bell is one of the most dynamic running backs in the league when fully healthy and certainly an upgrade from most other NFL running backs. (Adrian Peterson gets a pass). But it will to be hard for Haley to completely abandon Williams in Bell鈥檚 favor considering the amount of production the former has put on display, and the lack of playing time Bell has received up to this point.
Both backs are versatile and have the skills to catch passes out of the backfield. Imagine a two-back set in which Williams is lined up in the backfield and Bell motions pre-snap into the slot. It would create mismatches for opposing defenses and take pressure off the offense鈥檚 other weapons, such as Antonio Brown, Sammie Coates and Jesse James.
Williams actually played in a two-back set with Jonathan Stewart for the entirety of his tenure with the Carolina Panthers. It鈥檚 part of the reason his longevity, which is uncommon among NFL running backs.
Despite stating the opposite to King, Williams told reporters after Sunday鈥檚 game that he was in favor of working with Bell in some sort of a two-back set.
鈥淚 mean, we will have that option,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭he thing I wanted to do once I got here is, when Le鈥橵eon Bell came off the field it didn鈥檛 take any pressure off the defense, and that鈥檚 been my main goal since I have been here. And having the rapport that I do with the offensive line as well as the rapport that he has with them, I think that the two-back system would work here.鈥�
However, that鈥檚 if 鈥� and only if 鈥� it鈥檚 for the betterment of the team.
鈥淚 am hunting one thing and one thing only, and that is a Super Bowl,鈥� Williams said.