I was talking with guard David DeCastro about
http://www.divasta.com/mark-glowinski-jersey-c-1_12.html this wildly talented, often-frustrating Steelers offense before the game in Kansas City, and I wondered if it
’s the kind of offense that should be able to morph into any form it desires on a given Sunday.“
We have the talent,” DeCastro said. “Whether that’s 80 passes with Ben dinking and dunking on ’em, whether it’s running the ball, play-action, it just doesn’t matter.”We could all agree with that in theory, I
’m sure. But in practice, the Steelers have very much become Le’Veon Bell’s team.They have, in keeping with much of their history, become a team whose winning formula begins with a Bell-cow back. To an almost frightening extent in this case. Check it out:
Steelers record when Bell carries the ball at least 20 times: 24-3.
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Steelers record when Bell carries fewer than 20 times: 10-16.Which leads to the wonderful dilemma facing coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. A dilemma any team in the NFL would love to have.
On one hand, the Steelers have the best running back
— maybe the best player — in the league and a proven method for winning: GIVE THAT GUY THE BALL.They have never lost a game in which Bell carried at least 25 times (9-0).
Everything the Steelers do, it seems, they do better when Bell is pounding away. Their offense settles down. Their passing game frees up, particularly the play-action part (note the 26-yard pass to Vance McDonald on first down from
http://www.aescranna.com/jon-ryan-jersey-c-1_48.html the 1-yard line in Kansas City). Their defense stays fresh.
Troy Polamalu once told me how much his defenses appreciated that kind of formula. This one does, too.
