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5 Steelers who need to step up in Ben Roethlisberger’s absence

By Parker Hurley

Sep 25, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) drops back to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) drops back to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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NFL: Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers
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1. Le’Veon Bell

If the Steelers do emerge from the ashes of the Roethlisberger injury in contention it will be almost exclusively thanks to Bell. Bell will have the chance to touch the ball around 30 times per game without Roethlisberger, and as crazy as it sounds, that number may be low. The Steelers are going to run Bell, they are going to run him more and then they are going to throw to him.

Teams will undoubtedly stack the box against the inexperienced signal caller. However, the Steelers can also be creative in how they get Bell his touches. A Week 5 win in 2015 at the San Diego Chargers comes to mind here. Michael Vick started in that game, and threw 26 passes. One went for 72 yards and a touchdown. The other 25 went for 131 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.

However, Bell ran for 111 yards on 21 carries and scored the game-winning touchdown, as the Steelers relied heavily on the wildcat formation. They have two great running backs in DeAngelo Williams and Bell, so it seems pretty likely that the wildcat will be in play, even if only for a few plays, in the coming weeks.

Aside from that, the Steelers will also keep the defense on their feet by throwing to Bell. Bell is the best receiving running back in the NFL and it’s not even close. This season he has caught 20 of his 24 targets in three games and has turned that into 177 yards (that comes out to 8.9 yards per reception). For his career, he averages just over 9 yards per catch. The Steelers will rely almost exclusively on Bell to open up the entire offense.

He can take the pressure off Brown. He can free up the middle for the emerging Green. Brown can make DeCastro look better by staying patient, and fighting defenders who burst into the backfield. Heck, Bell can help the defense by churning the clock and keeping them on the sidelines. If the Steelers want to survive without Roethlisberger, the number one name to look at is going to be Le’Veon Bell.

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