Le'Veon Bell saying the Steelers have made significant....

[zeke5123]

It is INSANITY for a team to be considering Bell that much money...especially a team whose safety and ILB situation is DIRE. That money immediately gets you a very good ILB and safety to plug into our defense.

I mean....even if you eliminated the pot and suspension risk, the knee injuries, the social media garbage, the showing up late...it's still a stupid as fuck move to sign him for big money. This is a player who has slowed down significantly...and he's not going to get any faster as he ages. His YPC fell dramatically this year to 4.0. He completely lacks a second gear. He's also become very predictable. Teams know how to adjust to his style now and they don't worry anymore about him threatening the outside (because of his slower speed).

Jeemie is right. Belichick absolutely LOVED when Tomlin turtled in the 3Q this year and pounded Bell into his Dline. It was a gift.

Sign or draft a decent RB and for the love of God, use that money on defense. You all know deep down that is the right thing to do...even the most staunch Bell defenders.

Thank you. It's mindboggling how so many can't understand the concept of addition by subtraction.

But of course the question becomes what are you replacing Bell’s $$$ with. It is easy to say ILB and Safety, but who? Also, can we structure the deal to mortgage the future and go all-in now? Ben can help by taking a cap reduction.

[COR-TEN]

...but to dispel the mistaken notion that Bell "is the best back in football".

He's not. Not anymore.

I hope he comes to the same conclusion.

I'd be happy to have him for a fraction of what he's asking for. The going rate for someone of his talents. And if he doesn't agree, I'd let him walk. If he'd rather sit out than be franchised tagged, so be it. It's his future.

[zeke5123]

I do wonder what Bell’s stats would look like if the first four games are removed.

[Kodiak]

I do wonder what Bell’s stats would look like if the first four games are removed.

I wonder what his stats look like behind an average OL with an average passing game.

[DP39]

I do wonder what Bell’s stats would look like if the first four games are removed.

I wonder what his stats look like behind an average OL with an average passing game.

Exactly, what does Zeke Elliott look like without those 10 foot wide holes his OL was routinely opening up for him?

[Legacy User]

I love Bell the player

I don’t want anyone to think I don’t

Bell the person? Not a huge fan

Plus I will stick to my guns....he is slow. Used to be a bit faster, not now.

All those touches and his longest run is 27 yards? For $15 million i’d like to know my RB can take it to the house from anywhere on the field.

If you take away his long runs............oh yeah, there aren’t any.

[Legacy User]

I'm just confused as to how a team with 3 pro bowl OL and a franchise tag back + a serious downfield threat can suck at running the ball.

Subpar position coaching?

I'm not altogether serious.

But I would wager the run blocking was not as good as in years past.

Defenses also much more aware of Bell's style.

[955876]

I say running too much when the defense knew it was coming and vice versa.

How many times do teams just know it’s a run on first down?

How often does our formation telegraph run?

How often are our run plays very similiar in design?

I’d start there.

[lifelongsteel]

I say running too much when the defense knew it was coming and vice versa.

How many times do teams just know it’s a run on first down?

How often does our formation telegraph run?

How often are our run plays very similiar in design?

I’d start there.

That's some good quality control stuff and yeah, start there.

I also think they players aren't as good as advertised and maybe, just maybe, this Lev Bell "patient" running style is not super effective. Maybe a back hitting those holes faster would make a difference.

I'm terrified of paying Bell too much.

[Minkah'n History]

I say running too much when the defense knew it was coming and vice versa.

How many times do teams just know it’s a run on first down?

How often does our formation telegraph run?

How often are our run plays very similiar in design?

I’d start there.

Yet 1st and 10 is the best down and distance to pass, and we run a ton on 1st down.

This year we were in a lot of 2nd and long it seems.

[Legacy User]

I say running too much when the defense knew it was coming and vice versa.

How many times do teams just know it’s a run on first down?

How often does our formation telegraph run?

How often are our run plays very similiar in design?

I’d start there.

Yet 1st and 10 is the best down and distance to pass, and we run a ton on 1st down.

This year we were in a lot of 2nd and long it seems.

Are you complaining? I love 2nd and long....was all part of the master plan.

[lifelongsteel]

With a few minutes of searching, which i'm unwilling to do, someone could find the Steelers % of runs/passes on first down and how that compares to the league. Over/under is that the Steelers are top 10 in pass percentage on first down.

[Legacy User]

lkjkl

[Jobu]

With a few minutes of searching, which i'm unwilling to do, someone could find the Steelers % of runs/passes on first down and how that compares to the league. Over/under is that the Steelers are top 10 in pass percentage on first down.

Challenge accepted...
In 2017, the Steelers rushed the football on 26.60% of their first downs. Ranked 25th in the league, right behind the Pats at 26.70%. Dallas, of course, was 1st at 40.45%.

[lifelongsteel]

With a few minutes of searching, which i'm unwilling to do, someone could find the Steelers % of runs/passes on first down and how that compares to the league. Over/under is that the Steelers are top 10 in pass percentage on first down.

Challenge accepted...
In 2017, the Steelers rushed the football on 26.60% of their first downs. Ranked 25th in the league, right behind the Pats at 26.70%. Dallas, of course, was 1st at 40.45%.

Thanks Jobu. That's about what I expected.

Steelers running all the time on 1st and 10 is mythology

[Gonzo]

What play does the WR screen count as

[lifelongsteel]

What play does the WR screen count as

Punt

[Jobu]

With a few minutes of searching, which i'm unwilling to do, someone could find the Steelers % of runs/passes on first down and how that compares to the league. Over/under is that the Steelers are top 10 in pass percentage on first down.

Challenge accepted...
In 2017, the Steelers rushed the football on 26.60% of their first downs. Ranked 25th in the league, right behind the Pats at 26.70%. Dallas, of course, was 1st at 40.45%.

Thanks Jobu. That's about what I expected.

Steelers running all the time on 1st and 10 is mythology

You’re welcome.

[Kodiak]

In 2017, the Steelers rushed the football on 26.60% of their first downs. Ranked 25th in the league, right behind the Pats at 26.70%. Dallas, of course, was 1st at 40.45%.

Huh? I'm looking at 231 rushes on 1st down vs. 234 pass attempts. So almost exactly 50/50, which is about what it should be.

FYI....7.6 YPA vs. 3.4 YPC.

[Jobu]

In 2017, the Steelers rushed the football on 26.60% of their first downs. Ranked 25th in the league, right behind the Pats at 26.70%. Dallas, of course, was 1st at 40.45%.

Huh? I'm looking at 231 rushes on 1st down vs. 234 pass attempts. So almost exactly 50/50, which is about what it should be.

FYI....7.6 YPA vs. 3.4 YPC.

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/r ... t-down-pct
That’s were I found the numbers...but looking at it now, that could be the percentage of first downs achieved by rushing the ball, rather than attempts on first down.
Sorry for the mistake...I simply googled “2018 Pittsburgh Steelers first down rushing %...that’s what popped up.

[Almighty Slacker]

What play does the WR screen count as

Punt

You just made me spit out my cough drop.

[bradshaw2ben]

With a few minutes of searching, which i'm unwilling to do, someone could find the Steelers % of runs/passes on first down and how that compares to the league. Over/under is that the Steelers are top 10 in pass percentage on first down.

They are not top 10 in passes beyond the LOS on 1st down. That's the number we're feeling.

[Lynch]

With a few minutes of searching, which i'm unwilling to do, someone could find the Steelers % of runs/passes on first down and how that compares to the league. Over/under is that the Steelers are top 10 in pass percentage on first down.

They are not top 10 in passes beyond the LOS on 1st down. That's the number we're feeling.

This may be true, but to be fair, we should look at what they did from the time Rooney ordered Tomlin to stop forcing the wr screen into Haley's game. Seems this was about midway through the year.

[Legacy User]

I honestly have a feeling and believe the steelers signing bell to huge long contract is a mistake we will all regret.. at most id franchise him again and bite the salary bullet..

[Kodiak]

I honestly have a feeling and believe the steelers signing bell to huge long contract is a mistake we will all regret.. at most id franchise him again and bite the salary bullet..

We get maybe 3 more years with Ben, and then this team will crumble around Tomlin. Bell having a huge cap number won't matter.

AB is a free agent after 2021, which will be shortly after Ben hangs them up. He'll be 32 years old, and my guess is getting a nice contract somewhere with a good QB to chase Jerry Rice.

[Legacy User]

With a few minutes of searching, which i'm unwilling to do, someone could find the Steelers % of runs/passes on first down and how that compares to the league. Over/under is that the Steelers are top 10 in pass percentage on first down.

They are not top 10 in passes beyond the LOS on 1st down. That's the number we're feeling.

This may be true, but to be fair, we should look at what they did from the time Rooney ordered Tomlin to stop forcing the wr screen into Haley's game. Seems this was about midway through the year.

You mean around the time Haley was being phased out of the offense when Fich came down from the booth to the sideline so Ben could talk to him face to face rather than talk to Haley?

[Lynch]

You mean around the time Haley was being phased out of the offense when Fich came down from the booth to the sideline so Ben could talk to him face to face rather than talk to Haley?[/quote]

That was a little later in the year actually... though obviously Haley was never phased out. Fich was brought down per Rooneys orders to keep Tomlin/confusion out of the offense.

[Kodiak]

Fich was brought down per Rooneys orders to keep Tomlin/confusion out of the offense.

You're making this up, right? Because I doubt Tomlin would meddle nearly to that degree in the offense, especially when he was apparently elbow deep in the defense.

[Legacy User]

Fich was brought down per Rooneys orders to keep Tomlin/confusion out of the offense.

You're making this up, right? Because I doubt Tomlin would meddle nearly to that degree in the offense, especially when he was apparently elbow deep in the defense.

Of course he is. He is so full of it. The QB comes off the field to talk to the QB coach, not the OC, but the OC, the same one who was let go weeks later, wasn't being phased out???? Riiiiiiiiiight.

[Scunge]

Haley apologists just don't get it. Fitchner coming down to the sidelines from the booth was not just for Ben. I saw many games where Randy was huddling with the WRs as a group, was talking with the TEs, was talking with Rosie Nix as the game was being played. Before they got back out on the field, Fitchner was coaching them up, talking to them, telling them things to look out for, things to do, tendencies, etc.

That was an odd sight for me, because, yes, that is what an offensive coordinator is supposed to do. But Randy Fitchner was NOT the OC at that time, so why did he have to do it?

The reason is because Todd Haley was not getting the job done, was having trouble communicating not with just Ben, but with everybody on offense, all of the skill position players. So, Randy comes down from the booth, is along the sidelines and the offense starts to play better because of it. Funny, how even Rosie Nix gets two TDs late in the year. I know Randy loves to involve fullbacks into his offense as more than just blockers. I don't think that any of this is just a coincidence.

The writing was on the wall, Haley was done, the Steelers wanted to move on from him but did not want to make a change at midseason. The compromise that they made was to bring Randy down from the booth and give him more input into the offense. Unfortunately, Haley was still the OC and still calling plays.

This whole thing happened once before when we had Ron Earhardt and Chan Gailey. Chan the year before he officially got the OC job, did the same thing Fitchner did this season. He had more input into the offense, was offering ideas and ways of improving players, one idea Chan had was to rotate the 4 WRs so that they would improve. Some games they would have Thigpen and Johnson play the 1st and 3rd quarters and then Ernie Mills and Andre Hastings play the 2 and 4th quarters together.

And for those thinking that the offense won't change much, I disagree. This offense has been ignoring the fullback and hasn't really been able to implement the vertical deep threat in the middle, that speedy, athletic TE. If Randy can get those two chess pieces deeply involved in the offense then this offense will change for the better.