The Pittsburgh Steelers were blown out Sunday. Ben Roethlisberger threw 57 times, managing no touchdowns and five interceptions while Le’Veon Bell was seemingly just an afterthought.
After carrying the ball just 15 times in the game, it’s not surprising that Bell is not satisfied with how things worked out. He thinks the running game should have gotten more chances to make plays, and it’s hard to criticize that line of thinking.
“No,’’ Bell said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I felt there was room in there. The stats don’t really show what really happened because of the fact there were several runs where we lost yards, but I feel like we were running the ball effectively. Of course they came out trying to stop the run. It really doesn’t matter. I feel we’re a good enough team to wear guys out whether they know we’re running the ball or not.”
In addition to the five interceptions Roethlisberger threw, two of them went the other way for six points. It was the worst game of the quarterback’s career, and it was clear very early on that Big Ben didn’t have his best stuff.
Hopefully the Steelers remember they have one of the best running backs in football in the coming weeks. Bell can make things happen on the ground when the passing game is dried up. And quite honestly, he should be the focal point going forward, because it’s clear Roethlisberger is entering final-year Peyton Manning territory.