It's been two weeks, and the Steelers have only scored 4 offensive touchdowns. That's well below their goal of 30 points per game, but the shortage of touchdowns isn't a lack of talent or ability. It's about working out the kinks.
It's very clear that Le'Veon Bell skipping all of the off-season due to injury and a holdout has hindered him through the first two games. His timing has been off in all areas, whether it's finding the hole in the run game or being a yard out of reach for a Ben Roethlisberger pass.
We all know that in the next few weeks he's going to find his timing again. The natural hesitation in the back field that's become his running style is going to jive with his lineman once again. When he breaks off a 50-yarder. That's when the NFL should become on notice.
”I’m due for an explosion play,” Bell said. ”It hasn’t happened yet. I think I had almost three today but those guys, they made a couple tackles on a screen or a run where I almost broke out.”
“Obviously, I’m going to continue to get better, each and every day, each and every week. I don’t feel a drastic change. I feel like I was in my normal routine. It’s just being in the midst of the game.”
To Bell's credit he was running against a defense that is very stout up front. Last week the Vikings held the Saints explosive offense to only 60 yards on 21 carries. That was good for 2.9 yards per carry from Adrian Peterson, Mark Ingram, and company.
“Those guys are good up front. They had their fair share of plays," Bell continued. "But I think us keeping the balance of running it and passing – keeping them guessing – really helped us get the ‘W’ today.”
Another important piece to their offense is starting to find his rhythm. Martavis Bryant found his way into the endzone for the first time in 21 months when Roethlisberger hit him in stride coming across the middle for a 27-yard touchdown. That score gave the Steelers a 7-0 lead and they wouldn't ever look back.
“Each game, I’m getting better and getting more into it,” Bryant said. “I’m going to get better this week in practice and go back out on Sunday and play hard again.”
Bryant should be able to find plenty of space next week against a poor Bears team that has given up over 500 yards passing through the first two games.
It might not be this week but eventually this team will be running on all cylinders. Let's hope that it starts when they walk into Baltimore on Oct. 1.
#SteelerNation
