View Full Version : Tomlin: Choice between Bell and Lacy was easy (SI)
Iron Shiek
12-18-2013, 04:34 PM
I imagine he has to say this to preserve any amount of respect from his player, but I agreed with this heading into the season, and still do (even though I like both of the running backs quite a bit).
http://tracking.si.com/2013/12/17/steelers-mike-tomlin-leveon-bell-eddie-lacy/?sct=obnetwork (http://tracking.si.com/2013/12/17/steelers-mike-tomlin-leveon-bell-eddie-lacy/?sct=obnetwork)
Mike Tomlin says he prefers running back Le’Veon Bell to fellow rookie Eddie Lacy because of his versatility, according to Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Tomlin had been asked if he had any second thoughts about taking Bell ahead of Lacy in last year’s draft, with the Green Bay Packers’ RB looking like a top Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. But the Steelers coach said the choice was “an easy one,” citing Bell’s ability to catch balls out of the backfield.
The Steelers’ rookie has 43 receptions for 388 yards in addition to his 646 yards on the ground. Lacy has accrued 1,028 rushing yards this season in 248 attempts and has caught 31 passes for 236 yards.
Oviedo
12-18-2013, 05:10 PM
Both are good RBs but lets not forget when we look at the stats how many games Bell missed and the piece of crap offensive line he has to run behind.
SteelCrazy
12-18-2013, 05:28 PM
Eddie Lacy wouldnt have anything near 1,000yards rushing if he ran behind our line
phillyesq
12-18-2013, 06:04 PM
Lacy may well be the better pure runner, but I think Bell is the more versatile back. Bell is looking to be the perfect back for the Steelers - able to run effectively and with authority, but also able to be a weapon out of the backfield. His versatility makes him particularly valuable in the no-huddle.
Sugar
12-18-2013, 06:50 PM
Though Gio Bernard is playing well for the Bengals, I do wonder if they would do things differently if they had it to do over again. I must imagine Denver would. I'd hate to think of Payton using him as a weapon.
NW Steeler
12-18-2013, 07:23 PM
The Steelers made the right pick, they selected the guy that matched the offense they want to run. We are just getting a glimpse of what the guy can do. Imagine if we ever have a competent and cohesive oline in front of him. He would put up monster numbers.
SidSmythe
12-18-2013, 07:24 PM
LACY is a BEAST. He can get a head of steam and move piles. BELL on the other hand is finesse and patient with some power who is more suited for HALEY's OFFENSE. 10 years ago LACY would have been a STEELER!
Sugar
12-18-2013, 09:01 PM
LACY is a BEAST. He can get a head of steam and move piles. BELL on the other hand is finesse and patient with some power who is more suited for HALEY's OFFENSE. 10 years ago LACY would have been a STEELER!
Thank God the coaches are looking for what they need now and not trying to be what they were 10 years ago.
NorthCoast
12-18-2013, 09:26 PM
Though Gio Bernard is playing well for the Bengals, I do wonder if they would do things differently if they had it to do over again. I must imagine Denver would. I'd hate to think of Payton using him as a weapon.
I was most interested in Bernard vs Bell after draft day. Statistically there are within a hairs breadth of each other (slight edge to Bernard) in total yards from scrimmage. Factor in the Steelers pathetic OL for half the season and you have to believe Bell could have done some amazing things under equal conditions. The real difference will be durability. Lacy's style does not bode well for a long career but he is built like a tank so it may balance out.
Vader
12-18-2013, 11:25 PM
Eddie Lacy wouldnt have anything near 1,000yards rushing if he ran behind our line
And you know this how? Lacy breaks a lot of tackles it isn't just the OL.
hawaiiansteel
12-19-2013, 02:34 AM
--- The Steelers backed off Eddie Lacy in the draft in part because of his injured big toe, which was fused by surgery. Tomlin said Tuesday the decision to draft Le’Veon Bell instead of Lacy in the second round was no contest.
“It was an easy decision for me. Again, probably because of the things that I talked about with his versatility that he’s displayed here but also at Michigan State. Obviously, Lacy is a top-quality back and rightfully so. He was a great back at Alabama. Obviously, he is over 1,000 yards and is proving his worth in Green Bay. Probably it’s just a matter of preference.
http://sportsblogs.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers-steelers-blog/2013/12/18/Tomlin-Praises-Woods-V-Williams.html
papillon
12-19-2013, 07:55 AM
I don't see that big of a difference in the versatility aspect. Lacy has 31 catches and Bell has 43 catches, Lacy has over a 1,000 yards and Bell has 646 rushing, those are similar numbers for two #1 backs in the NFL. If we had Lacy, I'd be just as happy as I am with Bell. Now, if Lacy only had 10-15 catches then I'd give you the versatility slant on the selection.
The Steelers liked Bell better and that's fine, it's working for the Steelers. The Packers liked Lacy better and that's fine, it's working for the Packers.
Pappy
SteelCrazy
12-19-2013, 09:22 AM
And you know this how? Lacy breaks a lot of tackles it isn't just the OL.
I can read palms and I read his palm. Obviously I don't know, but it is my opinion that Adrian Peterson wouldnt have gained 800 yards on 200 carries, the same amount of carries Bell has with us.
steelsnis
12-19-2013, 09:47 AM
I don't see that big of a difference in the versatility aspect. Lacy has 31 catches and Bell has 43 catches, Lacy has over a 1,000 yards and Bell has 646 rushing, those are similar numbers for two #1 backs in the NFL. If we had Lacy, I'd be just as happy as I am with Bell. Now, if Lacy only had 10-15 catches then I'd give you the versatility slant on the selection.
The Steelers liked Bell better and that's fine, it's working for the Steelers. The Packers liked Lacy better and that's fine, it's working for the Packers.
Pappy
Agree both are looking like really good backs, but Bell definitely is more versatile. He has a dozen more catches after missing the first three games of the season and most of the preseason.
Having a back who's reliable catching passes out of the backfield is a huge plus. Bell is only 9 catches from passing John L. Williams for the Steeler record for catches by a back, and only 202 yards away from passing FRANCO HARRIS for the all-time rookie record for yards from scrimmage.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/versatile-rb-bell-flourishing-steelers
feltdizz
12-19-2013, 10:42 AM
I can read palms and I read his palm. Obviously I don't know, but it is my opinion that Adrian Peterson wouldnt have gained 800 yards on 200 carries, the same amount of carries Bell has with us.
That's crazy... I know it sounds good to say it but that's insane... AP is a beast and runs like a Gazelle on Steroids. He would definitely have 1,000 yards.
feltdizz
12-19-2013, 10:43 AM
I don't see that big of a difference in the versatility aspect. Lacy has 31 catches and Bell has 43 catches, Lacy has over a 1,000 yards and Bell has 646 rushing, those are similar numbers for two #1 backs in the NFL. If we had Lacy, I'd be just as happy as I am with Bell. Now, if Lacy only had 10-15 catches then I'd give you the versatility slant on the selection.
The Steelers liked Bell better and that's fine, it's working for the Steelers. The Packers liked Lacy better and that's fine, it's working for the Packers.
Pappy
Watching both I still like Lacy more but I can live with Bell.
Shawn
12-19-2013, 12:30 PM
Agree both are looking like really good backs, but Bell definitely is more versatile. He has a dozen more catches after missing the first three games of the season and most of the preseason.
Having a back who's reliable catching passes out of the backfield is a huge plus. Bell is only 9 catches from passing John L. Williams for the Steeler record for catches by a back, and only 202 yards away from passing FRANCO HARRIS for the all-time rookie record for yards from scrimmage.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/versatile-rb-bell-flourishing-steelers
Not to mention in an O that is less geared for the pass.
hawaiiansteel
12-22-2013, 02:32 PM
Head-to-head: Packers RB Eddie Lacy vs. Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell
By Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Dec 21, 2013
http://www.post-gazette.com/image/2013/12/08/420x_q90_cMC_z_ca42,0,2154,2112/20131208mfsteelerssports01.jpg
The Steelers had a chance to take Eddie Lacy in the second round of the NFL draft, but they opted instead to select Le'Veon Bell with the 48th overall pick. And they are glad they did.
Even though Lacy has already emerged as one of the top running backs in the league and is on the verge of establishing a number of rookie records for the Green Bay Packers, the Steelers have never looked back at their decision to take Bell.
"It was an easy decision for me," coach Mike Tomlin said.
While Lacy has four 100-yard rushing games and is one of just nine backs in the league with more than 1,000 yards rushing, Bell has become something of a focal point and dual threat in the Steelers offense despite not having a 100-yard rush game.
He has touched the ball 144 times in the past five games for 605 yards and three touchdowns.
Last week, Bell upstaged Cincinnati's Giovani Bernard -- the first running back taken in the 2013 draft -- in a 30-20 victory against the Bengals, combining for 107 yards on 29 touches and scoring a touchdown. Bernard was held to 33 yards rushing and 13 receiving.
Now Bell gets another chance against Lacy, the more heralded running back from the 2013 draft class, when the Steelers face the Packers today at Lambeau Field.
"Le'Veon is a great back," Lacy said the other day. "They picked who they wanted, and I landed in a great place. I'm happy where I am."
So are the Packers.
Lacy has four 100-yard rushing games and leads all NFL rookies with 1,028 rushing yards. But, after a slow start, he has rushed for 977 yards in the past 11 games, more than any other back in that stretch.
"You have to love his running style," said Packers Coach Mike McCarthy, a Greenfield native who went to the former Bishop Boyle High School in Homestead. "He breaks a ton of tackles, he's always leaning forward and he has excellent balance.
He's one of those football players where the game comes very natural to him."
Like a lot of other NFL teams, the Steelers thought Lacy was the best running back in the 2013 draft, a dominant runner at Alabama who rushed for 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns his final season with the Crimson Tide
But, like a lot of teams, the Steelers were reluctant to use a high pick on Lacy because of medical questions about a big-toe injury. Lacy had the bone in his toe fused into the joint when he was at Alabama, causing NFL teams to worry about the long-term ramifications of his injury.
Lacy never missed a game his final season at Alabama, but he rarely, if ever, practiced during the week because of the injury.
"I had a lot of injuries coming out of college," Lacy said. "That's pretty much it. A lot of teams didn't pick me because of my injury history."
The Steelers were one of them. Instead, they drafted Bell, whom offensive coordinator Todd Haley compared to 1996 NFL offensive rookie of the year Eddie George.
Bell has yet to have a 100-yard rushing game -- his best outing was 93 yards against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers have gone 22 games without a 100-yard rusher, the longest active streak in the league.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/s...#ixzz2oCstbYHY
Rod Polamalu
12-22-2013, 08:26 PM
Just depends on one's perspective of what a RB is,.....Bell is built like, and moves as though he is an undersized TE. Whereas Lacy is clearly a RB. Perhaps Tomlin felt as though he had another opportunity to prove himself a "maverick" in terms of personnel ? lol
Shawn
12-22-2013, 09:07 PM
Looks like Bell wins round one. :)
Steelerphile
12-22-2013, 09:15 PM
Just depends on one's perspective of what a RB is,.....Bell is built like, and moves as though he is an undersized TE. Whereas Lacy is clearly a RB. Perhaps Tomlin felt as though he had another opportunity to prove himself a "maverick" in terms of personnel ? lol
I completely disagree with this. Leveon has a lot of moves, good speed and running instincts. I don't think there are many TEs with his skillset. Perhaps you are just bashing Tomlin without too much thinking or analysis
behind it. LOL.i
Slapstick
12-22-2013, 09:38 PM
LeVeon made the choice look easy today...
feltdizz
12-22-2013, 09:48 PM
Lacy is a good RB but the toe may be a long term problem.
Bell is also fun to watch and I think we will see a better return over a longer period of time.
papillon
12-22-2013, 09:48 PM
LeVeon made the choice look easy today...
Lacy was as good as Bell today and he didn't put it on the carpet at the 5 yard line. Bell is going to be a good to great back if he stays healthy, but Lacy was equally good today.
Pappy
Slapstick
12-22-2013, 09:51 PM
...almost...
Eddie Spaghetti
12-22-2013, 09:59 PM
almost what?
you are a fool. Both backs looked good today.
Slapstick
12-22-2013, 10:02 PM
Okay "Eddie Spaghetti"...I'm the fool...8)
Eddie Spaghetti
12-22-2013, 10:07 PM
well explain how Leveon made the choice look so easy???
both of them looked like good RBs today
Rod Polamalu
12-23-2013, 02:15 AM
I completely disagree with this. Leveon has a lot of moves, good speed and running instincts. I don't think there are many TEs with his skillset. Perhaps you are just bashing Tomlin without too much thinking or analysis
behind it. LOL.i
So, you are saying on record,....that you believe Bell is a pure and fluid running back and will go on to not only consistently rush for 1000 yards a season for at least the early portion of his career,...but will also be regarded as one of the top 5 at his position by his peers ?
papillon
12-23-2013, 02:30 AM
So, you are saying on record,....that you believe Bell is a pure and fluid running back and will go on to not only consistently rush for 1000 yards a season for at least the early portion of his career,...but will also be regarded as one of the top 5 at his position by his peers ?
Is that what you know Lacy is going to do? I certainly believe that Bell has the skills to be a perennial 1200 yard rusher and a top 5-8 back in the league, he needs to stay healthy. will he? That's a different story.
Pappy
Rod Polamalu
12-23-2013, 02:45 AM
Is that what you know Lacy is going to do? I certainly believe that Bell has the skills to be a perennial 1200 yard rusher and a top 5-8 back in the league, he needs to stay healthy. will he? That's a different story.
Pappy
Never said i expect that from Lacy. I was not and will never be a proponent of taking running backs in the first rnd unless they are undisputed once in a generation players.
Just saying that imo Bell does not look exceptionally impressive as a Rb period. He's solid,...but,....not the guy that many of the fanbase would like to believe that he is or will become.
If you or others believe so,...that's cool,... and everyone else will just sit back and listen to you, the Pittsburgh press and talking heads whom do not really care if we suck or not say "This is gonna be his big year i tell ya !" for the next 4-7 seasons while he languishes in mediocrity. lol smh
Steelerphile
12-23-2013, 06:04 AM
So, you are saying on record,....that you believe Bell is a pure and fluid running back and will go on to not only consistently rush for 1000 yards a season for at least the early portion of his career,...but will also be regarded as one of the top 5 at his position by his peers ?
No question, Bell is a pure fluid running back. He has good running instincts, in that he is patient to see a hole develop and then has a good burst to exploit the opening. He executes a nice hurdle. spin move (which is something I am not opposed to as some are). Comparing him to TE is ridiculous. Whether he is regarded as top five at his position by his peers is a changeable judgement that would not be a necessity from my standpoint to consider him very good and valuable asset.
Certainly if he stays healthy, 1,000 yards should not be that hard for him to reac, but total yards for him would be an even better barometer because his receiving skills for a back are above most.
papillon
12-23-2013, 10:23 AM
Never said i expect that from Lacy. I was not and will never be a proponent of taking running backs in the first rnd unless they are undisputed once in a generation players.
Just saying that imo Bell does not look exceptionally impressive as a Rb period. He's solid,...but,....not the guy that many of the fanbase would like to believe that he is or will become.
If you or others believe so,...that's cool,... and everyone else will just sit back and listen to you, the Pittsburgh press and talking heads whom do not really care if we suck or not say "This is gonna be his big year i tell ya !" for the next 4-7 seasons while he languishes in mediocrity. lol smh
I have no idea what he'll be, but he certainly has shown the ability to move a pile (he rarely loses yards), he has shown the ability to operate in space, playing behind a patched up offensive line and he has 40+ catches as a rookie. I'm not sure what more you would like to see from the kid and I'm not sure what running back has had a bigger impact on his team's offense than Bell.
If he stays healthy, the Steelers offense will continue to get better, in case you haven't noticed the offense is putting up a lot of points over the past 4 or 5 weeks (27, 20, 28, 30 and 38). You should win 4 of those games and certainly have a chance in the 5th.
Bell wasn't a 1st round selection, the Steelers took him in the 2nd and I agree about the first round RB 100%, I'm not even sure I'd take AP in the 1st, if there was a top player at another position that I could draft. That being said, Bell looks like the real deal to me and if you like Lacy, then you have to like Bell, because they were both impressive yesterday.
Pappy
Oviedo
12-23-2013, 10:34 AM
Bell is living up to his billing and that is great, but let's not forget that to be successful over a course of the season you need two really good RBs. Bell is the only one we have under contract for next season. Do you resign Dwyer? Jones? Howling Stephens?
IMO, they really need to keep Dwyer. He has been solid since coming back and I still think he has a ton of potential to be a solid fill in if Bell would ever go down.
Rod Polamalu
12-23-2013, 10:51 AM
I have no idea what he'll be, but he certainly has shown the ability to move a pile (he rarely loses yards), he has shown the ability to operate in space, playing behind a patched up offensive line and he has 40+ catches as a rookie. I'm not sure what more you would like to see from the kid and I'm not sure what running back has had a bigger impact on his team's offense than Bell.
If he stays healthy, the Steelers offense will continue to get better, in case you haven't noticed the offense is putting up a lot of points over the past 4 or 5 weeks (27, 20, 28, 30 and 38). You should win 4 of those games and certainly have a chance in the 5th.
Bell wasn't a 1st round selection, the Steelers took him in the 2nd and I agree about the first round RB 100%, I'm not even sure I'd take AP in the 1st, if there was a top player at another position that I could draft. That being said, Bell looks like the real deal to me and if you like Lacy, then you have to like Bell, because they were both impressive yesterday.
Pappy
Well said Pap,...perhaps i am just old school and pining for the type of ground games that we had with Barry Foster and Bussy in his prime.
Like i said,...i think Bell is a solid player and seems like he's a good kid with his head on straight. I just don't see him as the kind of back that teams will have to game plan for to any great degree even at his best.
He's got tools, weight, is strong and has a huge heart,...but he is not explosive at all to me and even seems a little clumsy to me at times and runs too upright.
This may be a matter of his height which i don't think is ideal for the position. Unless of course you're a freak like Bo Jackson, Adrian Peterson or Eric Dickerson. Players who were/are,...the aforementioned rare generational type players.
Rod Polamalu
12-23-2013, 11:01 AM
No question, Bell is a pure fluid running back. He has good running instincts, in that he is patient to see a hole develop and then has a good burst to exploit the opening. He executes a nice hurdle. spin move (which is something I am not opposed to as some are). Comparing him to TE is ridiculous. Whether he is regarded as top five at his position by his peers is a changeable judgement that would not be a necessity from my standpoint to consider him very good and valuable asset.
Certainly if he stays healthy, 1,000 yards should not be that hard for him to reac, but total yards for him would be an even better barometer because his receiving skills for a back are above most.
Understand your perspective. I just see him as more of a compliment back, not the type that you solely hang your ground game hat upon.
papillon
12-23-2013, 11:11 AM
Well said Pap,...perhaps i am just old school and pining for the type of ground games that we had with Barry Foster and Bussy in his prime.
Like i said,...i think Bell is a solid player and seems like he's a good kid with his head on straight. I just don't see him as the kind of back that teams will have to game plan for to any great degree even at his best.
He's got tools, weight, is strong and has a huge heart,...but he is not explosive at all to me and even seems a little clumsy to me at times and runs too upright.
This may be a matter of his height which i don't think is ideal for the position. Unless of course you're a freak like Bo Jackson, Adrian Peterson or Eric Dickerson. Players who were/are,...the aforementioned rare generational type players.
Im with you about the old school running attack, unfortunately, it's a thing of the past. I would however, make Bell the #1 (I mean rarely, if ever, off the field) and give limited carries to the others. He's a complete back and the steelers don't really have a change of pace guy. They have players that can give him a breather, that's about it.
Pappy
feltdizz
12-23-2013, 11:14 AM
Bell is fine.. he is a rookie and hasn't hit his stride yet but those gashes we witnessed yesterday will be the norm if our OL blocks like a normal OL. The difference is the passing attack.. teams definitely have to game plan for it or we will continue to move the chains with dump offs.
Ben is cleaner, the O is more efficient, what's not to like about our RB?
Lacy IMO is still the better rushing back but he prolly wont last as long due to his running style.
hawaiiansteel
12-23-2013, 02:46 PM
Steelers rookie running back Bell shines in clutch
By Ralph N. Paulk
Published: Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013
http://triblive.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=N8t18 PaWJ_qvQcWHCypT1M$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYtIECBHlk7lpMO JbujS4bhsWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4 uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_C ryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Running back Le'Veon Bell walked onto storied Lambeau Field on Sunday with a chip on his shoulder.
He said all week that he wanted to prove the Steelers were right to opt for him instead of Green Bay's Eddie Lacy in the second round of the NFL Draft.
The Michigan State product delivered his first 100-yard performance: 124 yards on a career-high 26 carries and the winning 1-yard touchdown run with 1:25 remaining to lead the Steelers to a thrilling 38-31 victory.
“It's crazy that I got a chance to play at Lambeau Field,” Bell said. “It was everything I wanted. The crowd was loud. It was cold, and there was snow. Growing up, it's what I saw on TV, so I was happy to play in it.”
“(Bell) is a good player, and he's getting better every week,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “He is a complete player, an all-situation player. We'll keep working him and try to keep him humble.”
Lacy, who left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, posted impressive numbers: 84 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He hurdled cornerback Ike Taylor at the goal line on a 14-yard run that gave the Packers a 14-7 lead late in the first half.
But his efforts were wasted by penalties that often altered the Packers' game plan to lean on the ground game.
“Those penalties definitely set us back a little,” Lacy said.
For Bell, it was a game of ebbs and flows. His highs often were tempered by the lows: three dropped passes and a fumble at the Steelers' 3-yard line that led to a 2-yard touchdown run by Lacy in the third quarter.
“As a runner, you look forward to opportunities to put the game away,” Bell said. “(Lacy) is a great player, but it was definitely a challenge on my part. My single charge was to play to his level or better.
“Besides the fumble, I'm happy with my performance.”
Bell showed his mental toughness after his fumble. He responded with a 25-yard run to spark a six-play, 68-yard scoring drive that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger capped with an 11-yard pass to tight end Matt Spaeth that put the Steelers ahead 24-21 late in the third quarter.
“The fumble is something that really got to me. It made me angry,” Bell said. “I went to the coaches, the offensive linemen and Ben and told them I wanted the ball. Whatever we were going to do, I wanted to go out there and make a play.”
Bell's resiliency didn't go unnoticed.
“Bell is the total package,” receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. “He is mentally tough, so we were confident he could come back from the fumble.”
http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/5299138-74/bell-yard-fumble#ixzz2oJzCCTTq
Slapstick
12-23-2013, 03:17 PM
The fumble didn't lead to Lacy's 2 yard TD...
The fumble led to a blocked FG...the ref's mindbogglingly piss poor call led to Lacy's 2 yard TD, which was not deserved...
thor75
12-23-2013, 11:00 PM
Steelers rookie running back Bell shines in clutch
“The fumble is something that really got to me. It made me angry,” Bell said. “I went to the coaches, the offensive linemen and Ben and told them I wanted the ball. Whatever we were going to do, I wanted to go out there and make a play.”
Bell's resiliency didn't go unnoticed.
“Bell is the total package,” receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. “He is mentally tough, so we were confident he could come back from the fumble.”
http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/5299138-74/bell-yard-fumble#ixzz2oJzCCTTq
Great response to the fumble. He definitely wanted to back up Tomlin's comments on him vs. Lacy. I thought both RBs played great with Lacy being a load to bring down but Bell a little more versatile. I don't have any reservations about Bell being our #1 back.
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