Le'Veon calls himself a 'maybe'

[SteelCrazy]

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/LeVeon-calls-himself-a-maybe/acece292-d21f-4e8f-abf4-813637f26bb5

Le’Veon’s a “maybe” for the game vs. the Ravens.

The Steelers’ running back and team MVP didn’t practice today, but he said he felt better than he had on Monday or Tuesday and much better than he had in the immediate aftermath of suffering a hyper-extended right knee in Sunday night’s 27-17 victory over Cincinnati.

“I’m just going to continue to take it day by day,” Bell said. “We’ll see how it goes.

“I just did little things in the training room, tried to test it a little bit, see how it was. I feel really good. I didn’t expect to be feeling this well this early. But I am, so I’m just going to take it day by day and see where it goes.

“It’s sore, obviously, from Sunday. I’m just going to continue to do what I can, try to progress it when I can, and if I can and see what I can do tomorrow. I rode the bike (today), I ran a little bit. That’s about it, little therapy things. I’m going to try to do more tomorrow.”

Bell didn’t want to estimate his potential availability for Saturday night’s playoff game against Baltimore.

“I can’t put a percentage on it,” he said. “I just know, right now, if I had to practice, today I couldn’t practice. I don’t want to put any percentages on it. I’m not sure what the percentage is. When I feel good enough, I’m going to play.”

Bell’s progress to this point has taken a load off his mind.

“When it happened so many thoughts went in my head,” he said. “I know how I felt at the time. It was scary. It was more so scary than anything. I was just glad when I got the MRI back that there weren’t any significant tears or anything. I was just grateful my knee was OK.”

As for the hit by Cincinnati safety Reggie Nelson that knocked Bell out of Sunday night’s game, “It was a legal hit,” Bell said. “It’s football. It’s a dangerous sport. He got me down the way he could, so that’s that.”

[hawaiiansteel]

Le'Veon Bell hoping to face Ravens

Updated: December 31, 2014
By Scott Brown | ESPN.com

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell is hoping to play in his first postseason game less than a week after his career flashed in front of his eyes.

Bell did not practice Wednesday, but he said he did some light jogging and rode a stationary bike as he works his way back from a hyperextended right knee.

Le'Veon Bell has accounted for 77.7 percent of his team's rush yards this season, the second-highest percentage in the NFL.

Bell is questionable at best to play Saturday night in an AFC wild-card game against the visiting Baltimore Ravens, but the second-year man is walking without a limp.

"My leg feels great," said Bell, who left the Steelers' 27-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night after taking a helmet shot on his knee. "It feels good to be able to move around and not think about it much."

Bell said the key to playing against the Ravens is getting his knee strong enough so he isn't thinking about it when he is on the field.

"I don't want to play fearing my knee getting hurt," said Bell, who led the AFC with 1,361 rushing yards this season. "It's not an injury like an MCL where you go out there and play and it gets worse. That doctors have told me that's not what it is, that it's not something that can get worse if [I] do play, so that's a good thing to hear. If I feel ready, I'm definitely going to try to get on the field and play."

Coach Mike Tomlin has said the Steelers won't rush Bell back from the injury that did not leave the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder with any ligament or structural damage. Bell has to show the Steelers that he is able to protect himself, Tomlin said, before the eighth-year coach allows him to return to action.

The Steelers signed fourth-year veteran Ben Tate as running back insurance Tuesday. Rookie Josh Harris, who had been on the Steelers' practice squad until getting signed to the 53-man roster last month, is in line to start Saturday night if Bell doesn't play against the Ravens.

Bell said Harris, who had a 59-yard run against the Bengals negated by a holding penalty, is ready if the Steelers need the undrafted rookie to anchor the ground game.

But Bell also said not to count him out as far as playing in the Steelers' first postseason game since 2011.

"I didn't expect to be feeling this well this early," Bell said after the Steelers' first practice of the week. "When [the injury] happened, so many thoughts went through my head. It was scary. It was more scary than anything. I feel great. If I can do more [Thursday] I'm going to try."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12104562/leveon-bell-pittsburgh-steelers-feels-great-hoping-play

[Jooser]

This kid's a gamer. If I were gonna bet on it, I'd say he will suit up Saturday night and play. Everything he said there sounds positive. LET'S GO!!!!!

:ratsuck:tt2:ratsuck:tt2:ratsuck:tt2

[RobinCole]

Players are usually too optimistic. I remember when Pouncey got hurt in the 2010 AFCC game. He insisted he would play in the Super Bowl. Of course, he didn't. As it turned out, the ankle was unstable all through the following season and they had to do post-season surgery to repair it.

I doubt Bell plays and I'm not sure I want him to. You know the Ravens. They'd probably have a bounty on that knee.

[Oviedo]

Players are usually too optimistic. I remember when Pouncey got hurt in the 2010 AFCC game. He insisted he would play in the Super Bowl. Of course, he didn't. As it turned out, the ankle was unstable all through the following season and they had to do post-season surgery to repair it.

I doubt Bell plays and I'm not sure I want him to. You know the Ravens. They'd probably have a bounty on that knee.
$$$$$ Coaches and trainers have to protect players from themselves. I think they will and Bell won't dress Saturday. Talk is just to keep Ravens wondering.

[SteelCrazy]

No practice Thurs for Bell

Two days from the wild-card playoff game between the Ravens and Steelers, Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell still hasn’t practiced.

Bell, who suffered a hyperextended knee on Sunday night against the Bengals, has no structural damage or ligament damage, and he’s walking without a limp. On Friday, the Steelers will apply a label to Bell regarding his availability for the game. He’ll likely be “questionable,” a 50-50 proposition that will be revealed roughly 90 minutes before kickoff.

Also absent from practice on Thursday were linebacker James Harrison (illness) and quarterback Landry Jones (illness). Tackle Mike Adams fully participated on Thursday, a day after missing practice with an illness.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and tight end Heath Miller also returned to practice on Thursday after getting Wednesday off.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/01/no-thursday-practice-for-leveon-bell/

[legend of polamalu]

No practice Thurs for Bell

Two days from the wild-card playoff game between the Ravens and Steelers, Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell still hasn’t practiced.

Bell, who suffered a hyperextended knee on Sunday night against the Bengals, has no structural damage or ligament damage, and he’s walking without a limp. On Friday, the Steelers will apply a label to Bell regarding his availability for the game. He’ll likely be “questionable,” a 50-50 proposition that will be revealed roughly 90 minutes before kickoff.

Also absent from practice on Thursday were linebacker James Harrison (illness) and quarterback Landry Jones (illness). Tackle Mike Adams fully participated on Thursday, a day after missing practice with an illness.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and tight end Heath Miller also returned to practice on Thursday after getting Wednesday off.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/01/no-thursday-practice-for-leveon-bell/

How do you take the Wed before the playoff game off?
Not questioning their heart here but I would assume it would be an important practice.
This seems to happen here more than anywhere. Elderstatesmen taking days off.

[Slapstick]

You think those guys aren't familiar with the Ravens?

[Discipline of Steel]

How do you take the Wed before the playoff game off?
Not questioning their heart here but I would assume it would be an important practice.
This seems to happen here more than anywhere. Elderstatesmen taking days off.

Elderstatesmen getting some extra rest. Those two have sure proven they are willing to put in the required effort and more over the years.

[legend of polamalu]

Elderstatesmen getting some extra rest. Those two have sure proven they are willing to put in the required effort and more over the years.

I agree with you...Just looking at the other side of it. The extra practice seems it would be of a benefit, especially on a short week. I guess at this time of the year they have gelled enough together.

[Shawn]

Sometimes the best "practice" is a day of rest...especially for the older players.

[Sword]

Lets confuse the hell out of the Ravens...
I would put Bell and Harris in the back field but, hand-off to Harris most of the time when we run....throw
a lot of play action...

[squidkid]

who cares about ben and heath not practicing. i hope landry jones is okay

[papillon]

who cares about ben and heath not practicing. i hope landry jones is okay

Now that made me LMAO right there.

Pappy