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Roethlisberger: Be careful with RB
Updated: December 2, 2014
By Scott Brown | ESPN.com
PITTSBURGH -- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger called Le'Veon Bell the "best all-around back in the game," but he also expressed concern about the second-year player's workload.
Bell, the only NFL player with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards this season, played all but two of the Steelers' 90 offensive snaps in a 35-32 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. He carried the ball a career-high 33 times in the Steelers' previous game, a 27-24 win at Tennessee on Nov. 17.
Le'Veon Bell played all but two snaps for the Steelers' offense Sunday vs. the Saints.
"I don't know of a running back since I've been here that has basically been able to play every single snap, but you do have to be careful," Roethlisberger said Tuesday during his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. "I hope we don't run him into the ground if you will, but it's that stretch of the year where everyone's going to give it everything they have. He probably wants to be in there every single play because that's the type of player he is."
Bell piled up 254 yards of total offense against the Saints. Rookie running back Dri Archer played three snaps and received just one carry.
Roethlisberger said the key to making the 5-foot-8, 173-pound Archer a bigger part of the offense is using him on regular plays since opposing teams are looking for trick plays when they speedy scatback is in the game.
Roethlisberger's more immediate concern is playing better after he threw two interceptions against the Saints and completed just 19 of 42 passes before leading two late touchdown drives. He ended up with 435 passing yards total but said he was in "disbelief" after a game in which he consistently overthrew his receivers.
"I just didn't play well and for no rhyme or reason," Roethlisberger said. "I was just disappointed that I didn't make all of the throws that I wanted to make, and you've got to win the home games. I just feel like I let a lot of people down."
Roethlisberger said he had some mechanical issues during the game and that he didn't always step into his throws. The 11th-year veteran hurt his right hand in the first quarter when he hit it against a wrist pad of a Saints defensive player while throwing a pass but he did not use that as an excuse for his scattershot passing.
Roethlisberger and the Steelers visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a game he called a "must-win." The Bengals are 8-3-1 and lead the AFC North but they play the Steelers (7-5) twice this month.
"It's not over yet," Roethlisberger said. "I think that was kind of the mood yesterday. We still control our destiny."
[URL]http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11967813/ben-roethlisberger-pittsburgh-steelers-says-leveon-bell-workload-concern[/URL]
Updated: December 2, 2014
By Scott Brown | ESPN.com
PITTSBURGH -- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger called Le'Veon Bell the "best all-around back in the game," but he also expressed concern about the second-year player's workload.
Bell, the only NFL player with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards this season, played all but two of the Steelers' 90 offensive snaps in a 35-32 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. He carried the ball a career-high 33 times in the Steelers' previous game, a 27-24 win at Tennessee on Nov. 17.
Le'Veon Bell played all but two snaps for the Steelers' offense Sunday vs. the Saints.
"I don't know of a running back since I've been here that has basically been able to play every single snap, but you do have to be careful," Roethlisberger said Tuesday during his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. "I hope we don't run him into the ground if you will, but it's that stretch of the year where everyone's going to give it everything they have. He probably wants to be in there every single play because that's the type of player he is."
Bell piled up 254 yards of total offense against the Saints. Rookie running back Dri Archer played three snaps and received just one carry.
Roethlisberger said the key to making the 5-foot-8, 173-pound Archer a bigger part of the offense is using him on regular plays since opposing teams are looking for trick plays when they speedy scatback is in the game.
Roethlisberger's more immediate concern is playing better after he threw two interceptions against the Saints and completed just 19 of 42 passes before leading two late touchdown drives. He ended up with 435 passing yards total but said he was in "disbelief" after a game in which he consistently overthrew his receivers.
"I just didn't play well and for no rhyme or reason," Roethlisberger said. "I was just disappointed that I didn't make all of the throws that I wanted to make, and you've got to win the home games. I just feel like I let a lot of people down."
Roethlisberger said he had some mechanical issues during the game and that he didn't always step into his throws. The 11th-year veteran hurt his right hand in the first quarter when he hit it against a wrist pad of a Saints defensive player while throwing a pass but he did not use that as an excuse for his scattershot passing.
Roethlisberger and the Steelers visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a game he called a "must-win." The Bengals are 8-3-1 and lead the AFC North but they play the Steelers (7-5) twice this month.
"It's not over yet," Roethlisberger said. "I think that was kind of the mood yesterday. We still control our destiny."
[URL]http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11967813/ben-roethlisberger-pittsburgh-steelers-says-leveon-bell-workload-concern[/URL]
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