35 carries !!

[feltdizz]

Would love to see how much more effective LB would be if he had a viable compliment back there (Conner). Would give teams that much more to prepare for.

I think Bell is doing just fine. lol

[Ernie]

I think Bell is doing just fine. lol

I know you do.... lol

[Ernie]

He's definitely "Balling out" right now. Just wondering how long he is going to hold up... averaging 35-40 touches per game.

[Steelerphile]

You know the old statement "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." or something like that. Bell has ended every year injured. I thought they drafted Conner so they could share carries. But they are forging ahead with the same pattern of use as all the previous years. I don't see why he would hold up any better. He isn't getting younger. The surgeries and the injuries he's had, have supposedly healed but I would think they might make him a little more prone to reinjury.

Problem is I think Conner is a really good back and possibly would even have a better average per carry than Bell. So I think it is bit dense to do this. But at least when Bell inevitably is hurt too much to continue, Conner will be a better back for the playoffs than the guy they had the last couple of years.

[squidkid]

bell will be fine. remember, he took all the preseason off

[Ernie]

You know the old statement "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." or something like that. Bell has ended every year injured. I thought they drafted Conner so they could share carries. But they are forging ahead with the same pattern of use as all the previous years. I don't see why he would hold up any better. He isn't getting younger. The surgeries and the injuries he's had, have supposedly healed but I would think they might make him a little more prone to reinjury.

Problem is I think Conner is a really good back and possibly would even have a better average per carry than Bell. So I think it is bit dense to do this. But at least when Bell inevitably is hurt too much to continue, Conner will be a better back for the playoffs than the guy they had the last couple of years.

This is spot on. For those not wanting to "Place much faith" in the 'Rook', some teams have done very, very well with doing just that (i.e K.Hunt for KC, L.Fournette with the Jags, etc.).

[Ernie]

bell will be fine. remember, he took all the preseason off

True... he also had the first few games off last year

[RuthlessBurgher]

A player has carried the ball more than 30 times in a game only four times this year, and three of those times it was Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell.

[feltdizz]

This is spot on. For those not wanting to "Place much faith" in the 'Rook', some teams have done very, very well with doing just that (i.e K.Hunt for KC, L.Fournette with the Jags, etc.).

those teams had no other choice.

we trusted Bell his rookie year.

Conner is getting a few touches. It’s a long season. Hopefully we start scoring TD’s instead of FG’s and Conner can close out some games.

[Ghost]

Bell has 202 combined touches so far this year. Puts him on a pace to reach 461 touches - 2nd most in the history of the NFL. That was James Wilder w/ 492 back in 1984.

[fordfixer]

A player has carried the ball more than 30 times in a game only four times this year, and three of those times it was Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell.

And we won all 3 of those games

[Steel Maniac]

I think we need to integrate Connor into the offense more. We will burn Bell out by playoff time. Connor has looked fine when used so let's use him.

[squidkid]

And we won all 3 of those games

yup, and hes getting paid 1.5 times more than the next rb so he should be getting used 1.5 times more also

[Steelerphile]

From what I read from Mike Tomlin and Todd Haley interviews, I think most of the reason they continue to give Bell 35 carries is that is what he demands, and they don't want him to be unhappy. If they put Conner in, Bell becomes grouchy. Even if ultimately it would be better for him and I think for the team.

[NorthCoast]

From what I read from Mike Tomlin and Todd Haley interviews, I think most of the reason they continue to give Bell 35 carries is that is what he demands, and they don't want him to be unhappy. If they put Conner in, Bell becomes grouchy. Even if ultimately it would be better for him and I think for the team.

Not sure where you got that info, but what I read makes a whole lot more sense. As we've all witnessed, seems Conner runs the ball well whenever he got the call.

.....BUT, the coaches are suggesting he just isn't very ready in his blocking assignments. One of his missed blitz assignments led directly to a Roethlisberger interception in the JAC game. Now you might say don't put him in on pass plays, but the reality is run plays are often switched to passes given the defensive looks. So Conner not playing is more about protecting the QB than about spelling LB.