Le'Veon Bell

[Oh wow]

Conners has 97 carries to Bells 143
INJURED Conners has TWICE the TDs running and TWICE the TDs receiving than Bell right now.

and our defense has 27 takeaways. Give any team 13 more chances and indeed some of them will result in short fields that make it easier to score.

What’s your point?

The Steelers are better than the Jets. That was never a debate.

The debate was Conners production as Steelers vs Bell’s production AS A STEELER.

Conner definitely exceeded my expectations last year but you can’t tell me he is a better RB or even as good as Bell as a Steeler.

The whole debate was paying Bell vs having a RB back committee.

No one said a word about the OL being terrible last year. They we’re terrible this year and all a sudden they were in decline for years? Bogus. This offseason people were still saying our OL was top 5.

[Ernie]

this Bell v Conner or Bell v "By committee" cant take place without giving consideration to the cap hits for each..

[Oviedo]

Is 107 pages of discussion on a player who isn't even a Steeler a record?????

[Northern_Blitz]

this Bell v Conner or Bell v "By committee" cant take place without giving consideration to the cap hits for each..

Yep.

The ENTIRE point of the Bell decision IMO is that you can get 80% of his max production while spending considerably less.

And if you distribute the load between two guys (like most teams do), you potentially reduce the chance of injury (because each guy gets fewer carries / is less fatigued) and you make your team more resilient because you still have a second viable RB is one goes down. I think that's why most teams in the league do back by committee.

[papillon]

and our defense has 27 takeaways. Give any team 13 more chances and indeed some of them will result in short fields that make it easier to score.

What’s your point?

The Steelers are better than the Jets. That was never a debate.

The debate was Conners production as Steelers vs Bell’s production AS A STEELER.

Conner definitely exceeded my expectations last year but you can’t tell me he is a better RB or even as good as Bell as a Steeler.

The whole debate was paying Bell vs having a RB back committee.

No one said a word about the OL being terrible last year. They we’re terrible this year and all a sudden they were in decline for years? Bogus. This offseason people were still saying our OL was top 5.

I will say this about the Conner vs Bell debate. I'm not sure by what measure we are comparing the two backs. Unfortunately, Conner is often injured but the year that he wasn't, on a down by down, play by play, drive by drive, game by game basis, Conner replaced Bell's production. Now, he may not give you the splash plays that Bell did but the production was there at a "discount" as well. Whether Bell or Conner is the better back doesn't really matter, Conner provided the Steelers with the same production in the offense as Bell did in his final year with the Steelers. We won't know more until Conner can stay healthy for an entire season, which may be asking too much it seems.

Pappy

[Steel Maniac]

Bell only finished one season healthy here in Pittsburgh; and that was his last season. So it's not like he was a poster boy for health when he was here.

[hawaiiansteel]

Conner replaced Bell's production. Now, he may not give you the splash plays that Bell did but the production was there at a "discount" as well.
Pappy

Bell's longest run this year is 19 yards...

[Oh wow]

this Bell v Conner or Bell v "By committee" cant take place without giving consideration to the cap hits for each..

That’s a given. I think we all know that is the primary reason for this discussion.

[Oh wow]

Bell only finished one season healthy here in Pittsburgh; and that was his last season. So it's not like he was a poster boy for health when he was here.

The last thing anyone should do is bring up health or injuries.

[Oh wow]

I will say this about the Conner vs Bell debate. I'm not sure by what measure we are comparing the two backs. Unfortunately, Conner is often injured but the year that he wasn't, on a down by down, play by play, drive by drive, game by game basis, Conner replaced Bell's production. Now, he may not give you the splash plays that Bell did but the production was there at a "discount" as well. Whether Bell or Conner is the better back doesn't really matter, Conner provided the Steelers with the same production in the offense as Bell did in his final year with the Steelers. We won't know more until Conner can stay healthy for an entire season, which may be asking too much it seems.

Pappy

First half of the season Conner was on pace... but he got injured and kind of fell off at the end of the season

Also has ball security issues.

[Captain Lemming]

The last thing anyone should do is bring up health or injuries.

Yes, you noticed that NO MATTER THE BACK the starter tends to get hurt nearly EVERY season.
That is why it is DUMB to overinvest in high priced backs

[Captain Lemming]

That’s a given. I think we all know that is the primary reason for this discussion.

But it is a point you dismess. Was 2016 Bell better than Conner will ever be? Sure.
Is the difference proportionate to the GINORMOUS pay disparity? Nope.

[Mr.wizard]

I'm not sure why there has to be a Conner vs Bell debate, you can get production from either guy, it is possible that both guys are good. While I think Bell is a Better back than Conner I'm not sure he makes a huge difference in our offense right now, until we can spread teams out, get guys out of the box we aren't going to be a strong running team.

[papillon]

First half of the season Conner was on pace... but he got injured and kind of fell off at the end of the season

Also has ball security issues.

Bell has 9 fumbles in 71 games and Conner has 5 fumbles in 34 games which would extrapolate to 10 fumbles in 68 games, not that big of a difference. Conner's fumbles seem to happen at the worst time, not that there is a good time.

Pappy

[Ernie]

I will say this about the Conner vs Bell debate. I'm not sure by what measure we are comparing the two backs. Unfortunately, Conner is often injured but the year that he wasn't, on a down by down, play by play, drive by drive, game by game basis, Conner replaced Bell's production. Now, he may not give you the splash plays that Bell did but the production was there at a "discount" as well. Whether Bell or Conner is the better back doesn't really matter, Conner provided the Steelers with the same production in the offense as Bell did in his final year with the Steelers. We won't know more until Conner can stay healthy for an entire season, which may be asking too much it seems.

Pappy

actually, if you look at Conner's stats last year v Bell's recent stats... Conner had more extended runs and pass receptions than Bell... and averaged far more YPC