Steelers’ Bell out for season
PITTSBURGH – The Steelers are looking at another contingency plan.
The knee injury suffered Sunday by All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell in Pittsburgh’s 16-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals will end his season, leaving the Steelers without last year’s AFC rushing champion.
Bell suffered a complete tear of his MCL while being tackled along the sideline by Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict. That by itself wouldn’t necessarily have ended Bell’s season, but there also is other damage, though his ACL is reportedly intact.
Bell was placed on season-ending injured reserve by the Steelers Monday. To take his place on the roster, the Steelers (4-4) signed former St. Louis Rams running back Isaiah Pead.
A second-round draft pick of the Rams in 2012, Pead will replace Bell on the roster but not in the lineup.
That task will to 32-year old DeAngelo Williams, just as it did for the first two games this season when Bell was serving a suspension for a 2014 DUI conviction.
“We’ve been here before, in terms of (the) big stage,” said Williams. “I started the first two games earlier in the season. I’ve answered these questions before and I’m going to answer them like I did then. I know why they brought me here. I’m going to play my role. If that’s what they need me to do, I’m going to do that.”
Williams was signed in the offseason as a free agent after spending nine seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He had 204 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the first two games but had only 13 carries in the five games after Bell’s return. Williams gained 71 yards on nine attempts Sunday.
Bell is the NFL’s most complete running back. Since the start of last season, he has averaged 132 total yards per game, the best in the league.
“I just want to step in and try to do my job the best I can do,” Williams said. “(It won’t be) like Le’Veon does his job because I think we are two different runners.”
The loss of Bell continues a tough season for Steelers in terms of injuries, particularly on offense.
Placekicker Shaun Suisham suffered a torn knee ligament in the preseason opener and his replacement, Garrett Hartley, lasted a couple of preseason games before tearing his hamstring.
Center Maurkice Pouncey suffered a broken leg in the preseason that required surgery and landed him on injured reserve with a designation to return. But he had a second surgery two weeks ago and his return remains in question.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missed four games with a sprained knee ligament before returning to play against the Bengals. Starting left tackle Kelvin Beachum suffered a torn ACL in a win against Arizona two weeks ago that ended his season.
Add in suspensions to Bell and wide receiver Martavis Bryant, and some minor injuries, and it’s been a trying season for Pittsburgh.
“The injury bug has got us a bit,” Roethlisberger saidf. “It’s unfortunate. That is the game of football.”
Pead, who has 78 career rushing yards, will be added to a mix of backup running backs behind Williams that includes Jordan Todman, Dri Archer and fullbacks Will Johnson and Roosevelt Nix.
The key for that group is to provide some kind of running threat, something the Steelers were unable to get when Bell missed a playoff loss to Baltimore last season.
“It’s always an emotional blow when you lose any guy, let alone a guy and a star like Le’veon Bell,” Williams said.
After turning the ball over just six times in their first six games, the Steelers have turned it over six times in their last two games, both losses. … Pittsburgh’s two-game losing streak marks the first time it has lost consecutive games since losing to Baltimore and Miami Nov. 28 and Dec. 8, 2013. … The Steelers’ 10 penalties against the Bengals were a season high.