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Steelers running back returns from suspension

4 min read
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PITTSBURGH – The NFL’s second-leading rusher is getting benched.

And he’s OK with that.

With Le’Veon Bell’s return from a two-game suspension Monday, veteran DeAngelo Williams heads to the bench, his job as a substitute completed with a pair of stellar games.

“There’s no one more excited than me to see Le’Veon come back,” Williams. “Help is on the way, and I’m excited for it.”

The 32-year-old Williams hasn’t needed much help in the first two weeks for the Steelers. He rushed for 127 yards in the opener two weeks ago and matched a team record in Pittsburgh’s 43-18 win Sunday over San Francisco, scoring three rushing touchdowns to go with another 77 yards.

Williams’ 204 rushing yards are second in the NFL to only San Francisco’s Carlos Hyde, who was limited to 43 yards on 14 carries by the Steelers (1-1).

“He played great, but that didn’t surprise me at all,” Bell said Monday. “I’ve been watching him for a long time, so I thought he did everything I was expecting him to do and more. I’m glad to be able to come back and help him out a little bit.”

Bell will likely help out more than a little.

He led the AFC in rushing last year and caught 83 passes for 854 yards, both team records for a running back. His 2,215 total yards also were a team record and led the AFC.

Bell’s return will help bolster an offense that leaned heavily on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and Williams. Pittsburgh leads the NFL in total yards and ranks third in total points.

“I expect us to go out on the field and put up great numbers every time,” said Bell. “I know the guys up front do a great job blocking and we have the best quarterback and receiver in the league. The offense doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Bell was suspended for three games by the NFL for violation of the drug policy following and arrest for DUI and marijuana possession. The suspension was later lowered to two games after an appeal.

Knowing they would be without their leading rusher and second-leading receiver to open the season, the Steelers signed Williams as a free agent. With Bell now back, the Steelers will try to figure out ways to use both backs.

Bell said the coaching staff will find ways to utilize Williams, who is the Carolina Panthers’ all-time leading rusher, perhaps putting both backs on the field at the same time.

“We are both competitors. We both want to win,” Bell said. “Whatever the coaches ask us to do, we will do. At the end of the day, we have to put up points and help this offense. We are both capable of doing that.”

The Steelers are excited to get Bell back on the field and inch closer to what they feel will be the most explosive offense in the league.

In two more weeks, the Steelers get wide receiver Martavis Bryant back from suspension, giving Roethlisberger yet another weapon with which to work. Roethlisberger was 5 of 6 on throws of 30 or more yards against the 49ers, the most completions by a quarterback of that length in the past 10 seasons.

“DeAngelo has done an awesome job,” said Roethlisberger, who has a 122.6 passer rating. “I don’t think that it means he will stop being on the field. It is always good when you get guys back. We’ll get (Bell) back this week and (Bryant) a couple of weeks after that.”

Even the defense is excited about the possibilities.

“Honestly, I feel like Le’Veon’s the best running back in the NFL,” said linebacker Ryan Shazier, who led the team with 15 tackles and a sack against the 49ers.

“When we’re getting pieces back to our team and an offense that’s already unstoppable, and you’re just adding another great player to it, you might as well just take out the popcorn and get ready for the show.

“Those guys are going to do some great things.”

The Steelers had a roster exemption for Bell during his suspension. They have until Wednesday to place him on the 53-man roster. … Brown leads the NFL with 328 receiving yards. … Roethlisberger has thrown for 300-plus yards in both of the Steelers’ first two games, the first time he’s done so in his career.

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