Bell, offensive line to take on Patriots run defense
Le’Veon Bell will set the franchise record for most rushing yards in a postseason if he gains more than 6 yards in the AFC championship Sunday against the New England Patriots. If he runs for 125 yards he’ll move into the top five all time for rushing yards in an NFL postseason.
Bell, who hadn’t played in a playoff game before this season, has 337 yards through two games after tearing through the 30th- and 26th-ranked run defenses in the Dolphins and the Chiefs. If the Steelers are going to get to Super Bowl LI, Bell and the Steelers offensive line will have to plow through the Patriots and their thirdranked run defense.
Three months ago, when the Patriots visited Heinz Field, they held Bell to 81 yards on 21 carries.
“They play real well up front,” Bell said Wednesday. “They pride themselves on stopping the run. I think it was a circumstance of us not getting enough totes, too. Last time we played them we weren’t as aggressive running the ball as we are now. It should be an interesting game going against those guys again.”
Right tackle Marcus Gilbert isn’t putting much stock in the first game against the Patriots. He said the Steelers are a completely different offense for the rematch.
“That was so early on in the year,” Gilbert said. “We were still growing. Le’Veon started finding his rhythm. This is a completely different group — new demeanor, new goal, new everything. We have a new approach about ourselves. It’s the playoffs now. I don’t expect to see the same.”
This isn’t the first time this season the Steelers will face a top-five run defense. They faced the Patriots, Ravens and Cowboys in consecutive weeks in the regular season. The Ravens finished the season fifth and the Cowboys first against the run.
Bell had 32 yards on 14 carries against the Ravens in Baltimore and 57 yards on 15 carries against the Cowboys. All of those games happened before the Steelers made a strong commitment to the running game.
During the current ninegame winning streak, which started the week after the loss to the Cowboys, Bell has rushed for nearly 1,200 yards in his past eight games. When the Steelers played the Ravens in a rematch Christmas Day for the division title, Bell had 122 yards on 20 carries.
The Steelers are hoping for similar results in their rematch against the Patriots.
“They’re still playing the same fundamentally sound football,” Gilbert said. “They’re not shooting themselves in the foot. They’re playing outstanding team ball in all three phases. We can’t have any knucklehead penalties especially going into the environment we’re going into. I expect to see their best and they’re going to see our best. It’s for all the marbles. Who wouldn’t want to play in this game?”
Receiving touches decline
One big difference with the Steelers offense during the winning streak is Bell’s usage as a receiver. In Bell’s first six games of the season he had 45 catches for an average of 60 yards per game, including 10 receptions for 68 yards against the Patriots.
In the past eight games, the Steelers have cut his receiving load almost in half and have given him more rushes. He has 34 receptions for an average of 32 yards per game since the loss to Dallas.
“I don’t feel like we had to,” Bell said. “I feel like we’ve been running the ball well. Obviously, if I carry the ball 30 times last game we don’t need to throw it to me six more times for 36 touches. The coaches have done a good job of utilizing me in certain situations. I feel like we’ve been leaning more on the run. There are times when we lean more to the pass and I might be more involved. But I think the coaches have been doing a good job of utilizing me.”
Injury report
Tight end Ladarius Green, who has missed the past four games because of a concussion, was a limited practice participant. It was the first time he practiced since Jan. 5, the Thursday before the playoff game against Miami. Green had a setback that day and did not practice at all last week before the game against the Chiefs. He did not speak with reporters Wednesday.
Four players — receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, kicker Chris Boswell, offensive lineman B.J. Finney and quarterback Zach Mettenberger — missed practice because of illness. Safety Sean Davis (shoulder) and linebacker Vince Williams (shoulder) also missed practice.
Linebacker Anthony Chickillo (ankle) was limited in practice. Linebacker James Harrison (shoulder, triceps), defensive end Ricardo Mathews (ankle) and running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (concussion) went through a full practice.
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.