Conner awaits ‘The duo’

Conner’s big day against the Bengals followed his strong game against Atlanta a week earlier when he ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He became just the fourth Steelers running back to go for 100-plus yards and two touchdowns in consecutive games, joining Jerome Bettis, Barry Foster and Franco Harris. He ranks fifth in the NFL with 453 rushing yards, getting many after breaking tackles. He is strength and power, Bell patience and vision.

“I thought he was a bowling ball. He was all over the place,” Roethlisberger said Sunday of Conner. “It gets guys going. It gets you juiced up that guys are being physical.” Even Bell was impressed. “damn James,” he tweeted with a flexing bicep emoji after Conner ran over Bengals safety Shawn Williams and knocked him out of the game with a concussion.

Best of all, Conner is scoring touchdowns. He has seven in three games and would have eight if Mike Tomlin had challenged the spot when Conner was ruled down on the Bengals halfyard-line after a 25-yard run early in the third quarter. As Bettsaid: “They pay me to score touchdowns.”

Conner is earning every cent of his pay.

“Every week, I’m just trying to elevate my game a little more,” he told Sanders. “There’s a standard here in Pittsburgh when it comes to running backs. As of now, I’m the starter. That’s how I treat every week. Just controlling what I can control.”

Conner has earned the right to remain the starter even when (if?) Bell reports. But count me among the 22 percent from the Post-Gazette poll who want Bell back and want to see him worked back into the offense. I believe Bell’s teammates also will be glad to see him even though his linemen had some harsh words for him when he didn’t come in before the opening game at Cleveland. They quickly will fall back in love with him as long as he shows them he’s in shape and can help them win.

“We all know what Le’Veon can do,” Roethlisberger said.

It’s going to take a little creativity from Tomlin and Randy Fichtner to get Conner and Bell touches unless one or the other is injured. But it can be done. I can see Bell eventually winning back the starting job. I can see both backs helping the Steelers not just make the playoffs, but maybe make a deep run. The duo? I love the possibilities.