Bell’s increased workload benefits Steelers
The request comes near the end of practice most Wednesdays. Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley will be standing off to the side when running back Le’Veon Bell inevitably jogs by to make an all-too familiar plea.
“I’ll take another 35 (carries),” Bell will say. He’s only half-kidding. The Groveport native who believes he’s redefining his position — and believes he should be compensated as such — spent the early portion of the season politely asking for the ball. Haley has responded by giving it to his franchise back at nearrecord pace.
Bell is averaging nearly 29 touches a game for the first-place Steelers (5-2). If the 25-year-old maintains it over a season, he’ll come within shouting distance of James Wilder’s 492 touches for Tampa Bay in 1984.
When Pittsburgh’s season appeared to be at a crossroads following a loss to Jacksonville earlier this month, the Steelers put the offense in Bell’s hands. He responded with 191 total yards in a victory at Kansas City and followed it up with 192 more in a dominant win over Cincinnati.
“If anybody saw something different, our approach might change,” Haley said. “He’s out here on Wednesdays finishing to the end zone and doing the things that he did when he first got here, maybe even better and harder.”
Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on Bell in February, and when the two sides couldn’t agree to a long-term deal, Bell opted to skip the entire offseason program, training camp included. It wasn’t a protest necessarily as much as self-preservation.
“(It took) a lot of cuts off my body, me cutting and planting in the ground and obviously hits from not being there for 4-5 weeks,” Bell said. “Obviously, the first couple weeks getting back into pads and things, I was slow getting started, but now I feel good.”
Flacco injured in Ravens’ rout
Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco suffered a concussion from a late hit to the head in Thursday night’s 40-0 win over visiting Miami.
Flacco had slid onto the turf when he has hit high by linebacker Kiko Alonso. Flacco’s helmet was ripped from his head, and he appeared woozy upon getting to his feet.
Alonso was called for unnecessary roughness. Flacco was taken from the field and put under concussion protocol. By halftime, he was ruled out.
Flacco went 10 of 15 for 101 yards and a touchdown.
Ryan Mallett came in and threw for a score to put Baltimore up 20-0 at halftime.
The Ravens held the Dolphins to 196 yards and returned two Matt Moore interceptions for touchdowns.
Wrapping up
Cleveland rookie defensive end Myles Garrett won’t travel with the team to London because of a concussion and will miss Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Garrett has already missed four games because of a badly sprained right ankle. … A person with direct knowledge of the decision confirmed to The Associated Press that the Buffalo Bills granted receiver Anquan Boldin permission to explore the possibility of being traded to another team.