NFL Pittsburgh Steelers

Le’Veon Bell is X-Factor for Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8

Fresh Videos

By @teapester725

Le'Veon Bell Steelers

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an up-and-down season in 2014 thus far. They have gone win one, lose one all season, with a bad loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Heinz Field in Week 4. They haven’t played the most difficult of schedules yet, as only the Baltimore Ravens have a winning record currently, and the Steelers lost that game. The next two games the Steelers have a lot to prove, starting with the Indianapolis Colts Week 8. For the Steelers to get a big win against the Colts, they will have to rely on the legs of starting running back Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers X-factor against the Colts.

Bell has had an outstanding sophomore season, rushing for 599 yards in seven games at a 5.1 yards per rush clip. He has been a true dual-threat option for the Steelers out of the backfield, catching 36 passes thus far for 339 yards in addition to all the work he is doing rushing the ball.

That kind of production is rivaled by very few running backs in the NFL, and gives the Steelers their best chance to beat the Colts this week. On the season, the Colts are surrendering 4.6 yards per carry, tied for 25th in the league, and seven touchdowns, tied for 26th. The last dual-threat running back the Colts faced this season was the Houston Texans’ Arian Foster, who rang up 142 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, a number Bell could easily reach if given the chance. The Colts’ defense had a strong showing against Giovanni Bernard and the Cincinnati Bengals last week, but the Bengals’ offense was out of sync without their big-play receiver.

Another reason Bell is the X-Factor for the Steelers is because he gives them the best chance against Andrew Luck and the explosive Colts offense. That may sound weird, as the Steelers have a defensive unit to do that. But in 2014, the Steelers’ defense has been spotty, and number of injuries has resulted in underwhelming results the past four weeks.

The best way to keep Luck and the Colts’ offense off the field is to control the clock, which is easiest to do with an effective running game.

When you have a two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback under center like the Steelers have in Ben Roethlisberger, more often than not he will be an X-factor. But against the Colts, the best defense will be a best offense and keeping Luck off the field. That will make Bell the X-factor for the Steelers in Week 8.

Kenneth Teape is a New York Giants writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @teapester725 or join his Google network.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on