DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
News: Le’Veon Bell didn’t practice Wednesday with the Steelers, but he was walking without a limp, playing around with teammates on the field and, most important, called himself a ‘maybe’ for Saturday’s playoff meeting with the Ravens and added, “I didn’t expect to feel this well this early. I’ll try to do more tomorrow.”
Also, Josh Harris took most of the snaps at running back, with Dri Archer getting the second-most and newcomer Ben Tate barely participating. And on defense, Troy Polamalu was a full participant.
Views: The view on Bell still feels genuinely uncertain. No bluffing. No posturing. Neither the team nor the player right now sounds sure, especially now that the knee has progressed.
Le’Veon Bell spoke to reporters Wednesday for the first time since his knee injury Sunday night. — GETTY
It’s worth stressing that Bell himself adopted the cautious stance previously stated by Mike Tomlin that he won’t feel forced to play simply because of the circumstance, that the knee needs to be football-ready: “I don’t want to play fearing my knee getting hurt. I don’t want to think about when I cut. I want to be comfortable when I’m out there.”
Some might take that sentiment too literally, in which case it will sound soft. It shouldn’t. I can tell you that those phrases are being repeated all around him, not least of which is by Tomlin. Just before Bell entered the locker room, actually, Tomlin was standing near his stall — where reporters already were gathered — and joking that, “You’re not going to hear anything new. I can answer those questions for you right now. ‘I feel great. I’ll know more tomorrow.’ ” So don’t read too much into Bell’s caution.
Harris is very clearly being set up as the go-to back, though I wouldn’t discount Archer’s additional involvement, especially in the passing game. I’ll be surprised if Tate is even active Saturday. I’d focus on the other two.
And the Polamalu situation … well, you’re free to read into this what you will, as always, but Tomlin’s rather glaring failure to state definitively Tuesday that Polamalu would play over Will Allen just might have resonated. No. 43 was a thorough and enthusiastic participant in a Wednesday set of drills that select players — Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison on this day — tend to take off.
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December 31, 2014
News/views: Bell calls himself a ‘maybe’
by Dejan Kovacevic • Coverage • Steelers
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
News: Le’Veon Bell didn’t practice Wednesday with the Steelers, but he was walking without a limp, playing around with teammates on the field and, most important, called himself a ‘maybe’ for Saturday’s playoff meeting with the Ravens and added, “I didn’t expect to feel this well this early. I’ll try to do more tomorrow.”
Also, Josh Harris took most of the snaps at running back, with Dri Archer getting the second-most and newcomer Ben Tate barely participating. And on defense, Troy Polamalu was a full participant.
Views: The view on Bell still feels genuinely uncertain. No bluffing. No posturing. Neither the team nor the player right now sounds sure, especially now that the knee has progressed.
Le’Veon Bell spoke to reporters Wednesday for the first time since his knee injury Sunday night. — GETTY
It’s worth stressing that Bell himself adopted the cautious stance previously stated by Mike Tomlin that he won’t feel forced to play simply because of the circumstance, that the knee needs to be football-ready: “I don’t want to play fearing my knee getting hurt. I don’t want to think about when I cut. I want to be comfortable when I’m out there.”
Some might take that sentiment too literally, in which case it will sound soft. It shouldn’t. I can tell you that those phrases are being repeated all around him, not least of which is by Tomlin. Just before Bell entered the locker room, actually, Tomlin was standing near his stall — where reporters already were gathered — and joking that, “You’re not going to hear anything new. I can answer those questions for you right now. ‘I feel great. I’ll know more tomorrow.’ ” So don’t read too much into Bell’s caution.
Harris is very clearly being set up as the go-to back, though I wouldn’t discount Archer’s additional involvement, especially in the passing game. I’ll be surprised if Tate is even active Saturday. I’d focus on the other two.
And the Polamalu situation … well, you’re free to read into this what you will, as always, but Tomlin’s rather glaring failure to state definitively Tuesday that Polamalu would play over Will Allen just might have resonated. No. 43 was a thorough and enthusiastic participant in a Wednesday set of drills that select players — Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison on this day — tend to take off.