Tim Benz: Le’Veon Bell’s take on Steelers’ playoff shortcoming not as simple as he suggests
Share this post:
In the years after leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers, running back Le’Veon Bell has tried his hand at being a boxer, a rapper and even (albeit briefly), a running back for the New York Jets.
Now he’s attempting to become an author.
As in, he is trying to rewrite history.
During an interview with CBSSports.com, Bell lamented how the Steelers failed to win a Super Bowl during his time there, blaming injuries as the main reason why. Specifically, he mentioned the Ryan Shazier injury in 2017.
“We didn’t get a ring. I look back on it, we could have had a ring, but injuries plagued us,” Bell said. “We lost to Jacksonville (in the divisional round). We couldn’t stop Leonard Fournette for nothing. If we had Shazier, that’s a totally different story.”
Indeed. Shazier’s spinal injury was a mammoth blow to the team on many levels — emotionally and tactically. But the suggestion that it would’ve made the difference between Pittsburgh winning a championship or not is a bit extreme.
For instance, as much as the Steelers missed Shazier in that postseason contest, they also lost to Jacksonville 30-9 at home earlier that season with Shazier on the field — and with Fournette scoring twice while running for 181 yards.
Not to mention, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had an interception and a fumble that led to 14 points in the first half of that playoff game.
Oh, and there was the small matter of Mike Mitchell screaming down the hallway at the Jags locker room before the game, and Bell himself tweeting about a “round two” against the New England Patriots in advance of that playoff rematch against the Jaguars.
But I suppose we shouldn’t reference that, huh?
To Bell’s point in that tweet, even if the Steelers hadn’t lost to the Jaguars that day, they would’ve had to go to Foxborough to play the Patriots for that AFC title game the next weekend. And, as I’m sure you are aware, the Steelers resume against the Pats in New England (or in AFC Championship games) isn’t exactly spectacular.
To say nothing of the fact that the Steelers would’ve had to eventually beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl as well. That would’ve been no cake walk, as the Patriots themselves eventually discovered.
More sports
• Steelers add 2 running backs to roster, release Jason Huntley
• L.A. radio host says Pirates, Dodgers ‘still in conversations’ about Mitch Keller trade, ‘low ball’ extension offer a factor
• First Call: Cam Heyward’s NFL top-100 ranking; tough injury for former Steeler; update on Calijah Kancey
Speaking of the Pats, Bell also lamented injuries in the 2016 AFC Championship Game out in New England. Specifically, his own. Bell suffered a groin injury on the first carry of that game.
“The game plan was resolved so much around me,” Bell said. “New England’s outside rushers would peel and guard me like (a) receiver. So our game plan was to kill them the whole game with me running routes out of the backfield. All of that had to go out of the game plan as soon as I went down. The majority of the game plan is out the window now.”
Right. I’m sure that would’ve worked perfectly. Because the Steelers have such a long and storied history of game plans working out exactly as planned against Bill Belichick in New England. He had just six carries and no catches on the day.
Had they won, I bet the Steelers would’ve beaten the Atlanta Falcons in that Super Bowl like New England did. Then again, maybe they just would’ve gotten down 28-3 like the Patriots but have been unable to complete the comeback as Tom Brady and company did.
Look, I agree with Bell’s larger point. Ill-timed injuries did hamper Pittsburgh’s chances at playoff advancement many times in the 2010s. Those injuries were often to Bell himself. His season was ended in advance of both the 2014 and 2015 playoffs as well. The Steelers had talented, dangerous teams those seasons.
But presumption of a Super Bowl win if they had been 100% healthy is still a leap too far, especially with their track record of stumbling against the Patriots or losing playoff games at home in the Mike Tomlin era (2007, ‘14, ‘17, ‘20).
It’s not like other teams were totally healthy en route to Super Bowl titles in that era either. That Eagles team lost Carson Wentz and won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles. New England lost star tight end Rob Gronkowski in Week 12 of 2016 before going on to beat Atlanta in Super Bowl LI.
Bell has been up in his thoughts lately about his time in Pittsburgh. He recently apologized for how and why he left during his 2018 contract dispute. It seems like there is a lot that Bell would want to do over from those years.
I’m sure quite a few others who wore Steelers uniforms during that time feel the same way.