Bell, Blount Prove Why They're the Perfect 1-2 Combo for the Pittsburgh Steelers

The pass-heavy Pittsburgh Steelers faltered in Week 2 against the rival Baltimore Ravens. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger passed the ball 37 times compared to a combined 18 Steelers rushes, and the 26-6 loss had that run-pass imbalance partially to blame.

The key seemed clear: Run the ball more behind backs Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount. On Sunday night, they did just that, and the outcome was far different from Week 2—a 37-19 road rout of the Carolina Panthers. 

Running well isn't something that has come easily for the Steelers in recent years. In 2013, the Steelers ranked tied for 27th in rushing yards per game with 86.4 and averaged just 0.6 rushing touchdowns per game. It wasn't much better in 2012, either, with the Steelers averaging 0.5 rushing touchdowns and 96.1 yards. 

But now, thanks to the Bell-Blount tandem and a much-improved run-blocking offensive line courtesy of new line coach Mike Munchak, the Steelers have run the ball well for three straight weeks.

Apparently, it just took a road game on national television for Pittsburgh's formidable run game to make its big debut.

The Steelers rushed a combined 34 times against Carolina on Sunday night, with Bell and Blount getting 31 of those carries between them. They had a total of 264 rushing yards, with Bell leading the way with 147 yards on 21 carries and Blount not far back, with 118 yards and a touchdown on his 10 carries. 

This marked the first occasion the Steelers have fielded two 100-plus-yard rushers in a single game in 28 years.

And Bell's 81-yard run—which came on a second-half 2nd-and-22—was the longest rush by a Steelers back since 1970.

Blount also had a long run of his own, a 50-yarder. Though these big gains had much to do with each back's impressive yards-per-carry averages in this game (7.0 yards for Bell, 11.8 for Blount), both have been productive in the two previous weeks as well. Bell had a run of 20-plus yards in each of his previous two games, while Blount had a rushing touchdown in Week 1.

Bell and Blount are very different runners, but they have a complementary style that works well with the Steelers' new-found commitment to the outside zone-blocking scheme.

Blount is pure power, a downhill runner in the Steelers' mold when "Steelers football" meant running the ball down opponents' throats. Bell has more finesse—he's a one-cut back who uses footwork, vision and timing combined with respectable, if not underestimated speed. 

This isn't Rashard Mendenhall, pirouetting on his tiptoes while lanes flashed open and then closed around him before he could make a decisive move. This isn't Isaac Redman, whose minus speed didn't come with at least a semblance of the power Blount provides this year. 

This is a Steelers run game with a true one-two punch of running backs who fit well with an offensive line not just willing, but also able to block for them. The Carolina performance was no fluke; Sunday night's 7.8 yards-per-carry average comes on the heels of a collective 5.5 yards-per-rush average against the Ravens and a 4.5 yards-per-rush average against the Browns.

Player/Game	Atts.	Yds.	YPC	TD
Bell vs. CLE	21	109	5.2	1
Bell @ BAL	11	59	5.4	0
Bell @ CAR	21	147	7.0	0
Bell, Total	53	315	5.9	1
Blount vs. CLE	4	6	1.5	1
Blount @ BAL	3	8	2.7	0
Blount @ CAR	10	118	11.8	1
Blount, Total	17	132	5.3	2

It was just that this week allowed the Steelers to truly unleash their run game. They went into halftime with a 9-3 lead over Carolina, and they committed to the run to not just maintain it but also to extend it.

The run set up the pass, the run replaced the pass, the run dominated the Steelers' offensive game plan, and it very rarely failed. The Steelers ran a total of 65 plays, and the venerable Carolina defense had only four tackles for a loss in the game. 

Heading into the 2014 season, the Steelers had just two known offensive playmaking quantities, Roethlisberger and wide receive Antonio Brown. Now it's clear that Bell and Blount are offensive forces of their own. With those two toting the rock, there's no chance the Steelers will end 2014 in the bottom of the league's rushing barrel yet again.