Bells top speed

I don't want to complain about Bell. But if he has one weakness its his top speed. He ALWAYS gets ran down by corners/safties after he breaks free for a long run. just look at this run from week 7 (great run btw)



^^^u have to click on the youtube link

but this has happened so many times its so frustrating to see him never break free for that 60 yard TD run. He has great acceleration and IMO is the best back in the league and I would want no other. Thats one weakness of his though it seems to happen all the time.

Yeah he doesn't have breakaway speed, that was his knock coming out of college. But I won't complain if he keeps picking up 20-40 yard chunks and does well in short-yardage situations. With his ability to run routes as a receiver and pass block, I'd take him over any back in the NFL though.

Fire Arians wrote:

Yeah he doesn't have breakaway speed, that was his knock coming out of college. But I won't complain if he keeps picking up 20-40 yard chunks and does well in short-yardage situations. With his ability to run routes as a receiver and pass block, I'd take him over any back in the NFL though.

Indeed he is the best back in the NFL his patience tops and he is just fun as hell to watch. Too bad he doesnt have that break away speed though he would probably have an extra 7 touchdowns on his resume.

ImperialFan wrote:

Fire Arians wrote:

Yeah he doesn't have breakaway speed, that was his knock coming out of college. But I won't complain if he keeps picking up 20-40 yard chunks and does well in short-yardage situations. With his ability to run routes as a receiver and pass block, I'd take him over any back in the NFL though.

Indeed he is the best back in the NFL his patience tops and he is just fun as hell to watch. Too bad he doesnt have that break away speed though he would probably have an extra 7 touchdowns on his resume.

True though honestly if he had that breakaway speed he would have easily been a 1st round pick & out of our reach. I'm glad we got our guy though

Fire Arians wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Fire Arians wrote:

Yeah he doesn't have breakaway speed, that was his knock coming out of college. But I won't complain if he keeps picking up 20-40 yard chunks and does well in short-yardage situations. With his ability to run routes as a receiver and pass block, I'd take him over any back in the NFL though.

Indeed he is the best back in the NFL his patience tops and he is just fun as hell to watch. Too bad he doesnt have that break away speed though he would probably have an extra 7 touchdowns on his resume.

True though honestly if he had that breakaway speed he would have easily been a 1st round pick & out of our reach. I'm glad we got our guy though

Well he was the best back out of that draft class, I remember hearing so much about Lacy and Lattimore. They are trash.

Sometimes I think people over look the fact that he never fumbles. He has one in his career, and it was when he was a rookie.

I'd rather have a Bell with a "lower" top speed vs. Willie Parker.

ImperialFan wrote:

Sometimes I think people over look the fact that he never fumbles. He has one in his career, and it was when he was a rookie.

way to jinx him

Oh gawd, a complaint thread on Bell??? Dafuqoutahere...

I do wish Bell had a little more breakaway speed. He gets chased down more often than not, but ultimately I'd rather have a guy that breaks these kinds of runs off with consistency, than a speedy guy who takes one to the house once in a blue moon.

He more than makes up for it with vision and power (and pass blocking and receiving)

I'll take him over Willie Parker any day.

I get frustrated watching him get caught from behind but I also realize that guy that tackled him probably missed him the first time he tried so it's all good.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

I do wish Bell had a little more breakaway speed. He gets chased down more often than not, but ultimately I'd rather have a guy that breaks these kinds of runs off with consistency, than a speedy guy who takes one to the house once in a blue moon.

Agreed. Willie Parker took one to the house every now and then. Bell literally makes something out of nothing on a regular basis. It's so fun to watch him run because even when the play seems like he's got nowhere to go, he can break out of the pile or create a new running lane out of nowhere and take off.

I'll take 15, 20, and 30yd chunks consistently over a 75yd TD every now and then.

Willie Parker had speed, but he was a one trick pony. Bell is a BEAST in comparison.


Here's an interesting article from The Bengals, looks like teams are trying to account for his misdirections and jukes. Good luck
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2015/10/29/bengals-film-session-beware-leveon-bell-misdirection/74813180/

so bell's biggest weakness is that he is one of the biggest and strongest running backs in the league who doesnt have the 40 time's of 190 lb wr's and cb's?

sounds good to me. if you want speed, hire darren sproles or chris johnson (who got run down after 60 yds on MNF).

ImperialFan wrote:

Sometimes I think people over look the fact that he never fumbles. He has one in his career, and it was when he was a rookie.

That's true, and he basically had to be knocked unconscious to jar the ball loose. Dude's a beast

If someone with greater speed is chasing you from behind and closing in, your supposed to keep busting 'angles' on them letting their momentum throw them away from you. So there is "something" he can do since his speed isn't that great.

Another thing he could possibly improve on is those backfield 'pauses' he makes when he gets the ball. Sometimes it results in more yds, sometimes gets him a loss. If he could better discern when to pause, and when not to.

Outside of those two things, he doesn't have much else he may need to work on.

Top speed or not, Bell leads the league in runs of 20+ yards. I'll take that any day.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&season=2015&seasonType=REG&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&statisticCategory=RUSHING&conference=null&d-447263-s=RUSHING_20PLUS_YARDS_EACH

tony hipchest wrote:

so bell's biggest weakness is that he is one of the biggest and strongest running backs in the league who doesnt have the 40 time's of 190 lb wr's and cb's?

sounds good to me.  if you want speed, hire darren sproles or chris johnson (who got run down after 60 yds on MNF).

Like I've said 4 or 5 times. Bell is the best in the league. I would want no other running back. I am pointing out a legit weakness for the sake of conversation.

SteelerEmpire wrote:

If someone with greater speed is chasing you from behind and closing in, your supposed to keep busting 'angles' on them letting their momentum throw them away from you. So there is "something" he can do since his speed isn't that great.

Another thing he could possibly improve on is those backfield 'pauses' he makes when he gets the ball. Sometimes it results in more yds, sometimes gets him a loss. If he could better discern when to pause, and when not to.

Outside of those two things, he doesn't have much else he may need to work on.

Right. Brown and Bryant are great at this.

SteelerEmpire wrote:

If someone with greater speed is chasing you from behind and closing in, your supposed to keep busting 'angles' on them letting their momentum throw them away from you. So there is "something" he can do since his speed isn't that great.

Another thing he could possibly improve on is those backfield 'pauses' he makes when he gets the ball. Sometimes it results in more yds, sometimes gets him a loss. If he could better discern when to pause, and when not to.

Outside of those two things, he doesn't have much else he may need to work on.

Barry Sanders had more yards for loss than any back in history yet had he not quit in his prime would arguably be the best ever. Bell more than makes up for lost yards. I'll take him over anyone out there,period.

Lol Le'Veon is 5th in rushing yard amongst RBs missing his first two games. We've become so non-chalant about his abilities were nit-picking his top speed now. 2nd in Yds per game behind Gurley.

These are rushing statistics too, not yards from scrimmage.

KeepHarrisonTilHes92 wrote:

Lol Le'Veon is 5th in rushing yard amongst RBs missing his first two games. We've become so non-chalant about his abilities were nit-picking his top speed now. 2nd in Yds per game behind Gurley.

These are rushing statistics too, not yards from scrimmage.

You are correct sir!


.......and he's doing this while his great quarterback is out, and he's carrying the team offensively.

He has been the #1 target of every defense the Steelers have faced since Ben got injured. He has been the main focus and the one player on the field that they absolutely have to stop, and he continues to be unstoppable.

Listening to fans criticize  parts of his game is amusing. Sure, it would be great if he had one more gear and would just run away from everyone, but he has elite quickness, vision, power, and cutting ability.

The comments about "pausing" in the backfield are ridiculous. He is a patient runner that makes his own holes by making linebackers commit and then exploding through the gap he helps create.  I can't believe fans know so little about the game they love. They are questioning his judgement and decision-making, when that is exactly what makes him a great back. His instincts and vision are amazing. He sets up the defense and then maximizes nearly every run.

People that don't understand that never will.

pczach wrote:

KeepHarrisonTilHes92 wrote:

Lol Le'Veon is 5th in rushing yard amongst RBs missing his first two games. We've become so non-chalant about his abilities were nit-picking his top speed now. 2nd in Yds per game behind Gurley.

These are rushing statistics too, not yards from scrimmage.

You are correct sir!


.......and he's doing this while his great quarterback is out, and he's carrying the team offensively.

He has been the #1 target of every defense the Steelers have faced since Ben got injured. He has been the main focus and the one player on the field that they absolutely have to stop, and he continues to be unstoppable.

Listening to fans criticize  parts of his game is amusing. Sure, it would be great if he had one more gear and would just run away from everyone, but he has elite quickness, vision, power, and cutting ability.

The comments about "pausing" in the backfield are ridiculous. He is a patient runner that makes his own holes by making linebackers commit and then exploding through the gap he helps create.  I can't believe fans know so little about the game they love. They are questioning his judgement and decision-making, when that is exactly what makes him a great back. His instincts and vision are amazing. He sets up the defense and then maximizes nearly every run.

People that don't understand that never will.

/thread


I mean this dude is what, 6' 1", 240lbs? He's a god damn beast who has a great head on his shoulders for a 23 year old kid with his talent, he has incredible patience which is one of the downfalls of many RB's in this league, and he is as good as any back to make someone miss in space or to make something out of nothing.


I'm not good with contracts and free agents, what's down the line for Bell when it comes to his contract? I'm hoping we keep him no matter what a la Roethlisberger, but I know sometimes these later draft picks - turned stars (*cough* Mike Wallace) have a tendency to seek the bigger $$$.