Steelers Offense Ready to Make a Name for Itself

Steelers offense ready to make a name for itself
By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/s...s/201409250331

There never will be another Triplets in football, just as we’ll never see another Steel Curtain.
The Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s had quarterback Troy Aikman, halfback Emmitt Smith and receiver Michael Irvin. Three Super Bowl wins, three Hall of Famers. Case closed.
But something can be said for the trio of Steelers statistically assaulting the NFL: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, halfback Le’Veon Bell and receiver Antonio Brown. The Steelers are the only team with a 750-yard passer, a 300-yard runner and a 250-yard receiver. Pittsburgh native Dave Dameshek of NFL.com suggests they are the latest version of the Triplets.
So what to call them?
“We’ll see,” Brown shrugged, seemingly uninterested in the question. “We’ll see.”
Roethlisberger has ranked among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks practically since he stepped onto the field as a rookie 10 years ago. Brown, a two-time Pro Bowler and among the better punt-returners in the league, crushed the team record with 1,499 yards receiving last season and is second in the AFC with 296 now. His three touchdown receptions are tied for most among wide receivers in the AFC.
Bell leads the NFL with 461 yards from scrimmage and leads the AFC with 315 yards rushing, with 20 first downs. His 5.9-yard average per carry leads all NFL rushers with more than 200 yards. His 81-yard run in Carolina was the longest for the Steelers in the past 45 years.
LaDainian Tomlinson of the NFL Network this week called him the best back in the league.
“It was crazy when I first heard it, it kind of blew me away,” Bell said of the compliment. “It’s humbling. I take pride in it.”
But he’s not ready to take the credit.
“Obviously, Ben is a superstar in this league, Antonio is a superstar in this league. I’m just getting started. I’m not anything yet.”
With their defense scrambling to replace three injured starters while making a transition from the great defenses of the previous decade, those three and the rest of the offense might have to carry them for a while. That offense ranks fifth in the NFL in total yards, first in rushing and 11th in passing.
Roethlisberger needs 117 yards to become the 12th quarterback in NFL history to pass for 35,000 with the same team.
Might there be a sense of urgency to try to pile up points as the defense regroups and possibly stutters for a while?
“Well, yes and no,” Roethlisberger answered. “We always want to have that urgency. We always want to put 30 points on the board and dominate on offense.
“Is there going to be a little more of it this week and probably the next couple of weeks because of injuries? Probably, but we have to be careful not to get caught up in trying to do too much to protect our defense because our defense will be fine. We have guys that can make plays. So we just have to keep doing what we want to do and continue doing what our goals are.”
With receiver Markus Wheaton and halfback LeGarrette Blount coming on, perhaps they can call them the Quints. There also is tight end Heath Miller, and this week they welcome back rookie Dri Archer and veteran slot receiver Lance Moore continues to work his way back from a groin injury.
“We have playmakers all over the field,” Bell said. “We’re starting to get people coming back from injury — Lance Moore, Dri, he’s a playmaker in his own; he can take the ball the distance at any moment. He’s going to be an added dimension to our offense.”
With all that offensive talent, can Roethlisberger spread the ball around enough to keep them all happy?
“At the end of the day, I don’t think anybody on offense is selfish,” Bell said. “Guys just want to win games. I don’t care if I get the ball 20 times, if I get the ball 12. As long as we win the game, I’m OK.
“As long as we perform the way we should and win games, I think we’ll be fine.”
Even without a nickname.