Pittsburgh Steelers And NFL: Good And Bad From Week 1

THE GOOD…
OFFENSE: Le’Veon Bell

While the Monday morning wake-up featured a video of running back Ray Rice and the reaction of the NFL, Le’Veon Bell’s efforts on Sunday offered some redemption for his poor off-field choices.

Bell played the best game of his career running for 109 yards on 21 carries, and catching six passes for 88 yards. In total, Bell accounted for 40 percent of the plays on offense and 40 percent of the yards gained by the Steelers.

Bell’s effort and performance do not vindicate him on the sheer stupidity of being arrested on suspicion of a marijuana-related DUI offense and possession of marijuana just hours before the third preseason game.

However, it does show the Steelers’ belief in drafting him so high maybe wasn’t a pipe dream….so to speak. His refusal to go out of bounds against the Browns and ability to avoid the initial tackle spurred the early lead and sparked the fourth-quarter rally.

DEFENSE: William Gay
For a guy who only recorded 16 plays on defense, William Gay still came up huge in the win. Not only did he help keep the Cleveland return game in check on special teams, but he served up two of the best defensive plays of the game.

With the score tied and under two minutes to go in the game, Gay made back-to-back plays to keep the Browns deep in their territory and force the punt. The Steelers were able to get down the field quickly for a 41-yard field goal to win the game.

Maybe Gay could share with Ike Taylor how to cover without being penalized.

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SPECIAL TEAMS: Robert Golden and Antwon Blake
Yes Shaun Suisham went 3 for 3, including the game winner, but the surprise beautifully-executed fake punt gets my vote for special teams play of the game. Of course I could have also selected Kung Fu fighter, Antonio Brown, but he should have scored on his 36-yard return.

Brad Wing also had a nice game, landing two punts inside the 20, a 56-yard punt and four fair catches. Perhaps coach Mike Tomlin was right to keep Wing and not go through another early-season punter carousel.

THE BAD….
Run Defense: Gashed for 183 rushing yards by two rookies and a decent but not great veteran, the Steelers’ leaky run defense continued. Not sure which players were the most to blame, but Brett Keisel and Cam Thomas were too slow to pursue Browns rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell. The defense has too much talent to not get the problem fixed. The defensive coaches will be on the hot seat until they do.

The NFL as a whole also gets a vote for the worst of Week 1 action. The idea that the TMZ video of Ray Rice assaulting, spitting, dragging, and kicking his now wife was not made available to them or the Ravens organization is a joke. What horrible behavior for the guy who attacked Hines Ward on social media after his DUI arrest in 2011, criticizing Ward as a “role model” and his behavior “not being a good look.”

“People look up to you, Hines,” Rice said then. “You just were on TV with Dancing with the Stars. Ravens fans were upset that you won Dancing with the Stars but they still watched you. That shows your charisma and character. You’ve got a legacy in the NFL that no one can take away from you. But if you hurt somebody drunk driving, that takes away a lot.”

DUIs aren’t cool, but Rice’s actions in that elevator and the press conference where he blamed his wife, make the entire NFL and lenient punishment from the New Jersey prosecutor look far worse. The Ravens cut Rice Monday afternoon.