Getty Images Le'Veon Bell during his last game against the Ravens.
The Baltimore Ravens are set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend for the second time this season. The first meeting went very well for the Ravens, as they took care of Pittsburgh with ease by winning 26-14. Since that initial matchup though, things have changed. The Steelers found a bit of a rhythm, while the Ravens have cooled off a bit.
One thing that won’t be different this time around though is the fact that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell still won’t be in attendance. At this point, many expected Bell to return to the Steelers like he said he would. Bell would continuously tell sources around him that he planned on going back after the bye week, but the Steelers claimed that they haven’t heard from him.
At this point, the Steelers don’t seem too phased by Bell’s absence. Their second-year running back James Conner has been phenomenal to this point. As a matter of fact, Conner was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October.
So, instead of the Ravens preparing for a Bell return, it looks like they have shifted their attention entirely to playing Conner for at least the next two years. And while many would think that’s a good thing, Ravens defensive coordinator actually doesn’t think too highly of Bell. So, it’s actually worse for them.
Wink Martindale Is Not a Fan of Bell
Clearly, Martindale is not a fan of Bell. That’s no surprise considering he’s a running back for the Steelers, but that’s quite a shot he took at the Steelers holdout. At this point, it’s unclear if Bell will play in 2018. He did not show up to the team’s facility to sign his franchise tender before the trade deadline. Therefore, he will remain on the roster until free agency.
With Conner being statistically one of the best running backs in the league for 2018, it’s doubtful that the Steelers are missing Bell at all. If he were to show up to the team sometime soon, it’s unlikely that they would even roll with Bell, as he missed so much time. Conner is the future of Pittsburgh, and now the Baltimore Ravens have shifted all of their focus on him.