Teams tend to be better at home than on the road, and this has been particularly true with the Steelers. I have pointed out many times this year that Ben Roethlisberger tends to average about 3 TD passes at home, versus only 1 TD on the road. He even made it through a 24-7 laugher over the Browns without throwing a touchdown pass last week.
But that home-away dynamic doesn’t apply to LeVeon Bell. Bell, in fact, is a contributing factor to Roethlisberger not being as good on the road.
It seems that the Steelers get more conservative with their play calling on the road, in general. They are more apt to run Bell, rather than having Big Ben rip it loose. Bell, in fact, tends to run for more yards and score more touchdowns when the Steelers are away from home (which isn’t what you typically see with running backs).
Bell in his last 16 games at home has run for 1,219 yards, with 9 TDs. Another 871 yards as a pass catcher, and that takes him to 2,090 yards in those games (and 16 games, of course, is a season’s worth of work).
But on the road Bell has run for 1,564 yards in his last 16, with 11 touchdowns. And 608 receiving yards, taking him up to 2,172 yards in those 16 road games.
So I’m thinking those with Bell should probably start him in the Thursday night game at Indianapolis.
You’re welcome.
| LEVEON BELL: LAST 16 GAMES AT HOME | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Result | Run | Rec | TD |
| 2013 | Clev. | W 20-7 | 90 | 6 | 1 |
| 2014 | Clev. | W 30-27 | 109 | 88 | 1 |
| 2014 | T.B. | L 24-27 | 63 | 46 | 0 |
| 2014 | Hou. | W 30-23 | 57 | 88 | 1 |
| 2014 | Ind. | W 51-34 | 92 | 56 | 0 |
| 2014 | Balt. | W 43-23 | 20 | 38 | 1 |
| 2014 | N.O. | L 32-35 | 95 | 159 | 1 |
| 2014 | K.C. | W 20-12 | 63 | 9 | 1 |
| 2014 | Cin. | W 27-17 | 20 | 80 | 0 |
| 2015 | Balt. | L 20-23 | 129 | 21 | 1 |
| 2015 | Ariz. | W 25-13 | 88 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Cin. | L 10-16 | 45 | 13 | 0 |
| 2016 | K.C. | W 43-14 | 144 | 34 | 0 |
| 2016 | NYJ | W 31-13 | 66 | 88 | 0 |
| 2016 | N.E. | L 16-27 | 81 | 68 | 0 |
| 2016 | Dall. | L 30-35 | 57 | 77 | 2 |
| LEVEON BELL: LAST 16 GAMES ON THE ROAD | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Result | Run | Rec | TD |
| 2013 | Balt. | L 20-22 | 73 | 63 | 1 |
| 2013 | G.B. | W 38-31 | 124 | 5 | 1 |
| 2014 | Balt. | L 6-26 | 59 | 48 | 0 |
| 2014 | Car. | W 37-19 | 147 | 10 | 0 |
| 2014 | Jac. | W 17-9 | 82 | 36 | 0 |
| 2014 | Clev. | L 10-31 | 82 | 23 | 0 |
| 2014 | NYJ | L 13-20 | 36 | 33 | 0 |
| 2014 | Tenn. | W 27-24 | 204 | 18 | 1 |
| 2014 | Cin. | W 42-21 | 185 | 50 | 3 |
| 2014 | Atl. | W 27-20 | 47 | 72 | 2 |
| 2015 | St.L. | W 12-6 | 62 | 70 | 1 |
| 2015 | S.D. | W 24-20 | 111 | 16 | 1 |
| 2015 | K.C. | L 13-23 | 121 | 16 | 0 |
| 2016 | Mia. | L 15-30 | 53 | 55 | 0 |
| 2016 | Balt. | L 14-21 | 32 | 38 | 0 |
| 2016 | Clev. | W 24-9 | 146 | 55 | 1 |
—Ian Allan