Many backs can get a lot of yards if they get the ball enough, but when you start looking deeper into traits and attributes, one stands out in my opinion as the NFL’s best.
Le’Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There are a lot of good backs in the NFL, but I don’t think any back has the diverse and multiple skill set that Bell has. What does Bell do well? How about patience, vision, short-area burst, lateral agility, natural power, savvy understanding of how to set up blocks … plus he’s an outstanding receiver who can detach from the formation and split wide.
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He has all the skills you want and did a little bit of everything last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, when he became the first back since 1977 to have 200 yards from scrimmage in three consecutive games.
I like Bell as a receiver, and against the Bengals he scored on a 10-yard catch on third and 6. Bell was offset to the boundary with Ben Roethlisberger in the shotgun. When the Bengals showed “zero blitz” with no safety, but backed out into a “quarters” zone, Roethlisberger initially looked left to the three-receiver side, but stepped up in the pocket and hit Bell – who got open in the middle off a great move on linebacker Emmanuel Lamur.
One of Bell’s best traits is he can set up blocks. Bell has a feel for that. He has great patience, understanding and vision, and those traits you can’t necessarily teach. His two fourth-quarter touchdown runs were well blocked, and he used the blocking well.
A 53-yard run came on “power strong,” and had some great blocks by the fullback Will Johnson on linebacker Vincent Rey, left tackle Kelvin Beachem on linebacker Rey Maualuga, and then right guard David DeCastro pulled and tight end Heath Miller led through the point of attack. This was executed as well as you can do it. And you can see how patient Bell is, setting up those blocks.
The Steelers ran the same “power strong” run with DeCastro pulling and Miller leading up through the point of attack on a 22-yard score. You really get a good sense of how light Bell's feet are on this play.
One thing I like about Bell is he is a great combination of size and movement. He has such light feet, so he has the moves of a smaller back, but is 220 pounds and can run like a big back. He has natural power.
That combination and his other skills means he can do anything you ask him to do. Some people viewed LeSean McCoy of the Philadelphia Eagles as the best back in the NFL after last year, and he’s really good at what he does, but he’s a certain kind of back. He doesn’t play the game consistently between the tackles. He’s a space runner more than an inside runner. McCoy can catch the ball, but not the kind who can detach from the formation and split wide. Bell can do those things. He can play any game you want him to play.
Dallas’ DeMarco Murray has had a good year, but he doesn’t have the same skill set as Bell because he’s a little more stiff and he’s not a laterally agile back – he’s a one-cut, straight-line down hill runner. Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch is obviously a very good back, but Bell has more versatility. The same goes for Houston’s Arian Foster, who is a bit overlooked as a very good back. Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears might be the closest to Bell, as far as a diverse skill set, but I think Bell is a little better.
I think in the NFL, if you’re going to be a high-level back you have to be able to do a little bit of everything and do it well. Bell can, and that’s why I think he’s the best in the NFL right now.
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NFL analyst and NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell watches as much NFL game film as anyone. Throughout the season, Cosell will join Shutdown Corner to share his observations on the teams, schemes and personnel from around the league.
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