Strong Sides: Who's more difficult to stop, Le'Veon Bell or Antonio Brown?
Strong Sides is a series in which theScore's NFL editors debate topics from around the league.
Finally healthy at the same time for a Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game, running back Le'Veon Bell and wideout Antonio Brown tore through the Miami Dolphins' defense in the wild-card round, each topping 120 yards and scoring two touchdowns.
Who's more difficult to stop, Le'Veon Bell or Antonio Brown?
David P. Woods: Both players are among the very best at their respective positions, and each may be capable of things no defense in football can hope to stop, but I give the edge to Brown. Defensive coordinators have the option to stack the box on every play to slow down Bell, but shading a safety to Brown's side of the field has little effect. Even if you manage to take away the deep pass, Brown can beat any cornerback in football on slants and screens.
Jack Browne: Defenses have the option of stacking the box, but rarely do because of the potency of the Steelers' passing attack. Brown and Bell never get a defense's full attention thanks to the presence of the other, and on an even playing field, Bell is the more consistently threatening player. He is almost as good a receiver as he is a runner and that extra dimension makes him much tougher than Brown to stop.
Woods: There's no doubt Bell is an excellent receiver, which makes him much harder to defend than a typical tailback, but it's Brown running through the open field that gives defensive coordinators nightmares. Brown had 51 yards after the catch on each of his touchdowns against the Dolphins. That's ridiculous. He's as elusive in space as any player in football. All Ben Roethlisberger has to do is get the ball in his hands anywhere on the field. Brown does the rest.
Browne: And Brown's reliance on Roethlisberger is exactly why Bell should be viewed as the bigger threat. The veteran quarterback just hasn't been himself this season. He's forcing more throws and his accuracy has appeared to regress. Brown's two early scores gave the Steelers the lead, but it was the Dolphins' inability to stop Bell that sealed the victory. His amazing patience at the line and his burst when a hole finally appears creates a unique running style that cannot be consistently stymied by conventional run-stopping techniques.
Woods: Your best bet in neutralizing the Steelers is to take away the team's quick-strike ability by double- (or triple-) covering Brown. Bell does so much so well, but he's not necessarily a home-run threat. Make the Steelers grind out yardage with Bell and hope to slow the game down and limit possessions. You may be only delaying death, but isn't that preferable to letting Brown kill you with two long touchdowns in the first quarter, like he did against the Dolphins?
Browne: Pittsburgh has transitioned to a run-first offense this season, despite having one of the best QB-WR duos to ever play the game. The Steelers clearly think Bell is their most effective player, so there's no reason anyone else should think any different.