The Pittsburgh Steelers breathed a sigh of relief that an MRI of running back Le'Veon Bell's injured knee did not reveal any serious ligament damage. Bell sustained the injury from a low tackle from Bengals safety Reggie Nelson last Sunday night.
Mike Tomlin, Reggie Nelson Exchange Heated Post-Game Words
However, that good news notwithstanding, there is no guarantee that Bell will be able to suit up for this Saturday night's Wild Card playoff game versus the Baltimore Ravens. And, even if Bell is deemed fit to play, he will be operating under serious pain throughout the game.
Losing Bell's production would be a big blow for Pittsburgh. Since his teammate LaGarrette Blount was cut after Week 11, Bell has accounted for 95% of the teams rushing attempts, by far the most in the league (the Cowboys' DeMarco Murray was second with 75%). Bell had 1,361 rushing yards and 83 receptions this season.
"I know if there is a chance he can be out there he's going to be," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said, per ESPN.com. "Because that's how he is."
Coach Mike Tomlin and his crew are preparing for any and all situations. The team hosted free agent running back Ben Tate on Tuesday, and may sign him to a short deal as insurance. Tate rushed for 371 yards this season between stints in Cleveland and Minnesota.
"We're going to take it day-by-day," Tomlin said on ESPN's SportsCenter Tuesday afternoon. "We're going to make the right decision. We won't be swayed by circumstance."
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