It might be easy to blame Le'Veon Bell's slow start this season on his decision to miss the entire offseason and not sign his franchise tender until just before Week 1, but his coaches and teammates are not of that mind. Bell continues to appear in phenomenal shape -- though one could always contest there is no substitute for football shape, which only comes from getting hit for weeks on end -- and his slow start, to the Steelers, has more to do with an inconsistent offense and a lack of running lanes.

He has graded out fairly well in the first two weeks, and the fact that Bell -- who the Steelers tried to make the highest-paid running back in the NFL this summer -- has just 119 yards on 37 carries (woeful 3.2 per attempt) and just seven catches for 19 yards has plenty to do with the scheme and the cast around him, sources said.

"You really can't blame him," one team source said. "He hasn't really had any holes to run through."

Bell has been well-received in the locker room and this franchise understands his import, especially in what the Steelers hope will be a Super Bowl season. Of course, with the Bears facing Pittsburgh on Sunday, it could be that the overall offensive malaise the Steelers have been dealing with – in the run and pass game – is about to expire.