Steelers' offensive trio among league's statistical leaders

Just call them the Killer Bees.

Armed with the trio of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell, the Steelers arguably have one of the best, if not the best, quarterback-receiver-running back tandems in the NFL.

The trio has the numbers to back up that argument, as all three are among the top-3 statistically in their respective positions midway through the 2014 season.

After becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to record two 500-yard passing games, Roethlisberger trails only Andrew Luck in passing yards with 2,380. Along with a staggering 105.6 passer rating thus far, Big Ben's 68.4 completion percentage through eight games is almost five points higher than his career average. He also has 16 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions, a stat that reveals Roethlisberger's development as a mature, highly intelligent quarterback. Make no mistake about it, the Steelers have an elite field general at quarterback in Roethlisberger, not merely a game manager, a label Big Ben had been tagged with early in his career.

Brown trails only Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton in receiving yards with 852, just 14 yards shy of Hilton. The fifth-year pro had a stellar October, tallying 31 catches for 425 yards. He was Big Ben's favorite target on Sunday, pulling down 10 catches for 133 yards and two scores. Brown's the very definition of consistency, having pulled down at least five catches per game this season while posting four 100-yard games. He also has three 90-yard games this season, while his lowest receiving output through eight games was his 84-yard effort in the team's win in Jacksonville. That consistency, to me, is what makes Brown special. That's what made Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, and Cris Carter special a generation before Brown, and that's what's making No.84 stand out now.

Last, but certainly not least, in this conversation is Bell, arguably the most complete back in the NFL. Like Roger Craig, Thurman Thomas and Marshall Faulk before him, Bell is dangerous toting the rock as well as catching it. He's third behind DeMarco Murray and Arian Foster in rushing yards with 691, equating to a very solid 4.9 yards per carry. Bell has also pulled down 42 catches for 395 yards, making him arguably the most versatile back in the NFL. Sunday's game was vintage Bell, as the second-year back rushed for 92 yards while recording six catches for 56 yards. In only 21 career games, Bell has caught 87 passes for 794 yards and is on pace to join Barry Foster as the only running backs in Steelers' history to surpass 2,000 total yards for a season. And at 22 years old, he's just getting started.

The 1970s Steelers were blessed with Hall of Fame players at the skill positions in Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris and receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. The 1990s Steelers had quarterback Kordell Stewart, running back Jerome Bettis, and receiver Yancy Thigpen. All three were Pro Bowlers as the team rolled to the AFC championship game in 1997. The 00's Steelers had Big Ben, Hines Ward, and Willie Parker leading the offense to their win in Super Bowl XLIII. The Steelers have another stellar trio now on offense and, hopefully, Steelers Nation takes advantage of watching them flourish as the 2014 season moves on.