Steelers News: What is Benny Snell’s role in the offense moving forward?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving into Week 14 of the NFL regular season, and as the team prepares for the Arizona Cardinals we continue to provide you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over until the next game starts!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how the Steelers might deploy their running backs when James Conner returns from his shoulder injury.

Let’s get to the news:

• Benny Snell has performed well in the absence of James Conner. Which makes you wonder what the team will do with Snell when Conner returns from his shoulder injury.

If James Conner returns, where does Benny Snell fit with Steelers?

By: Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

After two games as the Pittsburgh Steelers feature running back, rookie Benny Snell Jr. is within 111 yards of James Conner for the team rushing lead.

With 161 yards combined in victories against the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, Snell has increased his season total to 279 yards. Conner has 390. His average of 4.3 yards per carry is half a yard higher than Conner’s average.

Conner has missed four of the past five games because of a shoulder injury. Snell previously missed three because of ankle surgery.

If Connor is healthy enough to play Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, does Snell’s play indicate an increased role for him in the offense?

Coach Mike Tomlin wouldn’t make a commitment either way when asked Tuesday about Snell’s progression.

“He’s done a nice job with the opportunities given,” Tomlin said. “We’re appreciative of his efforts and we’re excited about not only what he’s doing for us, but where it can lead.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• The Steelers realize Devlin Hodges is a rookie, and don’t plan on overloading him with information.

Steelers aren’t going to overload Duck Hodges

By: Darin Gantt, ProFootballTalk

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has operated a certain way with his quarterbacks over the years — and it’s easy to get into a pattern since it’s mostly been one guy.

So he’s not going to do things differently now just because he’s on his third of the year.

Via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com, Tomlin said while announcing that Devlin Hodges would continue as his starting quarterback that he wanted to keep things as normal as possible for the undrafted rookie.

“I told Duck I had a lot of confidence in his abilities and his preparation and his talent, so I wanted to display that confidence by not talking him to death, not having a bunch of additional meetings and things of that nature,” Tomlin said. “I wanted to display that confidence by going about our routine. Not only confidence in him, but confidence in our preparation process, how we go about our business of game prep.

“He’s the starting quarterback. We’re interacting with him in the ways that we interact with a starting quarterback in preparation for a game.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• It has been a while since we heard from Antonio Brown. So, let’s update things...there is no update.

Antonio Brown still waits for the NFL’s decision

By: Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk

Nearly three weeks ago, free-agent receiver Antonio Brown met with NFL investigators regarding civil allegations of sexual assault that were made against him in September. With four weeks left in the regular season and Brown’s de facto suspension at 11 weeks and counting, Brown seems to be getting frustrated by the lack of action. Again.

“They don’t want me to be great!” Brown tweeted on Tuesday morning, without attaching a name to the pronoun. “They want my name slandered! They want to finish us! They control the narrative! Never trust they!”

“They” could be various entities. The NFL. The media. Those who make accusations against others.

Whatever the case may be, Brown wants to play football again, but no one will touch him until the NFL resolves its investigation. Nine days ago, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that a decision remains a few weeks away, because the information that Brown provided to the league sparked follow-up investigative steps.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Social Media Madness