The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the San Diego Chargers on Monday night, 24-20, behind running back Le’Veon Bell’s game-winning rushing touchdown at the goal line on the very last play of the game.
Bell, who finished with 111 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries, says he was glad Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin trusted the offense to lead the team to victory.
“I’m glad that coach T got the confidence in the offense to go out and, you know, complete the job. We run two yard plays so many times in practice, I think we run it the most in the whole league. We practice that so much offensively and defensively, so he put the confidence in us and we got to go out there and deliver.”
The Steelers were flat on offense in the first half of the game before coming out in the second half and exploding for 21 points, 14 of which came in the fourth quarter. Despite getting off to a rough start in the game, Bell says he thinks quarterback Michael Vick did a great job filling in for injured starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
“We look a little different without 7 [Roethlisberger] in there, obviously, but Vick came in and did a great job protecting the football…kind of just managing drives, you know. He made a couple of great throws at the end of the game…nice scramble, got us down in scoring position. So, he’s doing his job. All we ask him to do is protect the ball…move the chains, that’s all we really can ask of him.”
The Steelers are now one game over .500 (3-2) after this thrilling victory and will look to keep this momentum going until Roethlisberger has fully recovered from the MCL sprain and bone bruise he suffered in his left knee in Week 3 against the St. Louis Rams.
The Steelers will face the Arizona Cardinals (4-1) at home next week.
Meanwhile, in the midst of what would eventually turn out to be a loss for San Diego, 13 year veteran tight end Antonio Gates, scored two touchdowns on the night to record his 100th and 101 career TDs from quarterback Phillip Rivers.
The Chargers will look to bounce back next week when they face the Packers at Lambeau Field.
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Bell praises Vick’s performance
Bell appreciates Tomlin’s confidence in the offense