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After Madden-like numbers, back to basics works for Steelers

I always loved playing football video games.

Whether it was Madden, Techmo Bowl or some other game of the week, if it was football, I wanted to play it.

The fun part of the game was trying to pad stats of the players I controlled.

If it was second-and-short, I was chucking the ball deep to try to get the passing touchdown for my QB and the yardage for my receiver.

Fourth down? I was going for it. Didn't matter where the ball was.

It was like that for the entire game.

Unless the game was on the line.

Then I used the plays that worked to get the first down, touchdown or field goal -- whatever was needed.

I couldn't help but get that same feeling about the Steelers for the last game-and-three-quarters.

It seemed after Ben Roethlisberger's back-to-back games with six touchdowns that the offense was different.

It was like they wanted to pad the statistics of Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger and anyone else involved in the passing game.

Don't believe me?

Roethlisberger admitted as much after a game against the Browns in October to keep Brown's streak of games with at least five catches alive.

The Steelers opened the game pounding Le'Veon Bell last night.

Then they went away. It seemed like they were forcing the ball downfield.

But, they seemed to switch things after they trailed by 11.

Bell got the rock.

And, boy, did he deliver.

The Steelers needed that win.

And it was Bell that carried them.

Hopefully, the Steelers will figure out what works for them on a given week and stick with it.

You know, sort of like the Patriots.

They find a weakness and in a defense and exploit it. The whole game.

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