Running back Jerome Bettis has spent the last year enjoying being a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he has also been busy keeping an eye on all things NFL for his role on ESPN. And that means keeping track of the Steelers, something that is easy for him.
“The expectations should be high,” said Bettis. “They have a veteran team, they are talented. The expectations definitely should be high.”
Bettis broke down some of the key components for the Steelers in this exclusive interview, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and receiver Antonio Brown.
On Roethlisberger:“Ben is definitely one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. When you look at the Top 5, he has to be in that conversation. He has earned the right to be considered one of the best in the game.”
On running back DeAngelo Williams:
“You have to have a one-two punch. If something goes wrong with the starter you want to have a guy who is capable and competent to carry the load. We saw that last year when Bell went down and DeAngelo came in and did a great job. You have to have that security blanket there.”
On continuity on the offensive line:
“It’s extremely valuable. The offensive line is the engine for the offense. As good as the offensive line goes, the offense goes. Ben will be the first to tell you if the offensive line isn’t blocking well, he won’t have that time to throw the pass. If Le’Veon is running the football well, it’s because the offensive line is blocking well. The offensive line is critical to the success of the team. It’s great to have the veteran group there and you get (Maurkice) Pouncey back and they can take it to the next level, which will be fun to see.”
On Brown:
“Antonio Brown is a special football player. His ability to make plays, double covered, he finds a way to make plays. The wavelength him and Ben are on is amazing. They talk to each other on the field without saying a word. When you have that type of relationship with your quarterback it’s special. We have the opportunity to see him all over the field making incredible plays. That goes to the talent of Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown.”
