Down went the ‘bell cow,’ so in came the (Benny) Snell cow to close out Steelers win

Last week, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin referred to James Conner as “our bell cow.”

Monday, they turned to their Snell cow.

Benny Snell Jr. had 19 carries for a career-high 113 rushing yards in helping the Steelers to a 26-16 season-opening victory at the New York Giants.

“(Snell) was ready to answer the bell,” Tomlin said, “when called upon.”

This time Tomlin was not making a bovine-inspired term associated with being a team’s featured ball-carrier. But Snell indeed was ready when summoned to inherit the role as the Steelers’ No. 1 running back during the second quarter Monday when Conner suffered a sprained ankle.

Snell gained positive yardage on 16 of his 19 carries, his usage increasing throughout the game from two carries in the first quarter, three in the second quarter, five in the third and nine in the fourth.

Snell’s yardage gained likewise increased from 9 to 13 to 45 to 48 on those nine carries in the final quarter, eight of which came over the game’s final 10 minutes and 22 seconds.

When the #Steelers released the first photo of Benny Snell Jr. reporting to training camp late last month, those who follow the team closely did some double takes. https://t.co/kbkPC9K8Xj

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) August 17, 2020

“Going into the games I don’t really have a mindset of how to call or what type of plays that I’ll get on offense,” said Snell, who as a rookie fourth-round pick last season had three or fewer carries six times but 16-plus carries five times.

“Most of my workload is on special teams so that is what I take my pride in, so whenever my time comes I know it’ll come. Opportunity presented itself tonight, and I was able to get more carries than usual.”

Based off Snell’s production off those carries, it could become more common than not that the Steelers ring the bell for Snell. During the six career games Snell has had at least 16 carries, he is averaging 4.5 yards per rush.

Snell’s possible increased deployment also could result from another injury to Conner. Conner has been effective when he’s been healthy for the Steelers since taking over for Le’Veon Bell in 2018 — but Conner rarely has been healthy. Conner has made it through a full game and not been injured during just four of the Steelers’ past 21 games dating to December 2018.

Snell spent the strange, coronavirus-affected offseason transforming himself into a noticeably leaner and quicker runner. Snell said last month he weighed 212 pounds, 12 fewer than his listed weight coming out of a record-setting career at Kentucky.

Benny Snell spinning mouth guard >>>

(via @thecheckdown)pic.twitter.com/8MP8VJPec0

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 15, 2020

“We’ve talked openly about the maturation process, the things that you can expect from a second-year player,” Tomlin said. “He showed signs of that from the very beginning of this team-development process… so I wasn’t surprised by what he was able to do. He’s a quality player and one that’s maturing and emerging.”

Part of that maturity showed during Snell’s postgame media session, one in which he twice complimented his offensive linemen and at one point gave a concise answer about his offseason training regimen.

“I worked hard,” Snell said, “and I did what the Steelers told me to.”

“I appreciate my o-linemen,” he said moments prior, “for making the holes and making things possible.”

Snell came into the NFL boastful about “Benny Snell football,” a term in part meant for Snell’s propensity for wearing down opposing defenses and closing out wins with bruising fourth-quarter carries.

That was exactly how the first game of Snell’s second season played out — even if the circumstances that helped lead to it (Conner’s injury) weren’t part of the Steelers’ plan nor their wish.

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