Remember in training camp, all those questions about whether Le'Veon Bell's distinctive running style would mesh with his new offensive line? Players and coaches downplayed it, insisting it would be an easy transition because football is football, regardless of style. Well, the numbers suggest otherwise.
Bell is the same patient runner he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers, per NFL Next Gen Stats, except now he doesn't have much production to show for it. He's averaging 2.92 seconds behind the line of scrimmage (eighth among 43 running backs with at least 20 carries) and 8.04 mph when he reaches the line (42nd), marks that are close to his final season in Pittsburgh -- 3.09 seconds and 8.20 mph.
The difference is he's not finding consistent daylight, which explains why he's off to the worst start of his career (2.9 yards per carry). Bell is a special talent, but he can't do it alone. The man is averaging only 1.50 yards before contact, and the scariest part? The Jets aren't seeing a steady diet of eight-man fronts. The average is 6.55 defenders in the box on his rushes (26th out of 43). That means defenses aren't selling out to stop Bell, but they're stopping him anyway because the line can't block.
