Bell: Steelers sharpen edge, but now face new adversity

PITTSBURGH – When it was over, after the Pittsburgh Steelers survived a bloodbath of a game to capture the AFC North crown, Mike Tomlin exchanged a few choice words which Reggie Nelson.

It was Nelson, the physical Cincinnati Bengals safety, who delivered the ferocious blow over the middle that knocked running back Le'Veon Bell out of the game – and left the Steelers with some more adversity to process as the playoffs loom.

Bell suffered a hyperextended left knee in the collision that ended his night.

Suddenly, there's another big question confronting a team that endured so much adversity in a journey that has progressed from 3-3 to the franchise's first division crown in four years.

While the Steelers maintain that there is no structural damage to the knee, Bell's availability for Saturday night's first-round playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens is in doubt.

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Bell only finished the regular season as the AFC's leader in yards from scrimmage.

Tomlin insists that he wasn't chewing Nelson out because he thought the hit was illegal (it wasn't).

The coach said the rather testy chat had nothing to do with the hit.

"He was talking about some he-said, she-said type of deal," Tomlin said. "I don't know what he was talking about."

Nelson wouldn't elaborate on the emotional dust-up with Tomlin.

"That's between me and him," he said.

Nelson, by the way, was much more reserved when asked why he didn't stop over to express any sentiments as Bell lay on the turf, clutching his knee.

"I said my prayers for him, and he got up," Nelson said.

After several minutes and attention from trainers, Bell sprang to his feet and jogged off the field amid thunderous applause. It seemed like a defiant act that symbolized the spirit of the Steelers about now.

The Steelers finished the previous two seasons at 8-8, but have emerged as a division champ again – a development that may have seemed unlikely when training camp opened, and even more far-fetched when Pittsburgh was 3-3 and critics were calling for O-coordinator Todd Haley's head.

Yet to see Tomlin jawing with Nelson tells you something else about the Steelers edge.

Then again, seeing Tomlin call for a fake punt in the fourth quarter – punter Brad Wing's wounded duck was intercepted to set up an opportunity for Cincinnati to drive for a go-ahead touchdown – can fuel questions about whether the Steelers coach as gone over the edge.

"I take responsibility for that," said Tomlin, in his typical stand-up style. "I'm going to remain aggressive."

That is no doubt the mentality needed to hang tough in the AFC North, the most bruising division in the NFL.

This season, the A-North has been the best division, too.

For all of the knocks on the NFC South, which didn't produce a team with a winning record, the A-North had three teams that won at least 10 games.

Somehow, it seemed fitting to have the division title settled in the fourth quarter of the NFL's final game of the regular season.

Survive this division, and you are more than battle tested.

You are battle-scarred, too.

If you think the blood was boiling on Sunday night, symbolized by the Tomlin-Nelson chit-chat following a punishing game, just wait until the coming weekend.

The Ravens are coming to town. Baltimore almost blew its chance to get into the dance, needing a comeback rally against Cleveland to cash in on San Diego's loss at Kansas City, to claim the sixth seed.

After the 2008 season, the Steelers and Ravens met in a classic AFC title game at Heinz Field that is remembered as one of the most brutal games you'll ever see.

The Steelers survived that time. Many of the players from that game nearly six years ago have moved on, but some key players remain and the intensity of the rivalry has hardly waned in the succeeding years. These teams still can't stand the sight of each other, although I suspect there's mutual respect.

Ask Ike Taylor, now an old head in his 12th season with the Steelers. Taylor didn't play on Sunday, and like all-pro safety Troy Polamalu missed his third consecutive game due to injury.

Taylor is proud of the manner in which the fill-ins in the much-maligned secondary has come up big. His replacement, Brice McClain, had both interceptions of Andy Dalton on Sunday night.

Yet Taylor needs not to be prompted about what comes next.

"You know what kind of game it will be," Taylor said. "Freddy Krueger vs. Jason."

Scary stuff.

Which is why Sunday night's match was a fitting prelude.

"It's typical AFC North ball," Tomlin said. "We take a lot of pride in being from the North. I look forward to it. It's going to be typical Steelers-Ravens.

"Steelers-Ravens in January. It's been a while since we had that. We're probably going to have to educate some of our young guys to what that means."

For one thing, it means the blood will be boiling.