The Steelers held their first post-bye practice Monday the same way they went into the bye -- with one notable exception.
Now, instead of being the hunter, they are the hunted once again as losses by the Bengals and Ravens on Sunday pushed the Steelers (3-2-1) into first place in the AFC North for the first time this season.
The key now will be staying there. And if that is to happen, the Steelers are going to have to continue to lean on the talents of James Conner.
Le'Veon Bell failed to report Monday as the Steelers began preparations for Sunday's game at Heinz Field against the Cleveland Browns, their first AFC North rematch this season.
Conner was a workhorse in that Week 1 game back on Sept. 9, rushing for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught five passes for another 57 yards.
It was, however, a fourth-quarter fumble by Conner with the Steelers leading 21-7 that helped spur the Browns on for a 21-21 tie that is the lasting memory for many from that game.
It's been one of two fumbles Conner has had this season on 132 touches. Given his hard-running style, that's not all that many.
And it's Conner's tough-guy running style that has won teammates over for the second-year running back.
"He’s a downhill type of guy. He doesn’t look that big, but he’s powerful as hell," guard Ramon Foster said. "I salute him for what he’s done. I salute his mentality more than anything. There were a couple of times last year when he ran out of bounds a little bit. Coach kind of said something to him. Now, he’s fully involved in AFC North football. He wants to be successful. You’ve got to root for the guy."
Conner did, at times, look to avoid hits in an injury-shortened rookie season. Maybe it was because of a shoulder injury he suffered during training camp, but Conner seemed more intent on avoiding contact a year ago -- when he gained 144 yards on 32 carries before going on IR with a knee injury. Now, the 6-foot-1, 233-pound running back -- who is probably closer to 225 pounds this season -- seems to relish it, much to the delight of his offensive line.
That's especially true when they see runs like this:
"The way he can recover after taking hits like that, it’s amazing. I guess it’s because he’s a young guy," center Maurkice Pouncey told me.
It's not that Bell couldn't deliver blows like that. Who could forget his vicious stiff-arm to Cincinnati's Dre Kirkpatrick last season?
But there is an appreciation of Conner's straight-ahead running style that is the complete opposite of Bell's peek-a-boo, wait-and-explode method.
"It’s different," All-Pro guard David DeCastro told me. "But it’s like having two different kids. You love them both. You just love them differently. I enjoy blocking for James. He’s running hard. He keeps it humble and wants to work. You appreciate that."
They actually could be used to compliment each other, much the same way New Orleans uses running backs Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. That duo combined for 29 rushing attempts in a 24-23 win at Baltimore on Sunday, with Kamara gaining 64 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and Ingram contributing 32 yards on 12 carries.
The week before, it was Ingram, the downhill runner of the two and coming back from a four-game suspension for PED use, who got 16 carries -- compared to six for Kamara -- in a blowout win over Washington.
The point is, the two offer different running styles, and Kamara is one of the most dangerous running backs in the league as a receiver. There are ways to keep both backs in the mix and use their differing styles of running as an advantage.
But, at least for now, the Steelers will continue to roll with Conner until further notice, since there is no guarantee Bell reports at all this season, despite reports of his intent to do so during the team's bye week.
It now might not happen until after the NFL trade deadline of Oct. 30 -- if at all.
"James is a really good back. He’s a guy who’s learning," Foster said. "He’s a guy who is fully invested in making sure he’s successful. When you have a guy like him out there, it’s important that we get him going, also. He’s done a better job of taking care of the football. He’s diversified himself in the passing game and, moving forward, he’s got to show he’s a guy we can count on, and he’s shown that."