The Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting on Le’Veon Bell to show up. After missing Monday practice, Bell was once again a no-show for the team’s Wednesday morning meeting, dashing Ben Roethlisberger’s hope that his backfield mate would be back by now.

Unsurprisingly, Roethlisberger was once again asked about his star teammate’s absence, which Big Ben did his best to downplay the whole situation by saying the Steelers still have a formidable offense even if one key piece is missing.

“I think we're a very good offense,” Roethlisberger told reporters. “Football is the ultimate team sport. One person doesn't make or break you. I'd like to say that the linemen are more important than any skill position player, including myself. This offense is more than just one guy.”

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Although Roethlisberger is trying to minimize the impact of Bell’s absence on the team, it’s undeniable that they are nowhere near as special an offense without him. As Bell has proven over the years, he is clearly one of the most impactful offensive weapons in the entire league thanks to his dual-threat ability as a rusher and a receiver and is a huge part of what makes them an elite attack.

In his heart of hearts, even Big Ben likely realizes how big a dropoff going from Bell to James Conner — who is set to take Bell’s place if he isn’t ready to go by Week 1 — would be. Unfortunately, that’s just the reality the Steelers face with Bell still not showing up, and they have no choice but to adapt to their situation.