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"Veon Bell and the Pittsburgh Steelers have both played big this season. Jarrett Bell, of USA TODAY Sports, explains why each of them could pay off.
USA TODAY Sports

The Steelers WR Antonio Brown (84) and the Chargers pass the Melvin Ingram half-wheel will meet again in December.(Photo: Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)

the The Steelers will not have the "Veon Bell" this season, but that does not mean that the NFL is not looking for new ways to better present its AFC North leaders.

For the second time in nine days, the league decided to adjust the Pittsburgh schedule, revealing Wednesday that the home club match of Dec. 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers (7-2), which in reality a better record than the Steelers (6-2 -1), was moved from 13 hours originally scheduled AND sent to the Sunday Night Football time slot in prime time. The original "SNF" match of Week 13, the 49ers at Seahawks, will start at 4:25 pm today. AND in Seattle.

However, Pittsburgh was also scheduled to appear on the NBC showcase the following Sunday – the Steelers will play Oakland in Week 14 – but the game will start at 4:25 pm AND. The Los Angeles Rams' visit to the Chicago Bears – two teams currently at the top of their respective divisions – moves to the Sunday night stand on Dec. 9.

The Steelers were supposed to play this Sunday night in Jacksonville, but the terrible season of the Jags relegated this competition to the afternoon so that the Vikings-Bears can be seen nationally on NBC.

The Chargers-Steelers competition is emerging as a possible preview of the playoffs. Now that Bell's situation is settled, Pittsburgh – the winner of the last five games – is advancing with a team that will probably lead him in January. However, the Bolts, who are themselves on a run of six consecutive victories, are Joey Bosa is back to training on Wednesday.

More: Keep up: The rotation of the NFL coach carousel should speed up over the next few weeks

More: The 10 most likely NFL landing spots of The Veon Bell in 2019

Ironically, when these clubs met for the last time in 2015, Bell scored the decisive touchdown in the last game in San Diego, the hometown of the Chargers. Michael Vick was the quarterback to the Steelers that night.

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Follow Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis

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