"Usually when we get to the end of the year, the weather starts to kind of affect games a little bit," said Bell. "Over the course of the year the offensive line continually got better, we got more confident in the run and every play that was called we just felt like it could work. At the end of the year we came in with a game plan of 'We want to run the ball, slow the clock.'"

December has traditionally been a strong month for Bell, who has totaled 1,686 yards from scrimmage in the month of December since entering the NFL in 2013, a total that ranks second to LeSean McCoy (1,954) during that span. He had also rushed for 1,216 yards in the month of December since 2013, ranking third in the NFL in that time span. Impressive numbers on their own, but even more so when you consider he didn't play a snap in December, 2015, after being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Bell finished the 2016 regular season with 261 carries for 1,268 yards, a 4.9-yard average, and seven touchdowns. He also had 75 receptions for 616 yards and two touchdowns.