The play below against the San Diego Chargers, gives a great view of running back Rashard Mendenhall showing great trust, vision and tackle breaking ability all in one play. Now the blocking is crazy good here, but regardless, Mendenhall still knows that his responsibility will be the free safety. This is great power inside running.
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I have read various message board post this week about how the Steelers should trade away running back Willie Parker before the season ends now that Rashard Mendenhall had one break out game as a starter. The truth is, while Mendenhall certainly looked great against a banged up 3-4 Chargers defense, it was only one game. Throw in the fact that having two good running backs on the roster that can carry the ball 20 plus times is a great insurance from an injury standpoint as we are seeing now with Parker being sidelined. Sure, Parker is in the final year of his contract and will in all likelihood Read more [...]
The last time the Steelers played the Lions in Detroit is a memory most Steelers fans can not get out of their head. It was the infamous Thanksgiving Day game in 1998 that featured the coin-toss where Steelers running back Jerome Bettis calls tails but referee Phil Luckett says he called heads. Detroit won the toss and took the ball and went on to win on a 42-yard field goal by kicker Jason Hanson. The loss began a tailspin for the Steelers as they did not win a game the rest of the year, finishing 7-9. Ir ruined a perfect Thanksgiving dinner for me as well as I was sick to my stomach the rest Read more [...]
Below is the target report from the first 4 games of the season. The numbers that jump out the most is the completion percentage to Santonio Holmes along with the drops Holmes has had. It could be a number of things including the wrist injury that Holmes had early on that may be affecting him. Other wise, these are really impressive numbers thus far. Not only how the ball is being spread around, but the concerted effort to get the ball more to tight end Heath Miller. It is scary how good the completion percentage could be if Holmes catches a few more and Limas Sweed holds onto the sure touchdown Read more [...]
One thing is for certain, this team belongs to Ben Roethlisberger. His leadership in the video below, especially with running back Rashard Mendenhall is absolutely fantastic. He continues to remind him to hold on to the football and also to trust what he sees and go. The game really seems to be moving very slow right now for Ben as his play in 2009 shows thus far shows. If the defense can get Troy Polamalu back soon and turn the corner, the Steelers will be a dangerous bunch come December and January.
Sound FX: Ben Roethlisberger Wired During Chargers Game Video
[flv:http://ll.video.nfl.com/films/s2009/soundfx/w05/091007_nfln_sound_fx_ben_roethlisberger_micd_700k.mp4 Read more [...]
The 29 carries running back Rashard Mendenhall had on Sunday night against the Chargers, put him over the 50 carry mark finally. I have compiled a list of most of the current starting running backs in the league and compiled their stats of each ones first 50 carries for a quick comparison of where Mendenhall ranks. Of the 28 backs I have listed, Mendenhall ranks #10. Surprisingly he is ahead of the pace of superstars LaDanian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson at the same point in their careers.
This numbers still do not take in situational football like down and distance and short yardage like goal Read more [...]
OK, Carey Davis really did not win the game for the Steelers, but his heads up play recovering the fumble of tight end Heath Miller resulted in 7 points just one play later. I mentioned earlier last week that I thought Davis would pay dividends some how and he already has. Below is some pictures of Davis and the recovery.
I call this: Carey Davis Gets His Cheeseburger
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Mike Tomlin and Bruce Arians unveiled a new goalline package on Sunday night versus the San Diego Chargers, in which big backup center Doug Legursky was lined up at fullback ahead of running back Rashard Mendenhall. The offensive line really did not need the help as you can see in the video below, but Legursky cleared out Chargers linebacker Brandon Siler just the same.
I have created a movie poster as well. I call it "THE BIG LEGURSKY"
Here is the movie trailer below for "THE BIG LEGURSKY"
[flv:http://video.nfl.com/films/s2009/nflcom/w04/091004_phl_wk4_bp_mendenhall_1yd_td_700k.mp4 Read more [...]
2-2 has never looked so good for Steelers fans, especially considering the injuries they have suffered to key players. While the Steelers have not had an extensive injury report in 2009, the ones on it have been key players. The loss of strong safety Troy Polamalu is an obvious huge loss. The Steelers defense is missing that one link in the chain that makes an average defense, a great defense. The good news is that the Steelers still have been in every game and very easily could be 4-0 at this point.
Running back Willie Parker had appeared to final get his sea legs underneath him in the game Read more [...]
Mike Tomlin put his balls on display for the whole world to see last night, but he could care less what you think about them. He just wanted to show them to you and prove they exist. Boy, do they! Faced with a 4th and 1 with 6:23 left in the first half and the ball at the Steelers own 30 yard line, Tomlin went for it. At the time, the Steelers were up 14-0 and compiled over 200 yards of offense. The Steelers defense had only surrendered 50 yards of Chargers offense and 3 first downs at that point and the obvious choice by most head coaches would of been to punt the ball. Not Tomlin though, he wanted Read more [...]
What started out as a blowout, ended up as a nail biter, as the Steelers almost suffered another 4th quarter collapse. Steelers kicker Jeff Reed nailed a 46 yard field goal with 3:48 left in the game to lead the Steelers to a 38-28 win at Heinz Field.
If the Steelers would of lost, it surely would not been because of the offense. Running back Rashard Mendenhall, who started in place of injured starter Willie Parker, rushed for 165 yards on 29 carries. He also had 2 rushing touchdowns of 1 and 2 yards. Mendenhall ran hard all night behind stellar blocking from the offensive line. The line also Read more [...]
The Steelers will be trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak since weeks the 2006 season when they host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night. The Chargers have never won in 13 regular-season matchups in Pittsburgh, and they lost 35-24 at Heinz Field in the divisional round of last season's playoffs.
On offense, the Steelers will look to run on the Chargers 26th rated run defense that has given up an average of 142.3 yards per game. To do so, they will have to turn to second year running backs Rashard Mendenhall and veteran running back Mewelde Moore with starter Willie Parker Read more [...]
Below are seven matchups or things to look for on Sunday as the Steelers host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night.
2nd Chance For Mendenhall - This is the time for Rashard Mendenhall to show us exactly what he is or isn't. This could be the game to establish he belongs not only in the NFL, but as a starter for the Steelers. His last start in 2008 versus the Ravens ended quickly with one hit by Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. He will be spelled by Mewelde Moore regardless on third and longs, but a huge game will go a long way on where he stands in the Steelers future. After Sunday night, we should Read more [...]
Now that Isaac Redman has been activated to the active roster and Nick Eason has been released, it surely means Willie Parker will sit this week. Limas Sweed is almost certain to be inactive as Shaun McDonald will start at the #4 receiver spot. Offensive lineman Tony Hills and Kraig Urbik have yet to be active all season and look destined to be inactive again. Troy Polamalu and David Johnson have been ruled out with injuries and Dennis Dixon will remain the inactive #3 quarterback. The only true unknown is the eighth inactive player, which in all likelihood will be linebacker Arnold Harrison, as Read more [...]
Let us hope the Steelers rebound this Sunday night and take down the San Diego Chargers to move to 2-2. God forbid we don't win, 1-3 is not the death sentence for the Steelers. Since 1969, 9 Steelers teams have started the season 1-3. Of those 9 teams, 2 actually made the playoffs and a 3rd one lost out on tie breakers.The most recent Steelers team to do it was the 2002 team that ended up going 10-5-1 and losing to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs. Before that, the 1976 Steelers team finished 10-4 after a 1-3 start. That year the AFC Central Division champion Steelers Read more [...]
When running back Willie Parker showed up as not participating in the Thursday practice report, it became a little fuzzier on whether or not he will indeed be ready to suit up Sunday night against the Chargers. The turf toe on the right foot seems to still be hurting FWP pretty good. If Parker can not practice on Friday, he will likely get the questionable tag on the injury report, but with 3 straight practices missed, it would be highly unlikely that he would play. The likeliest candidate to start would be Mewelde Moore with a heavy dose of Rashard Mendenhall mixed in. Moore is a veteran, very Read more [...]
Sunday night will mark the first team the Steelers face this season that plays a 3-4 defense. In 2008 the Steelers went 9-0 against teams that played the 3-4 front. This also included playoffs. Over those 9 games the Steelers averaged 113.89 rushing yards per game and 215.11 passing yards per game. Even throwing out the two games last year versus Cleveland, they averaged 104.57 yards rushing per game and 223.43 yards passing. After Sunday, the Steelers have 8 more games against teams that run the 3-4. This includes Cleveland twice and Baltimore twice.
The Chargers defense has allowed an average Read more [...]
I was going through some old videos of Limas Sweed and came across the draft day remarks by NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock. His last statement in the video is chilling and right on the money.
"My issue with this guy is he has got to be more consistent."
Mayock does not get a free pass though as he had Sweed as possibly the top receiver to be taken in the draft in 2008.
Another punch in the stomach was suffered by all of the Isaac Redman and Frank Summers supporters today when "Frank the Tank" was placed on IR with a back injury and fullback Carey Davis was signed to take his place. Like it or not, Davis was the right choice. Keep in mind that tight end/fullback David Johnson will be out a while with a high ankle sprain and Summers likely would of been down a while regardless if the back injury was season ending or not. Throw on top of this that tight end Matt Spaeth is suffering from a hip pointer and it made Davis the obvious choice.
Davis is a special teams Read more [...]
There are only so many times you can help a person back on to the horse that he has fallen off of numerous times. The horse starts getting concerned as does the guy helping the person back on the horse. Such is the case with second year receiver Limas Sweed. Sweed has only 7 catches for 69 yards in 13 games he has played in. He has been targeted 12 times as well and had 2 crucial drops for sure touchdowns. The biggest highlight of his career is a great block on Ravens defensive back Corey Ivy in the AFC Championship game last year. That is it.
It is time for Sweed to take a seat a while and Read more [...]
