Big Half for Mendenhall

[eniparadoxgma]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

Our running attack the first half was as impressive as I've seen it in a loooong time. Redman also looked good, but Mendy was a monster.

What I'm curious about is what happened to our running attack the second half in comparison to the first...

Did the Jets coaching staff make the adjustments necessary to counter it? Did the Jets D turn it up a notch? Did our OL fall off the second half? Were our RBs to blame? None/some of all the above?

What do you guys think accounts for the discrepancy in our running attack between the two halves?

The Jets did a better job executing defensively.

Legursky said the Jets were "mixing it up" more in the second half, and insinuated that he wasn't making the right line calls. In other words, it really hurt to lose Pouncey.

Pouncey not playing hurt Steelers in 2nd half. He is the best O-lineman out there for Steelers.

Thanks for the insight guys. I thought Pouncey being out played a role but I wasn't sure how much of one.

[skyhawk]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

The thing that struck me the most was his physical condtioning. He got stronger and stronger as the first half went along.

The OLine is really playing well. I no longer think they are one of the worst in the league. Great running game, and Ben has had time to throw the past 3-4 games. Kudos.

[feltdizz]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

The thing that struck me the most was his physical condtioning. He got stronger and stronger as the first half went along.

The OLine is really playing well. I no longer think they are one of the worst in the league. Great running game, and Ben has had time to throw the past 3-4 games. Kudos.

I think we go a little over board with the OL because we get to see all the highlights of Brady and other QB's sitting back their all day and think their OL is HOF.

Once the playoffs start I think we get a better look at how "good" some of these OL's really are and usually.. they are no better than what we have.

Can anyone seriously admit Mendenhall ran like that all season long? He looked possessed.. like Tomlin gave him a challenge. I love the passes in the flat to Mendenhall too, he should have 5 passes a game at a minimum.

My frustration is still the lack of touches by Redman... 4 rushes for 27 yards. I think he would have been a nice change of pace in the second half due to his north south style.

[flippy]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

He's definitely stopped spinning.

And the kid is taking the criticism he's gotten to heart. I like his attitude even better than his game at this point. He wants to get better and says so.

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

Our running attack the first half was as impressive as I've seen it in a loooong time. Redman also looked good, but Mendy was a monster.

What I'm curious about is what happened to our running attack the second half in comparison to the first...

Did the Jets coaching staff make the adjustments necessary to counter it? Did the Jets D turn it up a notch? Did our OL fall off the second half? Were our RBs to blame? None/some of all the above?

What do you guys think accounts for the discrepancy in our running attack between the two halves?

The Jets did a better job executing defensively.

Legursky said the Jets were "mixing it up" more in the second half, and insinuated that he wasn't making the right line calls. In other words, it really hurt to lose Pouncey.

Pouncey not playing hurt Steelers in 2nd half. He is the best O-lineman out there for Steelers.

Pouncey left after the first series, and Mendy piled up quite a few yards with Legursky in at center. Mendy had 26 yards on that first series but close to 85 at the half, so it wasn't all Pouncey. Although I'll condede, I would love to have had Pouncey in for the rest of the game, and I think it would have been a more comfortable outcome.

Either way, the job that Doug Legursky has done this year, both filling in on just about every position on the o-line and lead blocking for Mendy on goal line situations, has been unsung to say the least. And I can't remember ever thinking that line play when he came in to fill in for an injurred player took that much of a dip.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

Steelers' Mendenhall stepping up in status

Sunday, January 30, 2011
By Ron Musselman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall had 167 yards rushing in the playoffs.


Steelers tailback Rashard Mendenhall has dazzled his teammates this season with his nifty moves. Fast and powerful, he runs hard inside and outside.

"Rashard's explosive," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "He can hit the home run ball. He has great footwork. I thought Jerome [Bettis] had great feet for his size. But I look at some of the cuts that Mendenhall's been making, and I say, 'Wow, this guy can be really special.' "

Mendenhall, 5 feet 10 and 225 pounds, is the third-leading rusher in the playoffs with 167 yards on 47 carries. He also has rushed for three postseason touchdowns entering the Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers next Sunday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

"I think the light finally came on for him," Ward said. "It usually takes about three or four years for that to happen, and I think he's starting to realize that he could be a great asset in this league, a great superstar in this league.

"I look for him to have another big game."

Mendenhall had 95 of his game-high 121 yards and a touchdown in the first half of the Steelers' 24-19 victory Jan. 23 against the New York Jets in the AFC championship game at Heinz Field. He also had two catches for 32 yards, giving him three for 45 yards in the playoffs.

"I guess you could say I am pretty versatile," Mendenhall said. "I do whatever is necessary at the time, whether it's making somebody miss a tackle, running through somebody or outrunning somebody. I know I have to be able to do what the situation calls for."

After the victory against the Jets, Mendenhall stood on a makeshift stage at Heinz Field with Pro Football Hall of Fame members Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, who each earned four Super Bowl rings while playing together in the backfield in the Steelers' glory days of the 1970s.

"It means a lot when you hear the names of guys like Franco, Jerome, Rocky Bleier and Willie Parker," Mendenhall said. "It's such a great tradition to be part of.

"But I think there's a lot more work I have to do to be mentioned in the same breath with those guys."

Although Mendenhall scored two rushing touchdowns in a 31-24 victory against the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC divisional playoff game, he was held to just 46 yards rushing on 20 carries and lost a fumble.

Afterward, Peter King of Sports Illustrated criticized Mendenhall's play.

"[He] is just not a big-time back," King wrote.

Mendenhall shrugged off King's criticism.

"I don't get too much into that," he said. "People are going to say good things and bad things about you. I try to keep it as normal and steady as possible."

Mendenhall, a first-round draft pick from Illinois in 2008, ranked fifth in the AFC and seventh in the NFL in rushing with a career-high 1,273 yards in the 2010 regular season.

He also ran for a career-high 13 rushing touchdowns -- the most since Willie Parker had 13 in 2006 -- and he led the Steelers in scoring with 78 points.

Mendenhall, who has four 100-yard rushing games this season, including the playoffs, was the first running back to lead the team in scoring in the regular season since Harris scored 11 touchdowns in 1977. (Harris also holds the team record with 14 rushing touchdowns in a season, set in 1976).

"I think Rashard's had a great season," said offensive tackle Max Starks, who is on injured reserve with a neck injury. "The way he's been running has been consistent. And he has great patience and power and speed."

Mendenhall, who played in just four games as a rookie in 2008 after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He ran for 1,108 yards on 242 carries and seven touchdowns in '09, his second NFL season.

"I think I've grown a lot as a player," Mendenhall said. "For me, personally, it won't stop. I will continue to keep working. I feel like I can get more experience with every year, every season.

"To me, I just want to continue to grow and improve until I'm done playing."

Read more: [url]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11030/1121332-66.stm#ixzz1CUn3rdVL[/url]

[NorthCoast]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

Well, this 1st half must be a fluke. I mean, according to a recent post Mendenhall has regressed.

That would have been my post several weeks ago.

It is clear the last two games his play has changed. I think the difference has been his runs approaching the line of scrimmage have been much more decisive. He is picking a hole and hitting it. Some of us were frustrated in games where he could not decide what he wanted to do. Is the blocking in front of him better? Perhaps. But I also see Johnson being used more frequently as a FB. I think Mendy does much better with a FB in front of him. I wish there was a way to track this without going back and watching a lot of tapes.

[feltdizz]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

Well, this 1st half must be a fluke. I mean, according to a recent post Mendenhall has regressed.

That would have been my post several weeks ago.

It is clear the last two games his play has changed. I think the difference has been his runs approaching the line of scrimmage have been much more decisive. He is picking a hole and hitting it. Some of us were frustrated in games where he could not decide what he wanted to do. Is the blocking in front of him better? Perhaps. But I also see Johnson being used more frequently as a FB. I think Mendy does much better with a FB in front of him. I wish there was a way to track this without going back and watching a lot of tapes.

Most people understand that "regressed" implies not playing up to potential or not playing as well as in previous games.

If Mendenhall ran like he did in the Jets game all year he would probably have about 400 to 600 more yards. He was insane.

[grotonsteel]

Re: Big Half for Mendenhall

I would like Mendy to take Clay Matthews for a piggy ride...It would be epic...

This talk of Clay Matthews is better than James Harrison is ridiculous.