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Harris: Mendenhall waiting patiently for increased workload
By John Harris, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, September 17, 2009
[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_643552.html"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 43552.html[/url]
When I asked Steelers second-year running back Rashard Mendenhall if he was excited about returning to Chicago to face his hometown Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday, Mendenhall looked at me like I was crazy.
Of course I'm excited, you knucklehead, was my translation of the expression on Mendenhall's face.
Instead, Mendenhall replied politely, all but adding, sir: "Yeah, yeah. Definitely, I'm excited. A lot of people asked me for tickets, but I'm only getting a handful.''
A more important question should be how Mendenhall, the Steelers' first-round draft pick from last season, is utilized against the Bears.
Between Mendenhall appearing sparingly in only four regular-season games as a rookie because of a shoulder injury, Willie's Parker's track record and Mewelde Moore's versatility, the Steelers still don't know what they have in Mendenhall.
That's unusual in the NFL.
Normally, when a team drafts a running back in the first round, he almost always plays right away.
Even if a back doesn't start, he at least gets some carries. By the second season, the team usually has a pretty good idea about the player.
Mendenhall's status remains a question mark.
Is his lack of playing time the result of his injury? Or is he just not ready to carry the load fulltime?
There were eight running backs drafted in the first round between 2005 and '07. All eight were regular contributors by their second season; seven were starters in Year Two. The exception was Carolina's DeAngelo Williams, who became a starter in his third season and rushed for 1,515 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Mendenhall was one of five running backs selected in the first round of the 2008 draft. Because of the shoulder injury, he had the lowest number of carries (19) and rushing yards (5
among them.
Mendenhall, the No. 23 player taken in the draft, carried four times for 6 yards against Tennessee in this year's opener. He isn't having the impact of Oakland's Darren McFadden (the No. 4 player drafted), Carolina's Jonathan Stewart (No. 13), Dallas' Felix Jones (No. 22) and Tennessee's Chris Johnson (No. 24).
The fact that Mendenhall is facing two running backs from his draft in the opening two weeks of the season is fodder for debate about how well he stacks up against players selected after him.
Johnson and Chicago's Matt Forte (second-round pick) each rushed for more than 1,200 yards last season, and Johnson made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
As for dealing with his inactivity, Mendenhall replied, "It's real early. I feel good about what I've done to this point. I'm mentally prepared, physically ready to go."
When asked Wednesday if he feels any pressure about not receiving more playing time given where he was drafted, Mendenhall responded positively.
"I try to keep everything as normal as I can, keep everything as my job, showing up and taking care of the things I need to take care of," he said.
Mendenhall said he's improved from his rookie season when, as he was adjusting to the speed of the NFL, he was lost for the year when a Ray Lewis tackle resulted in a broken shoulder.
Second on the depth chart this year behind Parker, Mendenhall lost snaps to Moore against Tennessee when the Steelers switched to a no-huddle, passing attack to compensate for a ground game that produced 36 yards.
"I'm just waiting," Mendenhall said. "As the season goes on and our running game grows, I'm confident that everything will work out."
By John Harris, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, September 17, 2009
[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_643552.html"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 43552.html[/url]
When I asked Steelers second-year running back Rashard Mendenhall if he was excited about returning to Chicago to face his hometown Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday, Mendenhall looked at me like I was crazy.
Of course I'm excited, you knucklehead, was my translation of the expression on Mendenhall's face.
Instead, Mendenhall replied politely, all but adding, sir: "Yeah, yeah. Definitely, I'm excited. A lot of people asked me for tickets, but I'm only getting a handful.''
A more important question should be how Mendenhall, the Steelers' first-round draft pick from last season, is utilized against the Bears.
Between Mendenhall appearing sparingly in only four regular-season games as a rookie because of a shoulder injury, Willie's Parker's track record and Mewelde Moore's versatility, the Steelers still don't know what they have in Mendenhall.
That's unusual in the NFL.
Normally, when a team drafts a running back in the first round, he almost always plays right away.
Even if a back doesn't start, he at least gets some carries. By the second season, the team usually has a pretty good idea about the player.
Mendenhall's status remains a question mark.
Is his lack of playing time the result of his injury? Or is he just not ready to carry the load fulltime?
There were eight running backs drafted in the first round between 2005 and '07. All eight were regular contributors by their second season; seven were starters in Year Two. The exception was Carolina's DeAngelo Williams, who became a starter in his third season and rushed for 1,515 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Mendenhall was one of five running backs selected in the first round of the 2008 draft. Because of the shoulder injury, he had the lowest number of carries (19) and rushing yards (5
among them.Mendenhall, the No. 23 player taken in the draft, carried four times for 6 yards against Tennessee in this year's opener. He isn't having the impact of Oakland's Darren McFadden (the No. 4 player drafted), Carolina's Jonathan Stewart (No. 13), Dallas' Felix Jones (No. 22) and Tennessee's Chris Johnson (No. 24).
The fact that Mendenhall is facing two running backs from his draft in the opening two weeks of the season is fodder for debate about how well he stacks up against players selected after him.
Johnson and Chicago's Matt Forte (second-round pick) each rushed for more than 1,200 yards last season, and Johnson made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
As for dealing with his inactivity, Mendenhall replied, "It's real early. I feel good about what I've done to this point. I'm mentally prepared, physically ready to go."
When asked Wednesday if he feels any pressure about not receiving more playing time given where he was drafted, Mendenhall responded positively.
"I try to keep everything as normal as I can, keep everything as my job, showing up and taking care of the things I need to take care of," he said.
Mendenhall said he's improved from his rookie season when, as he was adjusting to the speed of the NFL, he was lost for the year when a Ray Lewis tackle resulted in a broken shoulder.
Second on the depth chart this year behind Parker, Mendenhall lost snaps to Moore against Tennessee when the Steelers switched to a no-huddle, passing attack to compensate for a ground game that produced 36 yards.
"I'm just waiting," Mendenhall said. "As the season goes on and our running game grows, I'm confident that everything will work out."
The fact that he is returning to his hometown and will be playing in front of family and friends is extra bonus motivation for him.
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