Mendenhall Will Start Sunday Night vs. Ravens

[teegre]

Originally Posted by EbonySteel86

Don't know how I feel about this. Not when we have Reggie Noble and Mini Bus licking their chops on the sideline. I think we can play smash mouth with this Raven team and tge other 2 backs are best suited imo. Hope I'm wrong, but we will see.

Now, THAT was effing clever.

Good job, sir.

[SteelersCanada]

Good news on the injury front? Holy shit, it's about time.

I think you guys are forgetting that Mendenhall is playing for a contract, so he'll have to come out and play lights out. This means running at a defense that is struggling mightily and taking advantage of an ailing front 7. If Mendenhall can run effectively, it could potentially be a long day for this Ravens defense.

[Fire Arians]

he's gonna go adrian peterson on their asses, watch that

[Millers the sh!t]

Originally Posted by Fire Arians

he's gonna go adrian peterson on their asses, watch that

Does that mean he is gonna fumble the ball fighting for yards?

[Steeler Smash]

First post here. Been reading this forum for a long time and finally registered. Been Steeler fan for over 30 years.

One thing you have to think about with Ben being out, no matter who is the running back for the week, either Mendy, Redman or Dwyer, the defense will be stacking the line against the run. Other teams will not fear our passing game without Ben. I expect tons of run blitzs in the gaps to shut down the run and then turn that into pressure on Lefty on the play action fakes. Unless we can hit a few early passes to make the Ravens respect the threat of a pass, I am looking for it to be a long day. I hope to hell I am wrong, but I don't have a good feeling about this game at all now with Ben out, no matter who is the running back.

[Hawaii 5-0]

Originally Posted by Steeler Smash

First post here. Been reading this forum for a long time and finally registered. Been Steeler fan for over 30 years.

One thing you have to think about with Ben being out, no matter who is the running back for the week, either Mendy, Redman or Dwyer, the defense will be stacking the line against the run. Other teams will not fear our passing game without Ben. I expect tons of run blitzs in the gaps to shut down the run and then turn that into pressure on Lefty on the play action fakes. Unless we can hit a few early passes to make the Ravens respect the threat of a pass, I am looking for it to be a long day. I hope to hell I am wrong, but I don't have a good feeling about this game at all now with Ben out, no matter who is the running back.

good first post and welcome to the board!

but I do hope to hell that you are wrong...

[MasterOfPuppets]

Originally Posted by EbonySteel86

Don't know how I feel about this. Not when we have Reggie Noble and Mini Bus licking their chops on the sideline. I think we can play smash mouth with this Raven team and tge other 2 backs are best suited imo. Hope I'm wrong, but we will see.

were they the best option last week ? were they in beast mode when they put up 77 whopping yds on 27 carries ? or could it be the guys doing the blocking sucked last week , so no matter who got the ball they were screwed ?

[Dodens Grav]

Dwyer and Redman had a lot of yards after contact in their big games, so that suggests that the line's blocking wasn't perhaps quite as dominating as one might think during that three-game stretch. But hopefully the Ravens will continue to struggle in run defense. Particularly with Haloti Ngata banged up. He didn't even play last week despite dressing.

[TheVet]

Originally Posted by MasterOfPuppets

were they the best option last week ? were they in beast mode when they put up 77 whopping yds on 27 carries ? or could it be the guys doing the blocking sucked last week , so no matter who got the ball they were screwed ?

The problem is that we can never truly know what the outcome would have been with a different back.

But in my humble opinion, Redman does the best when there's nothing available, with Dwyer second. Mendenhall absolutely needs a hole because he's indecisive and unwilling to just get physical. He doesn't do very well until he has open space, but then he's great, especially when he holds onto the ball.

Unfortunately, our OL just isn't that good, although it's improving. Holes are hard to come by. There's also the possibility that Mendenhall could be our best receiving back, but that's pure speculation given his unfortunate injuries after Haley's arrival. And would he hold onto the ball?

For now, Mendenhall is our third back - at least in my book. I consider that #1 pick to be a bust. Expectations were a lot higher.

[Terminator]

DAT FEEL when we drafted Mendenhall and passed on Ray Rice