Steelers won't have RBs Mendenhall & Dwyer Sunday vs. NY... Woodley likely to play

[polamalubeast]

Steelers won't have RBs Mendenhall & Dwyer Sunday vs. NY. They are officially listed as doubtful, but they will not play. #steelers
https://mobile.twitter.com/mikebires/status/264415725236658177?p=v






LaMarr Woodley likely to play for #steelers Sunday vs. #Giants; Issac Redman likely starter at RB.


https://mobile.twitter.com/gigs412/status/264415494331830272?p=v





Troy, Gilbert, Sylvester out for NYG. Dwyer, Mendenhall are doubtful. BBatch, Clark, Woodley, BJohnson, Redman are probable.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BobLabriola?p=s

[Psycho Ward 86]

omg. game truly rides on Ben now.

[Craic]

How great would it be to see a breakout game by Redman and/or Batch this game?

I like how Batch always seems to fall forward, the kid does motor. I also wonder what Redman will be able to do with the holes the line opens up now.

[BlastFurnace]

So we have Redman, Batch, and Rainey left? Oh my...that is not good.

[stillers4me]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/sueincinci/ABENGETTHIS.jpg

[steelreserve]

So, it's a beat-up Redman, Batch, and Rainey. Not holding out much hope for the first two ... Redman may be half-gimping along, and much as I love Batch's character and heart, he's just not been very productive. I'll be surprised if Rainey isn't getting the majority of the playing time by the second half. Which is OK, because he's done the best of the three, but worrisome because who knows how he'll do if he's in there every down.

[LLT]

Baron has been used as a situational back up to this point....so we have yet to see what would happen if he was given the opportunity to really get motoring in a game. He is ...by far....out best blocking back. His soft hands are undeniable....and as Preacher hinted at, he has very good fundementals....fall[ing forward when driving and hitting the hole "squared up". I think that what some of you are seeing is that he has not had the opportunity to "gel" with the offensive line....and that sometimes makes a RB second guess whether he should hit the hole or take the outside.

Its very hard to KNOW that the hole.... (which isnt open when you're running towards it)...is going to be open a split second before you hit it. (North/South runners dont usually have this problem as much as the shiftier backs) With the solid fundementals that Batch possesses...it would be interesting to see what he could do once he "trusts" the o-line.

[X-Terminator]

So, 55 passes from Ben on Sunday?

[LLT]

So, 55 passes from Ben on Sunday?

Three backs with good hands, though....

We might want to anticipate a lot of "security valve" passes into the flat.

[86WARD]

A healthy Redman is garbage.

[Drazo85]

Too bad. Dwyer has established himself in last two games as a productive runner, and i was was hoping he can continue with his hard play, but its a story of this season: Injuries, injuries,...
I have my doubts about Batch ability to carry the load, but as someone mention, he does have soft hands so he can be utilized in the pasing game. We drafted the guy to be our third down back and replace Mewelde, and he has done a pretty good job so far. Hopefully Redman will get the job done, or Ben might pass the ball more than sugested 55 times, and that means our OL must stop JPP and company more times than usual. I dont like our chances with Giants DL chasing Ben 50 times during the game no matter how our O-line played so far (they played pretty good :wink02:).

[ALLD]

Dump it off the Rainey and get him YAC. I also expect a pass from somebody other than Ben.

[steeldawg]

Why cant we just stay healthy?

[86WARD]

It's just not in the stars...again.

[LLT]

Too bad. Dwyer has established himself in last two games as a productive runner, and i was was hoping he can continue with his hard play, but its a story of this season: Injuries, injuries,...
I have my doubts about Batch ability to carry the load, but as someone mention, he does have soft hands so he can be utilized in the pasing game. We drafted the guy to be our third down back and replace Mewelde, and he has done a pretty good job so far. Hopefully Redman will get the job done, or Ben might pass the ball more than sugested 55 times, and that means our OL must stop JPP and company more times than usual. I dont like our chances with Giants DL chasing Ben 50 times during the game no matter how our O-line played so far (they played pretty good :wink02:).

Great points....and possibly another reason that we may see Batch in the backfield. As we mentioned...for his hands. And as an extra blocker to protect Ben.

[Count Steeler]

We were just starting to get into a rhythm. Sheesh. Enough to these injuries already!

[tube517]

B.Batch didn't even practice today.

[Psycho Ward 86]

this thread makes it sound like redman is the 5th option at runningback. amusing to say the least.

[Seven]

The Giants have been pretty weak against the run this season. Hopefully Redman and Rainey can take advantage.

As far as Batch goes, he's a great kid, but I have yet to see anything from him at the pro level which indicates to me he can play. He has a 1.8 yard average thus far through 22 carries. While that's not a huge sample size, it's concerning. Some of those carries came in obvious passing situations where he should have really been able to make some hay. I just haven't seen any vision or explosion from him at this point in a Steelers uniform. I wonder if his injury from last year has slowed him down some, because he was certainly a lot more impressive at Tech.

[Steeldude]

this thread makes it sound like redman is the 5th option at runningback. amusing to say the least.

I don't get it either. Redman has played well when called upon.

[Count Steeler]

I don't get it either. Redman has played well when called upon.

Especially his last game when Tennessee didn't realize he could catch a football as well. Didn't he have like a 50 yard and 37 yard receptions?

Redman is still a valuable weapon, come on Steelers fans.

[Seven]

I don't get it either. Redman has played well when called upon.

No he hasn't.

He has a 2.5 yard average over 50 attempts. That's 127 yards total over three starts and five games played. That's absolutely awful. That's compared to Mendenhall's 3.9 YPC and Dwyer's 5.2. Hell, even Rainey has a better average at 3.9 and he's supposed to be the feast or famine guy.

Redman is at best the third option in the running game. He is a change of pace back who can hammer it pretty good a few times a game. He's not anything more than that. Certainly a valuable tool to have, but anyone who has ever thought Isaac Redman is worthy of being a starter in this league is just flat out wrong.

[Count Steeler]

No he hasn't.

He has a 2.5 yard average over 50 attempts. That's 127 yards total over three starts and five games played. That's absolutely awful. That's compared to Mendenhall's 3.9 YPC and Dwyer's 5.2. Hell, even Rainey has a better average at 3.9 and he's supposed to be the feast or famine guy.

Redman is at best the third option in the running game. He is a change of pace back who can hammer it pretty good a few times a game. He's not anything more than that. Certainly a valuable tool to have, but anyone who has ever thought Isaac Redman is worthy of being a starter in this league is just flat out wrong.

To be fair, Redman has not been fully healthy and he has not played with the OLine in its current state of actually opening some holes. I think he will have a solid week, even against the Giants, as long as we stay healthy.

[43Hitman]

No he hasn't.

He has a 2.5 yard average over 50 attempts. That's 127 yards total over three starts and five games played. That's absolutely awful. That's compared to Mendenhall's 3.9 YPC and Dwyer's 5.2. Hell, even Rainey has a better average at 3.9 and he's supposed to be the feast or famine guy.

Redman is at best the third option in the running game. He is a change of pace back who can hammer it pretty good a few times a game. He's not anything more than that. Certainly a valuable tool to have, but anyone who has ever thought Isaac Redman is worthy of being a starter in this league is just flat out wrong.

...but his suddenness and glide...:chuckle:

[Seven]

To be fair, Redman has not been fully healthy and he has not played with the OLine in its current state of actually opening some holes. I think he will have a solid week, even against the Giants, as long as we stay healthy.

I hope you're right.

But to me, the idea that the offensive line is just now opening holes is a huge misnomer. Starks, Colon and Foster have been manhandling the opposition pretty darn well all season. I saw some huge holes through the first slate of games that our backs missed. Redman runs without patience and Mendenhall runs with too much so-to-speak, which is what I believe has made Dwyer the superior player - he isn't impatient but he doesn't dance either.

I'm not saying Redman isn't a weapon. That guy adds value to the team in extreme short yardage situations where there just aren't going to be many holes. But this idea that he is some sort of franchise running back just baffles me. I don't understand how some fans still think he should be starting.

He should have a great opportunity this week against the Giants, though. Their front seven has greatly underperformed against the run this season in my opinion.

[Steeldude]

No he hasn't.

He has a 2.5 yard average over 50 attempts. That's 127 yards total over three starts and five games played. That's absolutely awful. That's compared to Mendenhall's 3.9 YPC and Dwyer's 5.2. Hell, even Rainey has a better average at 3.9 and he's supposed to be the feast or famine guy.

Redman is at best the third option in the running game. He is a change of pace back who can hammer it pretty good a few times a game. He's not anything more than that. Certainly a valuable tool to have, but anyone who has ever thought Isaac Redman is worthy of being a starter in this league is just flat out wrong.

When each RB was given a hole they ran well. Redman's has probably done the best job at getting tough yards when nothing is there. I was implying that he has done well most of the time he has been called upon. He did well in the Wild Card game and pretty much all of 2011. At the moment he is the Steelers best option.

As for Mendenhall, I haven't seen much from him to justify where he was drafted. He will want a raise next season. IMO, he doesn't deserve a raise.

Hopefully Dwyer can keep it going when he returns. He has ran well, but I would like to see more of him before deciding if he is starting material.

[Texasteel]

I like Redman, I think he is a very good situational back, but IMO, not a starter. Rainey has the feet and speed to do some real damage, but like Redman, in IMO, a situational back. The only back that I see as a possible started is Dwyer, but like Steeldude, I'm not quite sold yet. I do have a better oppinion of Mendenhall than some, but seems not to be able to stay on the field, and as mention, may want more next year than he will be worth. I hope I'm wrong, but right now I don't see a reliable starting RB on this team. How ever, we have to play with the hand we are dealt, and hope for the best.

[Seven]

Redman's has probably done the best job at getting tough yards when nothing is there. I was implying that he has done well most of the time he has been called upon. He did well in the Wild Card game and pretty much all of 2011. At the moment he is the Steelers best option.

I can agree with most of that. I think keeping Redman on a pitch count is important. The only stellar game he has started was at Denver last postseason. He seems like a back who should get stronger as the game goes on, but for whatever reason when he has too many carries his production seems to go down. I think the best option would be to get him 12 - 15 carries and split the rest up between Rainey and Batch.

I would love to see a two headed monster develop between he and Dwyer. Mendenhall is a good back, but if he gets anywhere close to market value this offseason the Steelers shouldn't even think about re-signing him. Just not worth it when you can get better production out of Dwyer.

[Psycho Ward 86]

No he hasn't.

He has a 2.5 yard average over 50 attempts. That's 127 yards total over three starts and five games played. That's absolutely awful. That's compared to Mendenhall's 3.9 YPC and Dwyer's 5.2. Hell, even Rainey has a better average at 3.9 and he's supposed to be the feast or famine guy.

Redman is at best the third option in the running game. He is a change of pace back who can hammer it pretty good a few times a game. He's not anything more than that. Certainly a valuable tool to have, but anyone who has ever thought Isaac Redman is worthy of being a starter in this league is just flat out wrong.

its hard to run on high ankle sprains and with the o-line not opening up any holes. Very convenient that the O-line has been doing so the last 2 games, games that Redman wasnt healthy enough to play in. Not sure where the notion comes for him not being a starter in this league. He's probably just a shade under Michael Bush when healthy. High ankle sprains and a lack of holes makes things pretty ridiculously hard.

[Seven]

its hard to run on high ankle sprains and with the o-line not opening up any holes. Very convenient that the O-line has been doing so the last 2 games, games that Redman wasnt healthy enough to play in. Not sure where the notion comes for him not being a starter in this league. He's probably just a shade under Michael Bush when healthy. High ankle sprains and a lack of holes makes things pretty ridiculously hard.

The only solid start he has put together was last year at Denver. He got a shot early in the season to be the guy and in three starts did basically nothing while the guys who spelled him (Dwyer, Rainey) were more effective. How does that point to him being "a shade under Michael Bush"?

And as I've already said, the offensive line was creating holes early in the season. Just because Redman couldn't find them doesn't mean they didn't exist. I saw Colon and Starks open up some whoppers against Oakland on the all 22 film. And Redman rushed for 27 yards in that contest.

[GBMelBlount]

A healthy Redman is garbage.

Still riding the Mendenhall bus? LOL.

[Count Steeler]

To be fair, Redman has not been fully healthy and he has not played with the OLine in its current state of actually opening some holes. I think he will have a solid week, even against the Giants, as long as we stay healthy.

Ahem. Thank you.