Steelers’ rushing woes drop to historic levels

[stillers4me]

Team president Art Rooney created a stir when a playoffs-free season prompted him to mandate the Steelers (http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/) run the ball more consistently and efficiently.

That was nearly three years ago, and it still hasn‘t happened.

Since Rooney‘s mandate, the Steelers‘ rushing yardage bumped to 1,924 yards in 2010 (from 1,793 yards in ‘09) but has declined to 1,903 in ‘11 to 1,537 in ‘12, or only 49 yards fewer than they had while going 6-10 in 2003 — pass-heavy Tommy Maddox‘s one full season at quarterback.

Blame it on injuries, personnel turnover or the inability to identify and stay with a feature running back. Whatever the reason, the Steelers‘ running game reached historically low proportions during a 2012 season in which the productivity was confined mostly to a three-game midseason stretch................


Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3233003-74/yards-season-steelers#ixzz2HD8MGY68

[Count Steeler]

Strange how Rooney, following the 2009? season, mandated that we would get better at the running game and we have been getting worse. Injuries have played a major role, but Rooney also wanted the younger players to develop better and quicker.

[SteelerFanInStl]

They need to get the RB position cleaned up. Having a 3 headed monster at that position doesn't work. Dwyer and Redman are not the answer. They're good backups but not starters. If Mendy isn't re-signed, we have to take a RB in the early part of the draft.

The lack of a running threat killed our offense this season.

[GBMelBlount]

Blame it on injuries, personnel turnover or the inability to identify and stay with a feature running back.

It is the offensive line. Simple as that.

[zulater]

It is the offensive line. Simple as that.


Our backs aren't very special either.

[GBMelBlount]

Our backs aren't very special either.

I understand your thoughts.

BUT it's a lot harder to look "special" when your line sucks.

When Bettis averaged only 3.2 yards per carry in 1994 after averaging 4.9 yards per carry his rookie season in 1993 was it because HE wasn't "very special either"?....

[zulater]

I understand your thoughts.

BUT it's a lot harder to look "special" when your line sucks.

When Bettis averaged only 3.2 yards per carry in 1994 after averaging 4.9 yards per carry his rookie season in 1993 was it because HE wasn't "very special either"?....

I get your point but there's no Bettis's in our backfield.

[SteelerFanInStl]

I get your point but there's no Bettis's in our backfield.

agreed

[GBMelBlount]

Dwyer behind shitty line 4.0 ypc > Bettis career 3.9 ypc.

Stats are meaningless, Bettis is a god, dwyer sucks.....in 3, 2, 1.....:chuckle:

[st33lersguy]

The RB position really needs to get straightened up in the draft and it is a bummer this year's class is not strong

[Craic]

It is the offensive line. Simple as that.

Yes and no. I agree with you that the line needs to continue to improve, but we also need running backs that are smarter in the backfield. If you watched the games over the last couple of days, the RB's wait, and then hit seams when they open up. They also seem to understand when a seam won't open and just attack the mass of bodies.

IMO, we don't have a RB that has that kind of sight. Not yet, anyway. For a while I was happy with Dwyer, but he seems to miss the opportunities to go outside more often than not. I DO like how he'll hit someone and keep going. Redman is a beast of a RB and I think, will be a great short yardage back to compliment the number 1 back. I don't want to see him as a number 1. I'd rather have Dwyer be the backup number one back and keep Redman as the reliever (if that makes sense). I think his style of running could very well put teams away in the second half once our line gets better.

But for all the talk of a franchise QB, what we don't ​have, is a franchise RB.

_________________

What has happened to American English? Seriously, if the title of this article got by editors in the Pittsburgh press, I have to say X-term hit the nail on the head about them.

Rushing woes drop to historic levels

Yeah, that would actually be a good thing.