Steelers Sunday Spotlight: Running back / Help wanted

[stillers4me]

The once-proud Steelers running game ground to a crawl in 2012, producing its fewest yards since the "Tommy Gun" offense failed so miserably in 2003.

And it's only getting worse.

The Steelers have one halfback under contract for 2013, Baron Batch, whose broken forearm is mending. Rashard Mendenhall is an unrestricted free agent. Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman are restricted free agents. The Steelers announced they would cut Chris Rainey hours after the half-pint halfback was arrested in Florida on charges of domestic battery; that will become official after the Super Bowl.


They have no true feature halfback if they do not sign Mendenhall, who had a terrible 2012 season because of injuries and a mistake in judgment that cost him a one-game suspension and perhaps a chance to return for 2013.
Their priority must be either to re-sign Mendenhall or bring in another feature back, most likely through the draft. They cannot go into their next season without one. Dwyer and Redman are complementary backs and they have value in that. Batch can be a good role player, one similar to that played by Mewelde Moore from 2008-11.

"I can say collectively that group wasn't as good as we anticipated," general manager Kevin Colbert said Wednesday.........


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-sunday-spotlight-running-back-help-wanted-671249/#ixzz2Ies1JNWB

[Steeldude]

It all starts with the O-line. Get the O-line fixed then look for a star RB if you need one.

Mendenhall's career shows him to be nothing more than an average NFL RB. I certainly hope they do not re-sign. He should have never been drafted in the first place.

[SteelerFanInStl]

At this point I think that it's best to just cut ties with Mendy and draft a RB. I'd like to see one in the mold of Rice, short, but strong, quick and great hands out of the backfield. No power backs.

[Bluecoat96]

I say we start a huge internet rumor that the Steelers are planning to trade for Jamaal Charles. Maybe it will work if it gains enough traction.



lol....kidding....maybe. :)

[zulater]

It all starts with the O-line. Get the O-line fixed then look for a star RB if you need one.

Mendenhall's career shows him to be nothing more than an average NFL RB. I certainly hope they do not re-sign. He should have never been drafted in the first place.

The o-line is already in place. It's just a matter of getting them and keeping them healthy and then coached up right.

And here it is.

LT Gilbert, LG Colon or Beachum, C Pouncey, RG DeCastro RT Adams.

[Craic]

The o-line is already in place. It's just a matter of getting them and keeping them healthy and then coached up right.

And here it is.

LT Gilbert, LG Colon or Beachum, C Pouncey, RG DeCastro RT Adams.

Zu - I think your right there, except that I want to see Foster at LG, and would rather see Colon slide out to LT than Gilbert in there. Either that, or drop Gilbert and keep Starks. I'm just not high on Gilbert. I'm willing to be proved wrong next year, but as we sit now, I just don't know. The Starks, Colon, Pouncey, Foster, Adams line is the line that produced the best run game this year. I think DeCastro comes in and revs it up next summer, so sliding Foster to the right side makes sense . . . as does keeping colon, who can play guard and tackle in a backup position for all four spots, especially with the way our guys get hurt.

[steelreserve]

It all starts with the O-line. Get the O-line fixed then look for a star RB if you need one.

Mendenhall's career shows him to be nothing more than an average NFL RB. I certainly hope they do not re-sign. He should have never been drafted in the first place.

My thoughts exactly. I didn't have a problem with his performance most of the time he was here - an average NFL RB was way better than the joke we had before - but a first-round draft pick was way too much for the value he gave us. He really didn't bring anything special to the table, although I certainly don't want to go through another 3-4 year stretch where it's just a hodgepodge of situational guys (and yes, that's all Parker ever was too). So I hope we address that somehow. I do not think Mendenhall is the answer to that.

I don't see what the problem with the O-Line is other than injuries and it taking some time for guys to get experience. We've used two first-round picks and two second-round picks on the line in the past 3 years, including both the first and second-round picks last year, which was some people's wet dream. If that's not doing enough to address the line for you, I don't know what to tell you.

[Craic]

My thoughts exactly. I didn't have a problem with his performance most of the time he was here - an average NFL RB was way better than the joke we had before - but a first-round draft pick was way too much for the value he gave us. He really didn't bring anything special to the table, although I certainly don't want to go through another 3-4 year stretch where it's just a hodgepodge of situational guys (and yes, that's all Parker ever was too). So I hope we address that somehow. I do not think Mendenhall is the answer to that.

I don't see what the problem with the O-Line is other than injuries and it taking some time for guys to get experience. We've used two first-round picks and two second-round picks on the line in the past 3 years, including both the first and second-round picks last year, which was some people's wet dream. If that's not doing enough to address the line for you, I don't know what to tell you.

??? Bettis was pretty dang good.

[Count Steeler]

??? Bettis was pretty dang good.

He may be referencing Parker, FWP.

[steelreserve]

He may be referencing Parker, FWP.

That's exactly what it was. Parker, Moore, Davenport - really all situational backs and they tried to cobble together an effective running game out of it, which didn't work. That's what I worry about because we're sort of in the same situation where we have Dwyer, Redman and Batch all good for spot duty, but I don't think any of them can really take on the full load of being a good all-around back. That's what we lose with Mendenhall probably leaving - but given his decline over the past couple of seasons, we lost that anyway.

[Mojouw]

My thoughts exactly. I didn't have a problem with his performance most of the time he was here - an average NFL RB was way better than the joke we had before - but a first-round draft pick was way too much for the value he gave us. He really didn't bring anything special to the table, although I certainly don't want to go through another 3-4 year stretch where it's just a hodgepodge of situational guys (and yes, that's all Parker ever was too). So I hope we address that somehow. I do not think Mendenhall is the answer to that.

I don't see what the problem with the O-Line is other than injuries and it taking some time for guys to get experience. We've used two first-round picks and two second-round picks on the line in the past 3 years, including both the first and second-round picks last year, which was some people's wet dream. If that's not doing enough to address the line for you, I don't know what to tell you.

Be careful what you wish for. (all my numbers are from pro football reference and/or ESPN and my math is subject to being severely wrong:confused:)

In 2008, Mendenhall's rookie year, he was injured early on and lost for the year.

In 2009 - Mendenhall was 14th in yards (only 12 from cracking the top ten), 11th in attempts, and tied for 9th in touchdowns. In general his stats were again either slightly above or measurably above the league average.

In 2010, Mendenhall was 4th in attempts, 7th in yards, and tied for second in touchdowns. By far his best year and also well above league average.

In 2011 - Top 10 in rushing TD's, 21st or so in yards, and 15th in attempts. By any measure a pretty poor year.

In 2012 we all know what happened. Injuries and mental deficiencies lost Mendenhall an entire season.

All I am saying is that Mendenhall has demonstrated that he can be an above average back in the NFL, when he wants to (that is a whole separate issue!). The production the Steelers got out of the RB position on 2012 is much closer to what happens when you put average talent behind an injury riddled line. I am by no means arguing that Mendenhall has proven to provide 1st round value (the physical talent is there) or that the Steelers should rush out and spend another high pick on a RB. Simply wanted to remind everyone what league average looks like. And it tends to look, believe it or not, noticeably worse than a healthy Mendenhall.

[Craic]

He may be referencing Parker, FWP.

First, I'm not familar with "FWP." Looked it up and it's "Friends with priviledges!" Don't think that's what you meant. :chuckle: But yeah, I knew who he was referencing - just messing with him.


That's exactly what it was. Parker, Moore, Davenport - really all situational backs and they tried to cobble together an effective running game out of it, which didn't work. That's what I worry about because we're sort of in the same situation where we have Dwyer, Redman and Batch all good for spot duty, but I don't think any of them can really take on the full load of being a good all-around back. That's what we lose with Mendenhall probably leaving - but given his decline over the past couple of seasons, we lost that anyway.

Funny thing about Mendy vs. Parker, Mendy's overall production, or production by play, didn't equal Parkers. Oh, and as for the "Stuffed, stuffed, 10 yard run" argument, see below. It's accounted for in these stats at the bottom.

Parker - 79 games played, 3rd with 1253 attempts (15.9 attempts per game average), 3rd with 5378 yards (68 yards per game average), 7th with 24 TD's, and has a 4.3 Y/A.
Mendy - 57 games played, 9th with 864 attempts (15.2 attempts per game average), 9th with 3549 yards (62 yards per game average), 3rd with 29 TD's, and has a 4.1 Y/A.

Both of them missed time. Also, Parker lost out on a number of TD opportunities early in his career because Jerome Bettis would come in. I remember Bettis's stats against the raiders was something like 3 rush for 1/2 a yard and 3 TD's. So overall, there's no way you can call Mendy an average RB and see Parker as anything less since his production in attempts, yards, and Y/A far outnumber Mendy's, with just a year's difference in playing time.

Heck, if you use Pro-footballreference.com, Willie P. has three seasons where his AV or approximate value to the team was 13, 12, and 13 (his only three full seasons). Mendenhall's top numbers are 10, 9, and 6 in his three full seasons as a player (like Willie, seasons with 15 or 16 games).

Moving to values at Footballoutsiders - Willie P in those years had a 96 DYAR (yards above an average back - value of performance adj. for opponent and situation), and a .2% DVOA (per play value adjusted for defense), and the best one, success rate, which measures consistency - a 48% rate in 2005, with a O line ranked 11th. A 152 DYAR, 2.6% DVOA, and a 45% success rate with an O line ranked 23rd, and a -34 and -11.9% DVOA with a 42% success rate with an O line ranked 20th. Mendy had a 52 DYAR and -3.2% DVOA 46% success rate with an O line ranked 13th in 2009, a 71 DYAR, and a -3% DVOA and 44% success rate with an O line ranked 19th (2010), and 106 DYAR, 2.3% DVOA 52% success rate with an O line ranked 3rd in 2011 (yeah, third. Horrible power rank, but good otherwise).

What does that tell us? It tells us that Willie P. was probably a 47% success rate runner with a little better than average per play running the first two years, and then 380 plus runs in 2007 killed him. Mendenhall was about 3 percent UNDER average value per play for his first two years (of good seasons), and then had a decent season with decent runs plus a little extra yardage in 2011 until he hurt himself.

BTW - these stats TAKE INTO ACCOUNT stuffs at the line as well, and are adjusted for them. So, all said and done, of the two backs' best three seasons, in comparison with the play of the O line, Parker was the better player for two of the seasons, Mendenhall for one. In short, Parker was an average RB, Mendenhall just a tad under average. Those are the stats.

[Count Steeler]

FWP = Fast Willie Parker

[steelreserve]

...

BTW - these stats TAKE INTO ACCOUNT stuffs at the line as well, and are adjusted for them. So, all said and done, of the two backs' best three seasons, in comparison with the play of the O line, Parker was the better player for two of the seasons, Mendenhall for one. In short, Parker was an average RB, Mendenhall just a tad under average. Those are the stats.

Listen here. Stats are stats, but Parker sucked. It's just one of those things everybody knows, like Tom Brady is gay. I'm sure if they had stats for that, someone would figure out how Brady's adjusted gayness was within one and a half dicks of the league average or something. But you take one look at it and go "just what the fuuuuudge is going on here?"

[Psycho Ward 86]

Listen here. Stats are stats, but Parker sucked. It's just one of those things everybody knows, like Tom Brady is gay. I'm sure if they had stats for that, someone would figure out how Brady's adjusted gayness was within one and a half dicks of the league average or something. But you take one look at it and go "just what the fuuuuudge is going on here?"

post of the god damn century. i want this framed in my bedroom :lol:

[Craic]

Listen here. Stats are stats, but Parker sucked. It's just one of those things everybody knows, like Tom Brady is gay. I'm sure if they had stats for that, someone would figure out how Brady's adjusted gayness was within one and a half dicks of the league average or something. But you take one look at it and go "just what the fuuuuudge is going on here?"

LMAO at the Brady comments. On the rest - it comes close to the "don't confuse me with the facts" argument. Don't worry, I feel the same way about Neil O'Donnell. Worst QB we've ever had. Far worse than Kordell, or Malone, or Brister.

- - - Updated - - -


FWP = Fast Willie Parker

Ahh. :chuckle: Good thing I got a clarification! BTW, wasn't "Friends with Privileges" actually "Friends with Benefits" back in our day?