Redman happy with backfield rotation this past Sunday

[stillers4me]

........ says Ravens were "getting tired" -

Jonathan Dwyer had 16 carries and Issac Redman 9 in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 23-20 victory over Baltimore this past Sunday, a game that former first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall did not dress for as a healthy scratch from the lineup.

Redman said the felt the backfield rotation was an effective one.

"They substituted us good, if one guy was rolling they kept him in for a little while," said Redman. "I felt like we had a pretty good one-two punch, we were hard to tackle, both of us. The fourth quarter came, and you could tell [Baltimore] was getting tired."

Redman started the Steelers game-winning field goal drive with 6:14 remaining, getting five plays before giving way to Chris Rainey for one snap and then Dwyer for the final five.

"We got to midfield, you’ve got Dwyer coming in and now he’s fresh," said Redman. "You get a fresh guy in there. It just takes a toll on the defense. You could tell they were tired of tackling us and tired of dealing with our offensive line. Pretty much a wrestling match for four quarters and once you get to that last period in wrestling you’re dead tired, you could just tell those guys were tired at the end of the game."

http://sulia.com/channel/pittsburgh-...4d4/?source=fb

[steelreserve]

Besides staying fresh physically, the whole idea of "mixing it up" was something that was sorely lacking from our running game, and to some extent the offense in general, until this year. I really like seeing that, as well as more adaptability in general.

[tube517]

Besides staying fresh physically, the whole idea of "mixing it up" was something that was sorely lacking from our running game, and to some extent the offense in general, until this year. I really like seeing that, as well as more adaptability in general.

Been wanting this for years. I like Haley mixing it up and splitting carries

[Edman]

I always knew Redman was the guy who pushed the pile, but Dwyer has really come into his own this year. It's been years where the Steelers had runners who ran with authority and punished Defenses.

If Twinkle Toes was in the lineup last Sunday, chances the run game sputters and we lose. We're kidding ourselves with Mendenhall.

[steelreserve]

If Twinkle Toes was in the lineup last Sunday, chances the run game sputters and we lose. We're kidding ourselves with Mendenhall.

I have to agree, unfortunately. His first couple of full seasons, I thought Mendenhall did a good job at things like that - taking on a guy instead of dancing, falling forward after contact instead of doing the crappy duck-and-fall-sideways-weakly maneuver that Parker had perfected. Plus he was not a bad receiver. Then last year he regressed on all of those things, and doesn't look to have straightened any of them out in the meantime ... which means he's now ineffective. It sucks, because he did have a lot of promise.

I'd long maintained that what the offense needed in a RB to succeed wasn't anything special like the Bus or LaDainian Tomlinson in his prime; just a stocky guy who's hard to bring down. It seems to be working OK now that we've found some, even if they're not quite the marquee names some were hoping for.

[Edman]

I have to agree, unfortunately. His first couple of full seasons, I thought Mendenhall did a good job at things like that - taking on a guy instead of dancing, falling forward after contact instead of doing the crappy duck-and-fall-sideways-weakly maneuver that Parker had perfected. Plus he was not a bad receiver. Then last year he regressed on all of those things, and doesn't look to have straightened any of them out in the meantime ... which means he's now ineffective. It sucks, because he did have a lot of promise.

I'd long maintained that what the offense needed in a RB to succeed wasn't anything special like the Bus or LaDainian Tomlinson in his prime; just a stocky guy who's hard to bring down. It seems to be working OK now that we've found some, even if they're not quite the marquee names some were hoping for.

Mendenhall has significantly regressed since the start of 2011 even before his injury. I don't know what happened to the guy, but he appears to have checked out. The Steelers got something out of him, so he wasn't a complete waste.

The Steelers didn't need a superstar RB especially with Ben helming the Offense, they just needed one-two solid guys who can do the job. Redman and Dwyer are no Pro-Bowlers, but they are solid, capable guys, and that's all the Steelers need.

Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice are easily the best singular "bellcow" backs in the NFL, but the teams they're on don't have much else going on.