Which Running Back Do The Steelers Choose?

I have a problem.  I like to drive around every day and I have 3 cars.  One’s a Cadillac Escalade, the others are a Jeep Cherokee and a Dodge Durango.  They’re all big vehicles and very reliable, occasionally they will have problems that need to be repaired, but for the most part reliable.  So, back to my problem.  I never can decide which one I want to drive.  I’ve had the Cadillac for a while.  It is a nice vehicle.  It’s flashy, fast, and handles quite well.  It recently had some problems with its suspension system, but after some repairs and breaking it back in, it seems to be running close to how it was before the problem.  Since I’ve had it for a while, it’s flashy, and has a history of performing well, I’m inclined to hop in it.  The thing is while it was in the shop I’ve been driving the other two vehicles and I’ve got accustomed to their performance and how they handle and they are doing a nice job for me.  The Jeep is a little rougher than the Cadillac but it handles surprisingly well.  If there is an opening in traffic it will take off with any hesitation, but if it needs to move a little to the right or left and accelerate, I know I can depend on it after driving it in the absence of my Cadillac.  The Durango, I have found is great for getting those 10 feet the others couldn’t.  It won’t get stuck and just plows straight ahead.  But it also has endurance.

You know, come to think of it I don’t really have a problem.  This is a luxury.  There are 3 dependable vehicles in the garage and if nothing else I’ll just pick the one that is running best at the time.

By now you might have figured that I’m really talking about the Steelers running back situation.  The title might have been the first clue.  If I really had those 3 vehicles, though,  I’d be broke from trying to fill up the gas tank on them. 

Mike Tomlin and Todd Haley have a situation that could only be described as a luxury. 

Rashard Mendenhall, after a false start earlier this season and a trip to the inactive list, gets closer and closer to being healthy.  This week it looks like he may even be back in the starting lineup.  He is the Cadillac of the bunch.  When the Steelers drafted him, he had the size, speed, and elusiveness of a quality running back.  He has had 1,000 yard seasons,  he is big enough he can run straight ahead and break tackles running through the line or using his agility to sidestep tackles, and he is fast enough that he can get to the edge faster than most defensive players and get yards down the sideline.

Isaac Redman was supposed to be the next one up this season because of Mendenhall’s knee injury.  He has gradually gained confidence over the last few seasons backing up Mendenhall.  He is a straight ahead running back that specializes in short yardage, but those short gains have produced some big numbers in the few games he’s played this year.  He has the highest rushing yards total in a game this season, 147.   He also surprised many and had a 100 yard receiving game this year also.  Unfortunately, he left that game early or who knows how many yards he would have piled up.

Jonathan Dwyer caused more than a few people to compare him to Jerome Bettis, starting because of injuries to the other two guys.  That is no small accomplishment.  Dwyer found himself in the “dog house” with Tomlin because he showed up to training camp in his two previous years, out of shape.  This year he showed up ready to go and whether it was because he was in shape or finally getting to show his stuff in gameday situations he did just that and ripped off 107 and 122 yards against the Redskins and Bengals.  Back to back 100 yard games hadn’t been achieved by a Steelers running back since the first two weeks of 2008.

Saying all that, The Pittsburgh Sports Buzz expects to see Rashard Mendenhall start today, but who would the Pittsburgh Sports Buzz start if Mike Tomlin took the day off and handed over the reins for today’s game?  The Pittsburgh Sports Buzz would put Jonathan Dwyer in the starting lineup and add some small doses of Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman in.  The only benefit I see to Mendenhall over Dwyer is that he can “break the long one” according to the experts.  The only problem is he doesn’t do it.  We’ve been waiting for him to consistently do this since he was drafted and he doesn’t.  Granted his offensive line has been horrible since he’s been in the Burgh, but I just don’t think he has it in him.  Dwyer brings back the runner that can break through the line and get long runs, maybe not the home runs but he piles up the doubles. 

Some stats for you stats geeks out there.

Yards per rush

Mendenhall

2012 – 3.9

2011 – 4.1

2010 – 3.9

2009 – 4.6

2007 – 3.1

Redman

2012 – 3.5

2011 – 4.4

2010 – 4.8

Dwyer

2012 – 4.6

2011 – 7.7

2010 – 3.1           

Oh, by the way I didn’t even mention the Ferrari, the Steelers just acquired in the draft,  Chris Rainey.