Steelers running game take a big hit

Phlegm · Post by **Phlegm** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:27 am

Jerome Bettis will be out at least 2 weeks due to an injure calf. With Duce Staley also injured, it looks like the starting back for the Steelers on opening day will be Willie Parker. So far in the preseason the Steelers' offense has been sucking pretty hard. This doesnt look too good for Pittsburgh.

Susvain · Post by **Susvain** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:45 am

Didn't Willie Parker do decent last year when he had the chance? And is he also more of a finesse back, compared to Bettis and Staley?

Phlegm · Post by **Phlegm** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:57 am

32 carries 186 yds last year. He is very fast. Total opposite of staley and bettis.

Susvain · Post by **Susvain** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:02 pm

Could work out, just like when Maddox went down and Roethlisberger came in.

Tikker · Post by **Tikker** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 1:30 pm

They've got verron hayes too, who's kind of a mini-bus

I don't think their running game will suffer too much, I just don't think Rothlisburger will be able to duplicate the 1st half of last year

Watching a show that breaks down game film of him was interesting

1st half of the season, no one knew he could run, and he'd roll out to the right, and make big plays

but teams noticed that when he rolled left, he didn't throw too well

so 2nd half of the season they pushed the right of the pocket hard, and forced him to go left

Everytime I think I know football pretty well, I see something like that and realize how much time/effort coaches put in preparing their teams