Last year Pittsburgh Steeler Coach Mike Tomlin said that he was going to run Willie Parker “until the wheels fall off”.  Well prophetically that is exactly what happened.  Parker was leading the NFL in rushing when he suffered a broken fibula against the St. Louis Rams last December.  Mike Tomlin has said numerous times since then that he made a mistake by running Parker so much.  He also noticed how many successful teams like the New York Giants utilized a two running back system.  It kept both running backs from being worn down during a long and violent NFL season.

Coach Tomlin decided on a solution to the problem:  Rashard Mendenhall.  The 23rd overall draft pick by the Steelers out of the University of Illinois, was brought in to serve as a potent one two puch along with Parker.  The fact that the Steelers were able to pick up Rashard so late in the draft was a steal in itself.  Most boards had Mendenhall as the number 2 overall running back behind the two time runner-up for the  Heisman trophy and Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden. Mendenhall is a powerful back who is very strong and extremely fast for his size.  Mendenhal is built like a fullback, but when you see him with the football you realize that he is every bit of a running back.  Mendenhall put up outstanding numbers as a junior at Illinois against Big 10 competition.  And then there was his phenomenal game against USC in the Rose Bowl.

Well now Rashard Mendenhall has to step up earlier that Coach Tomlin would have liked.  Willie Parker is out for the Steelers monumental divisional game with their hated rival the Baltimore Ravens.  Just like it is going to be rough for a rookie quarterback like Joe Flacco to start against a defense like the Pittsburgh Steelers; it is going to be equally tough if not tougher for a rookie running back like Mendenhall to start against the famed Ravens defense.  Ray Lewis and crew will be licking their chops to get a chance to put a statement hit on the rookie running back.  While Mendenhall has everything that a coach would want physically in a running back, he has to make improvements in his mental aspects of the NFL game.  While playing in the preseason games for the Steelers, Mendenhall displayed problems with holding on to the ball.  To say the least, this is something that he has to correct asap before his battle with the Ravens defense on Monday night.

Rashard Mendenhall is the future for the Pittsburgh Steelers at running back, even though don’t count out fast Willie Parker anytime soon.  For Mendenhall and the Steelers the future is now.  It is up to Mendenhall to prove to Coach Tomlin, the Pittsburgh organization, and his Steeler teamates that he was the correct choice for the storied NFL franchise.  For a true competitor, their is no better defense to take up the challenge against than the Ravens.  Their is no stage greater for a NFL rookie than Monday Night Football.  Run Rashard Run.