FF Tip

I can guarantee you that Parker will rush for 100+ yards before the fourth quarter in the opener against Tennessee. For a real Steelers fan to not be excited about Parker playing instead of the 3 yards and a cloud of dust Bettis isnt logical. Parker has looked nothing but good anytime he has touched the ball in the NFL. He is a straight burner and with our offensive line will not have any problems breaking the 100 yard mark. When Bettis could get maybe 80, he can get 130.

Im more worried about Big Ben and his terrible accuracy than I am about Willie Parker.

[IggyWH]

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I can guarantee you that Parker will rush for 100+ yards before the fourth quarter in the opener against Tennessee. For a real Steelers fan to not be excited about Parker playing instead of the 3 yards and a cloud of dust Bettis isnt logical. Parker has looked nothing but good anytime he has touched the ball in the NFL. He is a straight burner and with our offensive line will not have any problems breaking the 100 yard mark. When Bettis could get maybe 80, he can get 130.

Im more worried about Big Ben and his terrible accuracy than I am about Willie Parker.

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You are so wrong and the typical thinking around here by Pittsburgh fans. I'd be shocked if you told me you either weren't from Pittsburgh or lived here at one time.

While you talk about Bettis' 3 yards and a cloud as a bad thing, this is the EXACT thing that keeps this team working. You think Ben would have been 13-0 in the regular season if it wasn't for the running game he had? You think the defense would have been one of the best in the league?

It's no coincidence that the Steelers defense 2 years ago wasn't good at all and then last year with pretty much the same personal, they went to one of the best. That 3 yards & a cloud running kept the defense off the field, which is the best defense of all. 2 years ago they tried opening up the offense and live by the passing game. The running game wasn't effective and the defense was stuck on the field a lot of the game.

Willie Parker does NOT fit the Steelers offense at all. Especially with Bens troubles this year, they can't afford a no gain or negative gain on 1st & 2nd down. Parker is a big gain or nothing type back. Parker MIGHT get 100 yards, I'm not saying it's impossible, but if he does, it won't be a healthy 100 yards for the team.

[BadBoyBenny]

So, you think it would be a good idea to cut him with Pittsburgh's current running back situation?

[IggyWH]

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So, you think it would be a good idea to cut him with Pittsburgh's current running back situation?

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No, not at all. Parker is playing because he has to. There's no one left to play but a rookie and Haynes who has fallen from the coaches love (although as I said earlier he will get carries in week 1).

People are acting like Parker will be this great running back and he's the start of a new star in Pittsburgh. This simply isn't the case.

[bugstud]

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and not only do you name 3 people, you name :

Thurman Thomas - who was a pretty good college RB and could have had even better career numbers if he hadn't split time his junior & senior year with a guy by the name of Barry Sanders, whoever that scrub is

Preist Holmes - Played very little as a freshman and sophomore, as a junior 120 carries 524 yards and 4TDs, senior year had 59 carries for 324 yards with 13 TDs and only played a little after a torn ACL kept him out a year. They also had RIcky Williams as a Sophomore at this time. To say he was bad in college is far from the truth.

TD - Carrier 372 carries for 1919 yards with 16TDs. That average is SICK! Add in the fact that he only had 53 carries his sophomore year because he transfered to Georgia. He backed up some guy by the name of Garrison Hearst in '92... another guy you might have heard of. Hampered by injury all of his senior season. Yet another guy to say that he was bad in college is far from the truth.

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priest was behind ricky, parker was behind TA Mcclendon. these things happen

[The Armchair]

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People are acting like Parker will be this great running back and he's the start of a new star in Pittsburgh. This simply isn't the case.

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Right, but he doesn't have to be.

What you have hear is a strong O-line and two banged up RBs. What I'm hoping for is Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, etc. For a late-round pick, I'll take that, even if the downside is Quentin Griffin 2004.

[IggyWH]

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priest was behind ricky, parker was behind TA Mcclendon. these things happen

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We're talking NC here as in Tarheels, not NC State.

Also, I'm not sure I got Parker's college stats completely correct. Here's his college profile on ESPN.com :

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player...playerId=28813

But then here's yearly stats on NC football on ESPN.com :

2001 : http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/teamst...&year=2001

2002 : http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/teamst...&year=2002

2003 : http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/teamst...&year=2003

[Sluss]

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Right, but he doesn't have to be.

What you have hear is a strong O-line and two banged up RBs. What I'm hoping for is Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, etc. For a late-round pick, I'll take that, even if the downside is Quentin Griffin 2004.

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Hey I started Griffin week one last year then placed him on the bench and traded him for Hines Ward in week 5. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[IggyWH]

Parker had a damn good day today for the Steelers, but they really surprised me. All preseason when Parker was in, they wouldn't run him up the middle. This is what lead me to believe Parker wouldn't do crap for the Steelers in week 1.

Today though, very rarely did they call an outside run. It was typical Steelers pound the ball up the middle offense. The difference here was instead of running over people, Parker was getting people to miss that first tackle and then bounce it to the outside after he was through the hole. Why they didn't work on this during the preseason I do not know, but it sure worked against Tennessee.

Parker was also helped by Ben being on-point early in the game. Tennessee couldn't comitt 8 men in the box or else Ben was going to continue to throw all over them.

Parker will be starting next week against Houston. Another weak defense next week so he "should" be able to have another good week if they continue along the same gameplan with him.

[Bulldog]

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Would anyone drop either D. Davis or C. Williams to pick up W. Parker.

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Wow. Just wow. 171 or not, barring injury, no way Parker outperforms Davis for the year, or even within 50%.