On The Steelers: Mendenhall returns to mix
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Despite becoming the Steelers' first 100-yard rusher this year, the best Jonathan Dwyer will do this week is suit up as the No. 3 back.
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It was broke, and the Steelers fixed it, and they beat the Tennessee Titans Sunday, 38-17. Now, they will tinker some more.
Rashard Mendenhall, who missed the game Sunday with a hamstring injury after a slow first four games, will return to start at halfback against Jacksonville. Rookie Marcus Gilbert, who left the Tennessee game in the second quarter after his left shoulder was re-injured, will not start.
There could be more moves on an offense that recently came alive, based on how a few injured players react over the next few days. But the best Jonathan Dwyer will do is suit up as the No. 3 halfback, even though he became their first 100-yard rusher this season, and if Mewelde Moore's ankle gets any better over the next few days, Dwyer could return to his familiar role Sunday wearing street clothes.
As for the rest of the offensive line, it probably will be the same one that protected quarterback Ben Roethlisberger better than it has all season, and paved the way for the most productive running game of the season.
They did it with old faces in "new" places -- Max Starks at left tackle, Doug Legursky at left guard and Ramon Foster at right guard. Jonathan Scott, who lost his starting left tackle job to Starks, replaced injured Gilbert at right tackle in the second quarter against the Titans and will start there again Sunday. Starting left guard Chris Kemoeatu did not practice again Thursday, so unless he can go today, Legursky will make his second consecutive start at left guard to go with his three starts at right guard, not counting the couple of times he jumped in at center when Maurkice Pouncey left games with injuries.
Got all that?
"It was a better game, it wasn't our best game we're capable of," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said of his transformer line. "I think our numbers were good but they can be better.
First Published October 14, 2011 12:00 am
