Menudo Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 First of all I am not a hardcore Eagles fan. Second, you can't compare those guys to Duce in any way. What he brings to the Steelers can't be duplicated. That's all I am saying. No one said you have to thank me for my comments; I'm just stating my opinion so thanks for yours. 916783[/snapback] Sorry, didn't mean to be so harsh, my problem wasn't with what you said about Staley. I too think Staley is a solid back. My problem is with the comment that Bettis is only good in the Redzone. I think he proved last year by gaining over 100 yards in all 6 of his starts, including 149 against the Eagles that he is more than just "good in the redzone". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 The latest on Staley. Looks like a month is best case scenario. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05221/550824.stm Bettis is back in front Staley out month after knee surgery Tuesday, August 09, 2005 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Duce Staley will miss a month after surgery yesterday to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. Click photo for larger image. More Steelers: Steelers Notebook: Young RBs to get bulk of work Cope apologizes for speech at Hall Steelers Training Camp 2005 Photo Journal It's back to the front for the Bus, and Jerome Bettis says he's ready to roll. With Duce Staley out for a month after surgery yesterday to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee, the Steelers turn to Bettis again to carry the load of their power-running offense. "I knew going in I had to be ready for this type of situation, and I am ready," Bettis said. Staley will return to training camp and begin rehabilitation on his knee as soon as possible. "Hopefully, we'll have him at the beginning of the season," coach Bill Cowher said. "We feel good about the long-term situation." Bettis replaced an injured Staley at midseason in 2004 and led the Steelers with 941 yards rushing, topping 100 yards in each of the six games he started and adding another against the Jets in the playoffs. He thought long and hard about retiring before he decided to return for a 13th NFL season at age 33. A factor in his decision was determining whether he could carry the load as the No. 1 back from early in the season if need be. "That was my plan when I decided to come back. That's what I wanted to make sure I was capable of doing," Bettis said. "My decision to come back was based on health, but it was based on health, ready to go in Week 1 in case something like this happened." The Steelers do not expect Bettis to carry 250 times the way he did last season because they are more comfortable with the two young backs behind him, Verron Haynes and Willie Parker. But after one week of training camp, they say Bettis looks as good as he did when he bounced off the bench to carry 33 times for 149 yards in his first start Nov. 7 against the unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles. "He looks great," running backs coach Dick Hoak said. "When we had to start playing him last year after Duce got hurt, right now he looks just like that. He's making cuts, his speed is good. We gave him Saturday off just because he's been in the league so long." Bettis also does not expect to carry as many times this season, but he does expect to produce. "As a running back, I know this offense better than anybody and I can still work my way around the field," Bettis said. "So I'm not concerned. You give me the ball in this offense 25 times, I'm going to get you 100 yards because I know how to work my way around the field. "It ain't the speed, it's the feet." Bettis is unique in history to NFL running backs. He's fifth on the all-time NFL rushing list with 13,294 yards and by far the biggest back to gain that many yards. His size and quick feet separate him from others. If he has lost a step, few notice because speed was never his forte. "What you look at in me is the quick feet and the power," Bettis said. "And so, because of that, I'm able to do the similar things I was able to do at 26 and 27. Maybe not all the things I was able to do, but most of the things to the point where it's not as noticeable as it is with some of the other running backs who have hit 30, 31, 32, who are faster guys, speed guys who rely on that. I don't rely on that and never have." Bettis looks at Emmitt Smith, the NFL's all-time rushing leader who floundered after leaving Dallas to spend two painful seasons in Arizona. "The difference in my situation is ... I can still do everything in this offense that's asked of me," Bettis said. "Because this is not a finesse offense, I'm not exposed. I would be exposed if this offense was a finesse offense and I was asked to do some things that I could not do. "I can still put myself up there with some of the best in the game from tackle to tackle." Bettis struggled early this year over whether to retire or return. "I was banged up after last year. Not a lot of people knew that, but coming out of last season I had a little quadriceps tear. So, I was reeling and I was saying to myself, 'I don't know if physically I can do this.' "The last thing I wanted to do was come out here and lay an egg." He felt better in April and said he turned the corner in the middle of May. He reported to training camp at 256 pounds, about the same as he always has. He feels his legacy isn't finished. "I think I'm still adding to it. If you look at last year, the question was, 'Maybe he can't do it.' But last year, I could have had a thousand yards. I decided not to play in the Buffalo game in the last game of the year. I decided not to because I didn't feel that was as necessary as being ready for the playoffs. "I feel my legacy is still growing because of what I've had to endure, what I've had to go through, what the perception of me was based on what I could still do." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 So who benefits the most? Parker or Haynes? Or Herron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 So who benefits the most? Parker or Haynes? Or Herron? 917544[/snapback] I would say without a doubt Haynes benefits the most out of the three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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