Steelers' two-back attack pays off

By John Harris
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Monday, December 1, 2008


FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 30: Ellis Hobbs III #27 of the New England Patriots tries to pull down Willie Parker #39 of the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 30, 2008 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Steelers defeated the Patriots 33-10. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Wonders never cease. The Steelers played their top two running backs for the majority of Sunday's game against the New England Patriots. A real, live two-back attack for the tradition-bound one-back Steelers. Imagine that.

Not because Willie Parker was injured during the contest - he wasn't. And not because Mewelde Moore is a superior pass receiver- which he is.

Just because.

"I think it is a good thing,'' center Justin Hartwig said. "We have two guys that have been getting it done for us all year.''

Guess what? The Steelers' two-back attack worked to perfection during a satisfying 33-10 win at Gillette Stadium. Why it took so long to embrace playing two healthy running backs during the course of a 60-minute game is a question for another day for coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

The two-back attack worked yesterday because the Steelers believed it would work.

"That was the plan," Tomlin said. "We were going to use both guys.''

Alternating Parker and Moore in the backfield against New England made sense because the old way - run Willie until his wheels fall off; Tomlin's words, not mine - just wasn't working.

To be blunt, Parker hasn't been the same player since breaking his leg toward the end of last season and then suffering knee and shoulder injuries this season. He hasn't run with the same burst or explosiveness. That's understandable, considering the severity of his injury.

In fact, it was surprising to see Parker make such a fast recovery from the broken leg. It was even more surprising when Parker carried the ball 25 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns against Houston in the opener. The following week against Cleveland, Parker had 28 carries for 105 yards.

The following week against Philadelphia? Don't ask.

OK, Parker was held to 20 yards on 13 carries before leaving the game against the Eagles with a knee injury. He's been in and out of the lineup with injuries ever since.


FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 30: Mewelde Moore #21 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball past Lewis Sanders #29 and Jerod Mayo #51 of the New England Patriots on November 30, 2008 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Yesterday, Parker carried the ball 16 times for 87 yards, including 71 yards on 11 carries in the second half. More important, he appeared to run stronger and faster in the fourth quarter than he did in the first quarter. Parker's 31-yard bolt in the fourth quarter setting up a Jeff Reed field goal was his longest run since a 32-yarder in the opener.

"I never thought I'd be happy with something like that,'' Parker said of the two-back approach. "But that's the perfect thing for me right now and the perfect thing for the team.

"It really worked - I feel good,'' Parker said. "I'm not where I need to be, but I feel a lot better.''

Parker's body didn't absorb the same amount of punishment he would have received if he had carried the ball 28 times - the combined number of carries Parker and Moore shared against the Patriots. Moore rushed 12 times for 67 yards.

"It looked real good, didn't it?'' Moore said. "Given the opportunity, we made plays. We were real consistent, real patient, and we came through.''

Some people in the press box were under the mistaken impression that Parker, who wore a parka on the sideline when he wasn't in the game, was injured, so accustomed is everyone to seeing No. 39 in the lineup. Parker was simply attempting to stay dry and semi-warm in the wind, rain and cold weather.

It worked once. Let's hope this isn't the last we see of the Steelers' two-back attack.

John Harris is a sports writer for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.