Bruce Arians: Rashard Mendenhall “can’t play that way”

[BullheadCardFan]

Link.

“Rashard had a very tough day and he can’t play that way,” Arians said, via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. “He can’t run out of bounds. He’s a veteran. And to run out of bounds at the end of the game, that was probably the worst mistake he made all day. We need to practice him a little bit harder. I think we’ve been too easy on him in practice because of his injuries, and we need to hone him up more because he’s not gaining anything.”

 

[Russ Smith]

You could see Arians go after him on the sideline after he ran out on that play.

He's playing tough for us but I agree he doesn't seem to be getting any better, he makes people miss and fights for yards but he has no burst.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

He's playing tough for us but I agree he doesn't seem to be getting any better, he makes people miss and fights for yards but he has no burst.

Edge part II.

Not a bad thing, but not what you pay a guy a long term contract for.

Mendenhall CANNOT fumble the ball like he did yesterday. Drive killer, momentum killer, and killer of trust with the football.

Horrible. He had some nice runs, but he is a veteran and needs to play better.

I need an in depth explanation why Andre Ellington is not our starting RB, it cannot just be because he needs to work on catching the ball.

 

[Mulli]

What did he say about Carson Palmer? He made WAY more mistakes than Mendenhall did.

 

[Shane]

Way to state the obvious Bruce

 

[PDXChris]

Way to state the obvious Bruce

At least he did not say that "the system works".

 

[MrYeahBut]

His comments are painfully obvious to a football genius such as myself. Maybe they were just meant for the hordes of casual fans.


.

 

[Shane]

At least he did not say that "the system works".

I'm one if the few that never had a problem with that statement. It does work if you have the horses to run it.

The problem is and his downfall was an inability to find the horses. It's a shame too.

 

[Totally_Red]

I'm one if the few that never had a problem with that statement. It does work if you have the horses to run it.

The problem is and his downfall was an inability to find the horses. It's a shame too.

All he needed was a pro bowl quarterback. That San Diego offense with Phillip Rivers has looked very good in the two games I've watched [vs. Philly & Dallas].

 

[Russ Smith]

Edge part II.

Not a bad thing, but not what you pay a guy a long term contract for.

Mendenhall CANNOT fumble the ball like he did yesterday. Drive killer, momentum killer, and killer of trust with the football.

Horrible. He had some nice runs, but he is a veteran and needs to play better.

I need an in depth explanation why Andre Ellington is not our starting RB, it cannot just be because he needs to work on catching the ball.

Yeah I think with ellington it's a matter of time he's getting more time. I also expect to see more of Taylor in the future.

I like Mendy he's a tough guy, but I was hoping the lack of burst was the knee and as it healed, he'd get faster, so far not seeing it. Maybe Arians is saying his lack of practice time is the problem.

He had a big drop too, but he's giving us what he has so I respect that, tough tough player

 

[Shane]

Yeah I think with ellington it's a matter of time he's getting more time. I also expect to see more of Taylor in the future.

I like Mendy he's a tough guy, but I was hoping the lack of burst was the knee and as it healed, he'd get faster, so far not seeing it. Maybe Arians is saying his lack of practice time is the problem.

He had a big drop too, but he's giving us what he has so I respect that, tough tough player

What do you mean by burst? He had knee issues going into season and was wearing a brace in week 1... Yet he was plenty quick through the holes and showed plenty of burst getting the edge I several occasions. Is he regressing? I haven't watched yesterday's game yet?

 

[Russ Smith]

What do you mean by burst? He had knee issues going into season and was wearing a brace in week 1... Yet he was plenty quick through the holes and showed plenty of burst getting the edge I several occasions. Is he regressing? I haven't watched yesterday's game yet?

He has no burst. There were 2-3 plays yesterday where it looked like he could have gotten much more yardage but he got caught from behind. He's tough, he makes the first guy miss, he goes forward not laterally, but when there's a big hole there, he doesn't have the burst to do much with it.

Edge is a good comparison he'd get 3 when there was nothing there, but he'd also get 3 when there was more there because he couldn't accelerate, I don't see any acceleration from Mendy yet either.

Ellington is playing more and more and Taylor will probably too if it continues.

 

[GuernseyCard]

He has no burst. There were 2-3 plays yesterday where it looked like he could have gotten much more yardage but he got caught from behind. He's tough, he makes the first guy miss, he goes forward not laterally, but when there's a big hole there, he doesn't have the burst to do much with it.

Edge is a good comparison he'd get 3 when there was nothing there, but he'd also get 3 when there was more there because he couldn't accelerate, I don't see any acceleration from Mendy yet either.

Ellington is playing more and more and Taylor will probably too if it continues.

I take this as "exaggerating for effect".

 

[Mulli]

I take this as "exaggerating for effect".

ok?

 

[Russ Smith]

I take this as "exaggerating for effect".

Yes he can move forward, but he has no burst,. There were a couple of plays where he stepped out of a tackle and then just stood there instead of going forward and got caught. It just takes him longer to get going he can't shift into 2nd gear as fast as other guys do.

He's tough and the first guy almost never gets him, but he has a very hard time getting into that second gear so he can pull away when he gets daylight.

I guess my only concern is that Heath Evans has made the same comment 2 weeks in a row so if I agree with him, I'm probably wrong. how is that guy keeping his job on FOX.

 

[GuernseyCard]

Yes he can move forward, but he has no burst,. There were a couple of plays where he stepped out of a tackle and then just stood there instead of going forward and got caught. It just takes him longer to get going he can't shift into 2nd gear as fast as other guys do.

He's tough and the first guy almost never gets him, but he has a very hard time getting into that second gear so he can pull away when he gets daylight.

I guess my only concern is that Heath Evans has made the same comment 2 weeks in a row so if I agree with him, I'm probably wrong. how is that guy keeping his job on FOX.

Guys without "burst' can't run wide and turn the corner. Mendy can.

 

[Cardiac]

What do you mean by burst? He had knee issues going into season and was wearing a brace in week 1... Yet he was plenty quick through the holes and showed plenty of burst getting the edge I several occasions. Is he regressing? I haven't watched yesterday's game yet?

I agree Shane and do think he is regressing, now because of the toe injury.

He has no burst. There were 2-3 plays yesterday where it looked like he could have gotten much more yardage but he got caught from behind. He's tough, he makes the first guy miss, he goes forward not laterally, but when there's a big hole there, he doesn't have the burst to do much with it.

Edge is a good comparison he'd get 3 when there was nothing there, but he'd also get 3 when there was more there because he couldn't accelerate, I don't see any acceleration from Mendy yet either.

Ellington is playing more and more and Taylor will probably too if it continues.

That's what I saw Russ and as I posted above I think it's the toe injury that is affecting his burst because he did have it in PS.

 

[Mulli]

I absolutely love how a gimpy Mendenhall was featured so prominently in the offense from the start.

Good job, Cardinals!

 

[Russ Smith]

Guys without "burst' can't run wide and turn the corner. Mendy can.

Sure they can because when you run wide you get time to build up speed.

I'm talking acceleration, especially out of cuts. I don't know if it's the knee or the toe but he'll make a great cut to avoid a hit but then has no acceleration to go forward after the cut.

He had 12 carries for 21 yards yesterday, long run of 6, his long for the season is 11. He's got the same YPC right now as Alphonso run into my own blockers Smith does.

I think he's doing a nice job of getting tough yards when it's not blocked well but he's leaving yards out there because of his lack of burst. Hopefully it's the toe, if it is the knee it's a concern because not likely to get better anytime soon.

 

[GuernseyCard]

Sure they can because when you run wide you get time to build up speed.

I'm talking acceleration, especially out of cuts. I don't know if it's the knee or the toe but he'll make a great cut to avoid a hit but then has no acceleration to go forward after the cut.

He had 12 carries for 21 yards yesterday, long run of 6, his long for the season is 11. He's got the same YPC right now as Alphonso run into my own blockers Smith does.

I think he's doing a nice job of getting tough yards when it's not blocked well but he's leaving yards out there because of his lack of burst. Hopefully it's the toe, if it is the knee it's a concern because not likely to get better anytime soon.

We'll, see.

 

[dylanbw]

I guess my only concern is that Heath Evans has made the same comment 2 weeks in a row so if I agree with him, I'm probably wrong. how is that guy keeping his job on FOX.

Yes, so much this. Anytime you find yourself agreeing with Heath Evans, it's time to switch to a different brand of moonshine.

Thankfully, this is why Mendenhall is on a one-year deal. He was putrid yesterday. More Andre Ellington, please.

 

[Mulli]

Yes, so much this. Anytime you find yourself agreeing with Heath Evans, it's time to switch to a different brand of moonshine.

Thankfully, this is why Mendenhall is on a one-year deal. He was putrid yesterday. More Andre Ellington, please.

The other announcer "how do you explain the zeros for Larry Fitzgerald."

Evan Heaths "I have no idea."

That was awesome.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Guys without "burst' can't run wide and turn the corner. Mendy can.

I've seen this maybe once or twice this season, but I don't think Mendy gets there on a regular basis. He's got a little grit, but burst? I don't see that at all.

 

[kerouac9]

Edge part II.

Not a bad thing, but not what you pay a guy a long term contract for.

Mendenhall CANNOT fumble the ball like he did yesterday. Drive killer, momentum killer, and killer of trust with the football.

Horrible. He had some nice runs, but he is a veteran and needs to play better.

I need an in depth explanation why Andre Ellington is not our starting RB, it cannot just be because he needs to work on catching the ball.

It was a passing comment by the FOX D-minus team, but one of the things that the execrable Heath Evans said was that the team thought that against the Saints they gave Ellington too much of the playbook to chew around and over, and that ended up being a huge problem, so they paired him back a bit.

One of the things that I'd like to do this week is take a look at Ellington's snaps on the season and compare that to his pass targets and rushes. It certainly seems like a high percentage of the time when Andre's on the field, he's getting the ball. That's a long-term problem.

As for Mendenhall's burst or lack thereof, I think that Russ is expecting too much. The guys who will be able to handle 15+ carries a game, be solid in pass protection and into the line, and who can also pull away from linebackers and defensive backs are few and far between. Muscle Hamster, MJD, Adrian Peterson--that's about it.

That's just not who Mendenhall is--if he were, he'd still be with Pittsburgh or signed to a long-term contract.

 

[Russ Smith]

It was a passing comment by the FOX D-minus team, but one of the things that the execrable Heath Evans said was that the team thought that against the Saints they gave Ellington too much of the playbook to chew around and over, and that ended up being a huge problem, so they paired him back a bit.

One of the things that I'd like to do this week is take a look at Ellington's snaps on the season and compare that to his pass targets and rushes. It certainly seems like a high percentage of the time when Andre's on the field, he's getting the ball. That's a long-term problem.

As for Mendenhall's burst or lack thereof, I think that Russ is expecting too much. The guys who will be able to handle 15+ carries a game, be solid in pass protection and into the line, and who can also pull away from linebackers and defensive backs are few and far between. Muscle Hamster, MJD, Adrian Peterson--that's about it.

That's just not who Mendenhall is--if he were, he'd still be with Pittsburgh or signed to a long-term contract.

I'm just saying I thought in preseason it was due to his knee but it still is the same now so I'm wondering if as you said, that's just who he is at this point in his career.

he's a very solid RB, can't keep fumbling 3 times but I doubt he will, but I do think he's leaving yards out there at times on the rare occasions we actually block the play well.

I like him but I'm much less inclined to think we should bring him back if this is who he is.