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Steelers scramble to add running backs
Moore
Christopher Horner/Tribune-Review
Scott Brown is the Steelers beat writer. He can be reached via e-mail. Also check out Brown's blog
It's not so much that Mewelde Moore questioned his decision to sign with the Steelers.
It was more the case of Moore questioning what he had given the Steelers through the first three games of the season. After all, he had gotten one carry and had not caught a pass as the team's third-down back.
"You just want to make sure you're not on a free ride," said Moore, who signed a three-year deal with the Steelers last March for almost $5 million. "Any man who has pride and respect for himself would do such a thing. You want to carry your own weight."
Moore did just that in the Steelers' 23-20 overtime win Monday night over the Baltimore Ravens. And the 5-foot-11, 209-pounder may have to carry more than his weight this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Moore, whose 24-yard reception helped set up Jeff Reed's game-winning field goal, finished the game as the Steelers' only healthy running back.
The Steelers added bodies, if nothing else, to their depleted running backs corps Tuesday. With Willie Parker (sprained knee) out for a second consecutive game and Rashard Mendenhall (fractured shoulder) gone for the season, the Steelers signed Najeh Davenport and Gary Russell to their 53-man roster.
Davenport served as Parker's backup in 2006-07 before the Steelers cut him in July. Davenport, who did not sign with another team after the Steelers released him, rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams last December after Parker went down with a broken leg.
He started the Steelers' final two games of the 2007 season, including their 31-29 playoff loss to the Jaguars, but managed just 52 yards on 28 carries.
Russell had been on the Steelers' 53-man roster until they released him on Sept. 20. They re-signed the second-year man three days later to their practice squad.
The two players could be pressed into action immediately, especially if Carey Davis is also unable to play against the Jaguars.
Davis sprained his ankle against the Ravens, and he wore a protective boot on his left foot Tuesday.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Davis "felt a lot better" yesterday but added that it is too early to tell if he will be able to play this weekend.
The biggest question surrounding a backfield that is suddenly full of them is whether Moore can be the feature back, at least for the short term. Tomlin hopes Parker will return after the bye week that follows the Jacksonville game.
Moore, a former Vikings running back, carried a combined 44 times the past two seasons, has one career rushing touchdown and is more of a shifty, change-of-pace type of back.
Moore, who played four seasons in Minnesota before signing with the Steelers, did log 155 carries in 2005.
When asked if Moore can withstand a heavy workload, Tomlin said, "There's been stretches of eight, 10 games where he's capable of doing that and has done that in his career. We're aware of that and that's a factor in our decision-making, but we're going to weigh all of our options."
One thing Moore won't be lacking against the Jaguars is confidence.
While he rushed for just 13 yards on eight carries against the Ravens, he made several Baltimore players miss on the critical 24-yard catch-and-run in overtime that came on third down.
"Inside, I was just like, 'Man I need a play for me,' just so I could feel good about playing football," Moore said. "I was happy I was able to pull my (weight)."
