<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Parker is Steelers' starting RB in opener--------------------------------------------------------------------------------ESPN.com news servicesRunning back Jerome Bettis will miss the next two weeks of action with a calf injury, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.With Bettis and Duce Staley sidelined, second-year running back Willie Parker will start the season-opener Spet. 11 against the Tennessee Titans.Bettis had an MRI Saturday, but the results were inconclusive because Bettis had too much blood in his calf. Another MRI could be in Bettis' future in the coming week."I'm ready for whatever," Parker told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Saturday. "I'm ready for what the NFL brings, I'm ready for what the defense brings and I'll just go out there and play my game."Bettis, the No. 5 rusher in NFL history, injured his calf while making a cut on a play-action fake in the first quarter of the Steelers' 17-10 preseason loss Friday at Washington. Staley had knee surgery a week after training camp started and has not practiced since. The team has not officially announced when he will return, but he is not expected back until sometime after the Tennessee game.The Steelers' situation at running back is so dire that Parker might not play against the Panthers. "You might not see him again until Tennessee," Cowher said of Parker -- meaning the team isn't likely to risk playing him against Carolina with Staley and Bettis hurt. Parker gained 51 yards on his only carry against Washington.Parker ran for 102 yards on 19 carries in his only NFL start as a rookie last season, a Jan. 2 game at Buffalo that was meaningless to the Steelers but knocked the Bills out of the playoffs.</div>
Parker who??? Lemme tell you WHO he is. He is the future starting running back of this team. He is the one who ran for 102 yards, 5.4 rushing average, in his only start... and he did that against the Bills who were playing for their playoff lives, and the Steelers were just resting starters for the playoffs. Now this start at the opener will be his second. And he'll do just as good as he did against Buffalo, if not better. And this will show the Steelers team that Willie Parker is the future. That's WHO Willie Parker is, and a top running back is WHO he will be.
sucks that Jerome Bettis is gone. He's so good. Hopefully Parker can fill in well though otherwise its going to hurt Pit alot.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ward86 @ Aug 30 2005, 05:05 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Parker who??? Lemme tell you WHO he is. He is the future starting running back of this team. He is the one who ran for 102 yards, 5.4 rushing average, in his only start... and he did that against the Bills who were playing for their playoff lives, and the Steelers were just resting starters for the playoffs. Now this start at the opener will be his second. And he'll do just as good as he did against Buffalo, if not better. And this will show the Steelers team that Willie Parker is the future. That's WHO Willie Parker is, and a top running back is WHO he will be.</div> Geez man, calm down. o one really knows about him unless ur a Steelers fan or live in Pitt. He had one career start, calm down.
Calm down wat... I'm just telling you, that you'll know him when he's starting running back for the Steelers.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ward86 @ Aug 31 2005, 04:17 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Calm down wat... I'm just telling you, that you'll know him when he's starting running back for the Steelers.</div> Alright then, maybe I will, maybe I wont. Remember this is only for week 1 and maybe 2. Then Bettis will most likely take over.
Nahh. Bettis is going to be a back up. He can't run nomore. If he had to start, he would have retired. Duce Staley is the starter...for now. He's just recovering from surgery.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ward86 @ Aug 31 2005, 12:39 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Nahh. Bettis is going to be a back up. He can't run nomore. If he had to start, he would have retired. Duce Staley is the starter...for now. He's just recovering from surgery.</div> Bettis is the one who got 100 yards in every single start when Staley didnt play. I expect Bettis to be fine with the backup/spot start role, but him and Parker might split more time then last year to help him rest him.
Yea, he did that...LAST year. He says he can't do it nomore. He got asthma, he's getting old, plus he's big. You saw him getting tired in the playoffs. He probably would have ran out of energy before that if he started from the beginning of the 04 season. He wasn't looking too good in preseason either, when he wasn't injured. There's no doubt he can still punch in the touchdowns though.
Wasn't Parker the only one to get 100 yards of any running back, against the Bills last year?Guys sounds pretty dominant
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (His Greatness @ Aug 31 2005, 03:55 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Wasn't Parker the only one to get 100 yards of any running back, against the Bills last year?Guys sounds pretty dominant</div> really...hmm thats interesting. Another thing I like about parker is his versatility of catching the ball out of the back field. He's just so explosive, I cant wait.
Nah... I just looked into it. He was one of 3. But that's still great. Because the other guys were Rudi Johson and Corey Dillon (big names in the running game). And the game Willie did it, the Bills were fighting for a playoff spot...And M2D, your definetely right about his catching ability. A lot of commentators comment him on that.
