The Morning Cup of Black and Gold

Mendenhall cursed?

The buzz yesterday and this morning is whether or not Tomlin will run Mendenhall into the ground to the point of major injury a la Willie Parker.  Seriously, that’s all there is out there in the Steelers headline world.  Bouchette first reported it yesterday via his conversations with Tomlin in the Big Easy, and now all the major outlets are taking this story and (excuse the phrase) running with it.  At first I thought, ‘Guys, you’re crazy.  Mendenhall is young.  He’s fine.  Willie was older, and someone can get injured at any point in their career.’  I’m just trying chalk this up as Ed continuing his ill placed negativity towards Tomlin’s decision making.  More after the jump.

Then I found this report from footballoutsiders.com about the ‘Curse of 370.’ The Curse of 370?  This guy Aaron Schatz thinks that there is a direct correlation between carrying the football over 370 (including playoffs) in one season and how the performance is effected the next season – effected meaning major injury.

After looking at his pool of data and some of the talented work horses he uses as an example – Steeler fans may have something to actually worry about if the season takes place this year.  Mendenhall carried the ball 385 times (including playoffs) last season.  Not as much as some of these other guys who carried the rock over 400 times (Jamal Lewis, Eddie George, Ahman Green and Terrell Davis) but he has exceeded the 370.  So Nation.  What do you think?  Is Mendenhall in jeopardy of suffering a major injury next season based on this data?  Is this ‘curse’ worse than Madden’s?

Hey wasn’t Eddie George on the 2001 cover??? Duh duh duhhhhhhh!!!!!