RASHARD MENDENHALL
Running Back
Without Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback, the Steelers knew they were going to have to be able run the football more often and more effectively, and to that end they were going to turn to Rashard Mendenhall.
Mendenhall came into the game with 774 yards rushing (3.8 average), and his only 100-yard game to this point in the season had come on Oct. 16 vs. Jacksonville. The Steelers turned to Mendenhall against the Rams, and he responded in a big way. He rushed for 116 yards on 18 carries (6.4 average), with a long gain of 52 yards plus a touchdown, and he also caught a short pass and turned that into a 35-yard play to finish with 151 yards from scrimmage in the team's 27-0 win over the Rams at Heinz Field.
Mendenhall is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.
Also considered were Trai Essex, who stepped in at center when Doug Legursky was injured on the Steelers' second offensive play of the game and made no mistakes with the football; Antonio Brown, who caught three passes for 34 yards to go over 1,000 yards on the season, added 35 yards on returns, and made the tackle from his deep return spot to foil an attempted fake punt; Lawrence Timmons, who led the team with 10 tackles and added a sack; Troy Polamalu, who had six tackles, including two for loss, and broke up a pass; and William Gay, who had six tackles, including two for loss, and broke up a pass.
