There’s No Place Like Home

It’s difficult to fathom why a running back with Willie Parker’s credentials creates so much discussion among football fans. Here in the ‘Burgh we’ve grown used to big, physical running backs like Jerome Bettis. We’re more used to seeing guys run over people (remember Bettis and Bear’s linebacker Brian Urlacher last year?) than away from them. I’ve wondered myself if Parker can be “the” guy in the Steeler running game. It often seems he is as likely to lose a yard or two as he is to rip off a big gain. There is also the imbalence of his success at home and on the road. Heading into Sunday’s game against Carolina, Parker had rushed for 1,199 yards. 924 of those came at home and just 275 on the road.
Parker has his backers and detractors but his numbers are piling up into quite a season. He has a mathematical chance to break Barry Foster’s team record for rushing yards in a season. He would need to average 180 yards in each of his last two games and that probably won’t happen but he should easily turn in the third best season in Steelers history needing just a 100 yards in the last two games to do so.
Leaguewide only four backs have more rushing yardage and they are in the high rent neighborhood. LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, Frank Gore and Tiki Barber. That’s some pretty good company. Parker even changed his M.O. Sunday when he bolted for 132 yards in Charlotte, his best road perfomance of the year. Or was it? Parker IS a North Carolina native. Hmmm, this home field thing seems to be a theme he just can’t shake. But he is shaking a whole lot of would-be tacklers making believers out of many who had doubted before.
Parker played very little in college. Much of his Steeler career has been a chance to learn as well as star. Last year, even in his record setting Super Bowl performance, he made a lot of mistakes with and without the football. His speed made up for many of those. But now as his reads and blocking continue to improve, Parker is having a pro bowl worthy season. Especially at home. Wherever that home happens to be.