Looking at the numbers, the Steelers 2008 first round draft pick did not have a good night in his first action since being injured last year against Baltimore.

Rashard Mendenhall didn’t play much. But on 9 carries he only ran for 24 yards, leaving him a 2.7 yard average, with his longest run coming in at 7 yards.

Yet, Post-Gazette Columnist Ron Cook declared that Mendenhall “Ran hard” and then quoted Mike Tomlin as saying “I thought he made some nice runs.”

The Danger of Judging a Game by Statistics

ESPN.Deportes did not show the game in Buenos Aires, where Steel Curtain Rising is based. Hence the observation that Mendenhall’s performance might be an “Ominous Sign” was born solely out of the numbers.

But numbers can be misleading.

That’s where you come in. A good number of you reading this saw the game, and undoubtedly saw Mendenhall run.

So we turn it over to you.

What can we make of Mendenhall’s performance against Arizona in the preseason? Is there cause for concern, or did he look pretty good in spite of the 2.7 yard per carry average. Or perhaps its simply too early to tell.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think.