It was a busy weekend for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front office, with the team releasing a group of four players headlined by veteran running back Najeh Davenport. Davenport spent the past two seasons with Pittsburgh, which apparently had been trying to trade him away but was Jets 6 Sanchez AFL50th jersey
unable to reach a deal. In his two years as a Steeler, Davenport played in 28 regular-season games, racking up nearly 1,100 total yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s now without a team, despite having a career year on the ground in 2007. The writing was on the wall for him this offseason, though, when the Steelers signed free agent Mewelde Moore and used a first-round pick on ex-Illinois star Rashard Mendenhall in the April's NFL draft. With that said, let's look back at Davenport’s time as a Steeler.2006The Steelers wanted to defend their Super Bowl XL title the same way they won it – on the ground. But there were concerns about their crop of running backs. The great Jerome Bettis had retired. Willie Parker was back, but skeptics wondered if his 2005 breakout (1,202 yards) was a fluke. Duce Staley had been spending more time on the injured list than the field, and Verron Haynes was primarily a third-down back.At the time, Davenport was expected to spend another season backing up Ahman Green in Green Bay. However, Davenport had a long history of injury, and in the last round of cuts in early September, the Packers sent him to the unemployment line. Davenport’s hard-hitting style of running was exactly what the Steelers were looking for, and just six days later, he signed with Pittsburgh.Davenport first made a splash in the black and gold during a Week 6 blowout at home against the Kansas City Chiefs, carrying the ball 12 times for 78 yards and a touchdown. Parker carried the load the entire season, but Davenport touched the ball a few times each game. He had 74 total yards against Denver in Week 9, 83 against the Browns in Week 14 and 45 and a touchdown in Carolina in Week 15. Davenport finished the season with 221 rushing yards (one TD) and 193 receiving yards (two TDs). Nine of his 15 receptions that season were for first downs.2007The first hint that Pittsburgh may have been expecting more from Davenport came during the 2007 offseason, when the Steelers signed former 49er and Jet Kevan Barlow -- who was expected to split carries with Davenport and provide depth in the backfield; however, he had a poor camp and never made it to the opening-day roster. Davenport would remain Parker’s main backup.Davenport immediately made an impact in the '07 season, accumulating 117 total yards in the Steelers' first two games. In Week 3 against San Francisco, Davenport had a humorous highlight that showcased his hard-hitting potential. At the two-minute warning, the Steelers attempted to run out the clock with a handoff to Davenport, but he ended up breaking off a 39-yard touchdown. His other key performances included 96 total yards and a pair of scores in a Week 5 win against Seattle, 61 in a Week 11 loss to the Jets, and 65 and a score in a Week 14 loss to the Patriots.Late in the season, Davenport had an opportunity to really make a name for himself in Pittsburgh. Early in Week 16 game against the Rams, Parker broke his right fibula. Davenport came in and had his best game with the Steelers, racking up 24 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown while also adding two 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
catches for 44 yards and another score. It seemed like the perfect omen for the Steelers, who were about to make their first playoff appearance under rookie head coach Mike Tomlin.Unfortunately, Davenport couldn’t reproduce those numbers against tougher defenses. As the starter in Week 17 against the Ravens, he only ran for 27 yards on 12 carries before leaving in the third quarter. When everything was on the line against Jacksonville in the playoffs, Davenport was shut down, amassing just 48 yards on 18 touches.Despite his lackluster performance in the clutch, Davenport had his best year in 2007, finishing with 683 total yards (499 rushing) and seven touchdowns (five on the ground, two receiving). Additionally, Davenport averaged 4.7 yards per carry, which was 13th best in the NFL last season.Davenport will get a shot somewhere to make an NFL roster this season. If not, he could always build up his acting resume. But for now, the fans of Pittsburgh say goodbye to No. 44, whom they knew for two seasons.
没有评论:
发表评论