So, Beetlejuice has a fumble problem. That’s 3 in the past 2 preseason games. He can run…no doubt about that…but fumbling in the regular season is not an option. Fast Bill has had this problem in his career, which pretty much prevents him from making the jump from a 1,200 yard back to an All-Pro. Honestly, that’s his only major flaw. It’s concerning to think that Mendenhall might have the same limitations.
The above pictures are all found within the first few pages of a Google Image Search for “Rashard Mendenhall.” I mentioned these results to Cotter during the Vikes game last week, and wanted to follow up to see if my memory served me right. Yeah…it did.
Look at that ball. This isn’t college anymore. NFL defenders will salivate like dogs being taunted with a piece of meat if you hold the ball out there like that. The best comparison I can make is Tiki Barber. In the middle of his career, dude would fumble like it was nobody’s business. From 2000-2003, Tiki had three seasons with 9 fumbles and one with 8. He switched his mechanics, and after one more season of 5 fumbles, he finished his last two years with 1 and 3 fumbles respectively. The ball was clutched next to his chest, nearly under his chin strap.
An example of Tiki’s fumble-proofing is below. Might be time for Rashard to adapt.
