Steelers rookie RB Rainey ‘spectacular’

PHILADELPHIA — Ben Roethlisberger is selective when it comes to saying anything overly positive about rookies for fear it might lead to an inflated ego.

Following Chris Rainey’s debut against Philadelphia, Roethlisberger will take his chances.

“I don’t like talking about him … but he’s pretty good,” Roethlisberger said.

Rainey transferred his training camp hype to the field with an explosive performance that included a third-quarter screen pass that he turned into a 57-yard touchdown.

“Man, he’s spectacular,” receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. “I mean, I saw him on the high school level, I saw him on the college level, and he looks like he going to be a pretty good NFL player. That screen he caught and took it to the house was the Chris Rainey of Florida.”

The Steelers used their fifth-round pick on Rainey with the hope he could provide the offense he did late in the third quarter against the Eagles.

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He did look pretty good on the one run he had too where it got bottled up and he broke it for about 15 yards.

I just hope he can stay healthy and provide us with alot of plays like that.

#17, you better be taking notes

Rainey is electric and he'd be a fantastic 3rd-down weapon and change-of-pace back, but I think fans might be overvaluing him just a bit. I don't see him being an every-down back. I hear a lot of people suggesting that his speed could replace Wallace, but just because Rainey can return kicks and punts and catch passes out of the backfield, that doesn't mean he could be a downfield threat and help spread the field. He's a nice weapon to have for sure, but he can't replace what Wallace does.

Anyone remember Stefan Logan? He was a quick running back who made a splash on special teams with the Steelers. They experimented with lining him up at receiver. That didn't work out so well.

Rainey is not the type of player to see more than 10-15 snaps a game, so he's not really a threat to anybody in particular. He's not going to be starting anything. And certainly if or when he ever learns to block, they will need to be careful when they use him if the defense knows he's not in the game for pass pro. But with that said, he does have a very versatile skill set that does include a wide receiver's route tree. He was running out routes today in fact according to the twitterverse.

Also revealed thanks to twitter is that Robert Golden apparently had a pretty damn good practice. I really liked what I saw of him in the game and I'm happy to hear that he's still at it in the first practice after the game.

The thing I want to see is if he can stay healthy, Everybody knows he has "spectacular" speed, but he's so small, just like the other night on the goal line, a defender got one hand on him, albeit a horse collier, and he buckled. There are some similarities to him and D. Sproles, but Sproles has a little thickness about him. Rainey will have to learn how to absorb some of the hits to make it a couple of years in the league.

Blitzburghfan wrote:

The thing I want to see is if he can stay healthy, Everybody knows he has "spectacular" speed, but he's so small, just like the other night on the goal line, a defender got one hand on him, albeit a horse collier, and he buckled. There are some similarities to him and D. Sproles, but Sproles has a little thickness about him. Rainey will have to learn how to absorb some of the hits to make it a couple of years in the league.

Yeah, I agree. That's why I don't see him being an every-down player. He can be a nice weapon if used correctly.

Rainey is NOT an every down back, or player. He reminds me a lot of Dante Hall. A DANGEROUS player when used right.

I agree with everyone here, Rainey is certainly not an every down player... but if he gets 5-8 touches a game, and is able to take 1-2 for significant gains, 1 for a TD on occasion, he's a great asset. Used correctly - on "splash plays" - he can be a difference maker. Think how many games are decided by one score, by one possession - and if Rainey can provide 1-2 per game, he'll be a valuable player, indeed.

Would like to see Rainey develope into a WR that can run catch the ball out of the backfield.

I would like to see Rainey being used like Sproles. That would be ideal.

Teach Rainey to run a couple of fly routes a game and who needs Wallace?

You wouldn't see Wallace get run down from behind by a defensive lineman.

Rainey is definitely faster than Wallace. I'd put money on that.