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[Re-air on NFL Network:
Pittsburgh Steelers at
Sunday, 4 p.m. ET
What's in store for Mendenhall? Second-year RB Rashard Mendenhall -- who missed most of 2008 with a knee injury -- has had an impressive preseason and appears primed for a breakthrough season in 2009. With Willie Parker inactive, Mendenhall has carried much of the workload and shown the form that made him a first-round pick last year. The Steelers will hope to have Mendenhall hitting full stride for the team's big kickoff game against the Titans on Sept. 10.
Will injured starters return to action? The Panthers' first-teamers took a beating against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. It didn't help that running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, as well as linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis, and safety Charles Godrey all sat out the game. Getting these players back into form for the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles will be critical for Carolina.
