Rejuvenated James has Cardinals running smoothly
January 26th, 2009 Posted in NFL football newsFootball always came easy for Edgerrin James.
Ever since he first stepped on a football field in Florida, James was a star. A Parade All-American at Immokalee High School, he went on to become the first player to post consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the storied University of Miami program.
Little changed at the next level. James adapted easily to the pro game, winning the rushing title in his first season and setting an NFL rookie record with 1,553 yards.
Even after a severe knee injury curtailed his production for two seasons, James bounced back with a pair of 1,500-yard seasons in the final two of his seven years with the Indianapolis Colts.
That led the Arizona Cardinals to sign him to a four-year, $40 million contract as a free agent in 2006.
Arizonas ground game was almost non-existent in 2005, but with the arrival of James, things turned around quickly as he became the second Cardinals player to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
As the Cardinals prepare to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII next Sunday, it would be easy to think it will be just a natural progression on James career path.
Except that its far from accurate. Because while James enjoyed success every step along the way, everything changed midway though this season.
Suddenly, the 30-year-old running back found himself on the bench for the first time in his football life following a 27-23 loss to the Carolina Panthers in which he gained only 17 yards on seven carries.
That never happened to me before. I had to learn how to be on the sidelines. I had to learn sideline etiquette, James said. It was one of those things that I didnt expect, but I havent found anything that can rattle me yet. I have been living 30 years and nothing has rattled me yet.
Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt replaced James with rookie Tim Hightower, saying that Hightower would give the team the best chance to win.
Despite the demotion, James stayed professional, didnt complain publicly and was even a mentor for Hightower.
I was and am getting a great chance to learn from the best in the game, Hightower said. The way Edge breaks down defenses, analyzes the plays and understands concepts and where the play is designed to go. I have learned so much. Nothing changed from day one, when he was a starter, then I was and now he is again.
We have built a friendship that is going to extend from beyond the football field for the rest of our lives.
Understand that few athletes with James credentials are thrust into such a spot. He was just the fifth running back to lead the NFL in rushing his first two seasons and was the third-fastest to record 50 100-yard games – behind only Jim Brown and Eric Dickerson.
My mom taught me that in life you have to take the good and the bad, and playing football has always been easy for me. I never really had to face any real adversity, James said. This time, they went into a different direction, but I wasnt going to be disruptive to the team. It was easy to try to help Hightower, he is such a good kid. It is how my mom taught me to be.
In the next eight games, James had only 11 carries for 34 yards. During that stretch Arizonas running game had deteriorated into the worst in the league, averaging a dismal 73 yards per game.
With one game left in the regular season and the team reeling from four losses in the last five contests, Whisenhunt decided to make a change, inserting the future Hall of Famer back in the starting lineup.
We knew we would need Edgerrin and his experience at the end of the year, Whisenhunt said. I am very pleased with his approach and how he has continued to work. He is a veteran player that has been in the playoffs at this time of the year and he understands the work and the focus that it takes.
In the season finale against Seattle, James showed he still had something left by gaining 100 yards in 14 carries and passing Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Franco Harris for 11th on the NFL career rushing list.
With James returning to the tailback slot, the Cardinals found a rejuvenated running game. During the three-game postseason run to the Super Bowl, James has totaled 203 yards for Arizona, which is averaging 111 yards rushing in the playoffs.
Confidence, this business is all about confidence. It is all about believing what you can do and believing you can do something. We have gained confidence each and every week that we can be successful running the football, Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner said about the resurgent running game.
I dont know what clicked, it was just we started running the ball and having some success. Edge is a huge part of it the way he runs, his patience, his vision and his ability of making something out of nothing. Edge does that as well as anybody, seeing things when there is nothing there and putting his head down and moving the pile forward. With all he went through this season, I am happy for him.
Arizona, which has scored at least 30 points in each playoff game, will be going against a Steelers team that boasts the best defense in the league.
With their potent passing game, the Cardinals also will need to balance that attack with the run – something that James, who is making his first Super Bowl appearance, knows well.
Before, we threw the ball 50 times and ran maybe seven, eight, nine, 10 times, you most likely wont have a good rushing team, James said. I have always played a certain style of playing – mixing the pass with the run. I am no scatback and never tried to be. That is what we need to do to be successful, mix it up.
I am not really concerned with their team. We have to make sure we do our part and put ourselves in a position to win the game.
A position the Cardinals are in because they have regained their Edge.
