Cards notebook: James surpasses 1,000 yards

Dec/25/06 10:15 AM

SAN FRANCISCO - For both the Cardinals and Edgerrin James, reaching the 1,000-yard rushing plateau is somewhat remarkable. Even James, who normally downplays such things, understands that.

“Under the circumstances, it means a lot,” James said Sunday, after he ran for 105 yards on 29 carries.

James has 1,093 yards this season, the highest total for a back since the franchise moved to Arizona, besting the 1,070 Garrison Hearst gained in 1995.

The Cardinals have had just three previous 1,000-yard rushers since moving to Arizona in 1988, the last being back in 1998 when Adrian Murrell ran for 1,042 yards.

Despite struggles, James nears 1,000

Dec/15/06 12:42 AM

TEMPE, Ariz. - Despite all his struggles in his first year in Arizona, Edgerrin James is closing in on a 1,000-yard season.

That's no big deal for James. He topped 1,000 in each of his last three seasons in Indianapolis and five times in his seven NFL seasons. But the Cardinals haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Adrian Murrell in 1998.

With three games to play, James has 925 yards and is coming off consecutive 100-yard efforts in victories over St. Louis and Seattle.

"Anything that's good for the franchise is good for me," James said after Thursday's practice. "It would be something that shows that the offensive line has improved. It would be a nice accomplishment, but me, I'd like to be in the playoffs and play for that Super Bowl ring. I've had 1,000 yards."

James, Alexander struggling after stellar seasons

Dec/10/06 12:24 PM

SEATTLE - A year ago, they were two running backs approaching free agency at full speed.

Shaun Alexander set the league's season touchdown record, and Edgerrin James surpassed 1,500 yards rushing for the fourth time in seven NFL seasons.

They were two Cadillacs headed toward the open market with one caveat: their mileage. Each was well past the average career span of an NFL player, but Alexander and James were anything but average.

They run into each other today, the second intersection of their star-crossed seasons. Alexander was stopped for six games by a broken foot, while James has been battered behind a busted line after going from Indianapolis to Arizona.

Edge's advice: Just take care of Matt

Dec/08/06 06:59 AM

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Edgerrin James has some simple advice for those who are plotting the Arizona Cardinals' future.

"If around here they do right by Matt, we're going to be all right," he said.

Enduring a losing season and often running into a brick wall on game day, James said that the future of the franchise is in the hands of Matt Leinart, the rookie who has coolly taken control of the Cardinals' offense.

He compares Leinart to Peyton Manning, his quarterback in much more successful times.

Running backs find their legs in St. Louis

Dec/05/06 08:22 PM

ST. LOUIS - Edgerrin James ran the ball most of the time, and then Marcel Shipp came in to score the touchdowns. And that was fine with James. “I told Shipp to go get all the touchdowns,” James said. “I want to get some yards.”

There was some irony that, after tying an NFL record for the fewest rushing attempts in a game the week previous, the Cardinals had two different running backs smiling after Sunday’s 34-20 win.

James finally got to his coveted 100-yard plateau, gaining 115 yards on 26 carries. Shipp had a threetouchdown day — the first touchdowns Shipp has scored since running in two and catching a third Dec. 15, 2002, in the same Edwards Jones Dome against the Rams.

'Edge' finally tops 100-yard mark

Dec/04/06 12:32 PM

December 4, 2006) — The Arizona Cardinals had the NFL's worst rush offense (67.7 yards per game) and the host St. Louis Rams had the league's worst rush defense (allowing 154.8 yards rushing per game) entering Sunday's game.

If Edgerrin James ever was going to break the ice with his first 100-yard rushing game with Arizona, this figured to the spot. It was. James had 26 carries for 115 yards in a 34-20 win.

James had 49 100-yard rushing games in seven seasons with Indianapolis, including 237 yards in two games vs. the Rams. He was 0-for-11 this season with Arizona.

(democratandchronicle.com)

‘Rested’ James ready to roll

Nov/30/06 08:10 AM

Edgerrin James was back at practice Wednesday, after the Cardinals’ running back had missed Monday’s walk-through tending to a sick relative in Florida.

And he kept his sense of humor in the aftermath of his four-carry day Sunday in Minnesota, the first time in his career he had been used so little for virtually no reason.

“Hey,” James joked, “they’re saving my career.”

James’ 28-year-old legs don’t need the rest, of course. He started strong against the Vikings, rumbling for 14 yards on the Cards’ fourth offensive play, and was barely seen again.

James skips walk-through

Nov/28/06 09:41 AM

A day after sitting out most of the second half against the Minnesota Vikings, Cardinals running back Edgerrin James didn't participate in a scheduled walk-through session at the team's facility in Tempe.

A team spokesman said James was visiting a sick relative in south Florida. He's expected to return for Wednesday's practice, five days before the 2-9 Cardinals visit the St. Louis Rams.

James, the team's prized off-season acquisition, rushed only four times for 15 yards in Sunday's loss. He caught two passes for 10 yards but spent most of Arizona's late comeback watching from the sideline.

James gets to edge of 100 yards

Nov/20/06 11:35 PM

Edgerrin James was glad to break a two-month losing streak, but there was still a bit of an edge to the Edge on Sunday.

James set his Cardinals high with 96 yards rushing in a 17-10 victory over Detroit, although he was a typical carry short of reaching his personal goal for every game, 100.

The Cardinals killed the final 4:35 with eight running plays, including five by James for 24 yards, before Matt Leinart took a knee on the final two scrim--
mage plays.

Rollin' With Cardinals running back Edgerrin James via IM

Nov/08/06 05:16 PM

The last time I hung out with Edgerrin James, he was the Prince of the Desert, the hottest thing to hit Arizona since ... well, you know what I mean.
After the former Indianapolis Colts halfback signed a four-year, $30 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals last March, he became the symbol of the rampant optimism surrounding the long-suffering franchise.

Five months later, when I arrived to cover the team's first preseason game at its sparkling new stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, James was large and in charge: scoring a Plasma TV for the locker room, shepherding a switch to black cleats and winning side bets from teammates on the sidelines and in local pool halls.

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James again at a loss

Oct/23/06 08:10 AM

OAKLAND - Running back Edgerrin James again expressed surprise and dismay Sunday about his lack of production since joining the Cardinals this off-season.

He can't say he wasn't warned.

"I got a lot of warnings," he said.

He watched tape of the Cardinals games last year and was reassured. He didn't see a lot of defenders near the line of scrimmage, so he figured he would have plenty of room to run.

Getting in Edgewise - Edgerrin James hopes new game plan opens running lanes

Oct/21/06 10:47 AM

I'm staring at the duplicity that is Edgerrin James. No, seriously. He possesses adjacent locker spaces at the Cardinals practice facility, one that says, "Edge," the other, "Edgerrin James."

Justin Timberlake's SexyBack is spilling out of the running back's stereo, although he insists it's just a coincidence, not a statement of self-perception. James, with his dreads, gold teeth and expensive suits may be audacious, but he has earned that right, and the sooner the Cardinals find a way to capitalize on his talents, the better.

James suggested Thursday that the promotion of offensive coordinator Mike Kruczek would help his cause.

'Edge' hopes for more room to run

Oct/20/06 07:11 AM

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Perhaps no back in NFL history worked so hard for so little as Edgerrin James did Monday night.

After gaining 55 yards in 36 carries, no wonder he hopes a change in offensive coordinators this week will create at least a little more room to run.

James, who has yet to have a 100-yard rushing game since coming to the Arizona Cardinals, said teams have loaded up against the run, and a shift in tactics under new coordinator Mike Kruczek might change that.
"I'm looking forward to that," James said, "so I can play my game rather than running into these brick walls."

Lay blame for Cardinals' breakdown at James' feet

Oct/18/06 08:19 AM

When your big-ticket running back runs for 17 yards on 17 carries in the second half of an implosion for the ages, what's the next logical move?

If you're Dennis Green, you fire your offensive coordinator.

The Cardinals head coach canned offensive coordinator Keith Rowen this afternoon for Arizona's Monday night disintegration against the Bears. The move brings Tuesday's offensive coordinator casualty count to two.

Tuesday afternoon, Ravens head coach Brian Billick "removed" Jim Fassel from his spot as Baltimore's offensive coordinator.

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Edgerrin James and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Oct/17/06 03:09 PM

I think we can all agree that last night's Arizona-Chicago game was one of the most shocking games in NFL history. Shocking in how Arizona dominated the first three quarters, and shocking in the way they choked at the end.

How on earth did the Cardinals manage to blow their 23-3 lead? Sure, kicker Neil Rackers deserves some blame for missing the game-ending field goal, and everyone on the Arizona punt coverage team is wearing goat horns today. But the biggest culprits in this loss were running back Edgerrin James, the offensive linemen who couldn't block for him, and the coaches who kept calling his number.

Yes, normally it is a good idea to run out the clock with a lead, rather than stop the clock with incomplete passes or worse, risk an interception. But not every general statement applies to every specific situation. The Cardinals have not been able to run the ball against anyone this year, let alone the Bears. When asked why he suddenly started dominating, Brian Urlacher told reporters “First of all, they weren’t blocking me.” Matt Leinart, meanwhile, was killing the Chicago zone coverage in the first half. Every single play he'd find some guy open and ping, first down.

James spinning his wheels in Arizona - Ex-Colt struggling to gain ground in 1st year with Cardinals

Oct/16/06 08:23 AM

MESA, Ariz. -- The Chipmunks' song "Mr. Lonely" warbled through the Cardinals' locker room Thursday, courtesy of resident disc jockey Edgerrin James.

A statement, perhaps?

"No, man, it's just XM radio," James said.

Fair enough, but you can't blame James if he's feeling a bit forlorn these days.

The Cardinals are 1-4 and James has gone a career-high eight straight games without rushing for 100 yards.

James to make most of carries - Running back says Cards offense has to capitalize on ground game

Oct/14/06 11:46 PM

Most of running back Edgerrin James' Sunday afternoons with the Cardinals have followed a similar pattern: He carries the ball fewer times than he wants, watches his team lose and then complains about how he is being used.

Tired of that rut, James said Thursday that he's changing.

"I just got to make use of what I get," James said of his carries. "I've come to that conclusion. Just to make use of what I get and whatever happens, just roll with it because talking about it is not going to do anything."

Cardinals' James getting hit by reality in the desert

Oct/13/06 07:57 AM

MESA, Ariz. - The Chipmunks' song "Mr. Lonely" warbled throughout the Cardinals' locker room Thursday, courtesy of resident disc jockey Edgerrin James.

A statement, perhaps?

"No, man, it's just XM radio," James said.

Fair enough, but you can't blame James if he's feeling a bit forlorn these days.

The Cardinals are 1-4 and James has gone a career-high eight straight games without rushing for 100 yards.

James angered by lack of running plays

Oct/09/06 10:06 AM

Running back Edgerrin James harshly criticized the team's play-calling after Sunday's 23-20 loss to Kansas City, saying the Cardinals didn't run the ball enough in the fourth quarter.

"We just got away from the run," said James, who gained 71 yards on 24 carries. "That's the stupidest thing. You have to be able to finish the game. You got to give us a chance, you know."

James carried four times for 10 yards in the fourth quarter.

James might get more touches

Oct/06/06 09:54 AM

A couple of weeks ago, Edgerrin James said he wanted to be a bigger part of the Cardinals’ offense. With rookie Matt Leinart starting at quarterback, James might get his wish.

The Cardinals are expected to use the running game and the short passing game more often with Leinart, which will mean more opportunities for James against a Kansas City defense ranked third in the NFL.

“Whenever they call my name, I’m ready,” James said. “If I have to carry it 50 times, I’ll be ready 50 times.”

Cards' James Won't Play Blame Game

Oct/05/06 11:53 PM

Edgerrin James is averaging 3.1 yards per carry through his first four games with the Arizona Cardinals - by far his career-low. He says there's no use blaming his offensive line.

"A lot of people want to point fingers here and there, and I just say there's no need to point fingers because this is what we've got," James said after practice Thursday. "We're not going to have a new offensive line, a new system. We're not going to have nothing new, and we've just got to make the best of it and do what it takes."

Edgerrin James Update

Oct/04/06 05:46 PM

When Cardinals RB Edgerrin James said last week that he thought he was being underutilized, our sources surmised that it wasn't so much that he wanted more carries but rather more receiving opportunities. We hear James would like to catch at least 4-5 passes per game.
(profootballweekly)