TEMPE, Ariz. — Edgerrin James was a big part of many terrific teams as running back for the Colts.
Yet he never made it to the Super Bowl until he was with a Cardinals franchise that has no history of winning, in a season in which he was benched for the first time in his career.
“Yeah, it’s weird,” he said, laughing. “This has been a weird year.”
James is back in his accustomed role as lead back in a rejuvenated ground game that figures large in the Cardinals’ plans against the Steelers.
“He brings a lot to the table for us that has been seen in the improvement of our running game,” Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
James said after Arizona’s practice Friday that at the end of his seven-game exile to the bench he drew up a few of his favorite running plays and showed them to offensive coordinator Todd Haley.
“I think you play better when you actually make a suggestion and the coach listens to you,” James said. “We’ve been running some of those plays that I’ve been comfortable with and we’ve been getting results.”
James came back in the final regular-season game to rush for 100 yards in a victory over Seattle, a performance that moved him into 11th on the NFL career rushing list.
In three playoff games, he has 203 yards in 52 carries, an average of 3.9 yards per attempt. Arizona has outgained its playoff opponents on the ground 333 yards to 232. That’s an average of 111 yards per game after a league-worst 73.6 yards per game in the regular season.
James said the Cardinals are just giving him and the running game more opportunities.
“You throw the ball 50 times and you run the ball nine or 10 times you are most likely not going to have a good rushing game,” he said.
He felt he didn’t fit in when Arizona went to an offense that relied so heavily on throwing the ball.
“I’ve always played the game a certain way,” James said. “This is my style of play, mixing up the pass and the run versus lining it up to throw it every time. I’m no scatback. I never tried to be.”
After he gained 17 yards in seven carries and had a critical fumble in a 27-23 loss at Carolina on Oct. 26, James lost his job to rookie Tim Hightower.
James had his agent ask the Cardinals to release him. They refused to even consider it.
“You have to go out and take it like a man,” he said. “You have to take the good with the bad. When things weren’t that good, I continued to come out here and tried to help High-tower and the other running backs.”
James’ teammates are happy to have him back in the huddle.
“Just his leadership ability is outstanding,” wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said, “the way he practices, he finishes runs, picks up pass protection, never complains, always on time, durable, you can continue to go on about Edge and what he brings to this team.”
