James angered by lack of running plays

[oaklandhater]

James angered by lack of running plays

Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 9, 2006 12:00 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. advertisement

Beginning with a possession that started with 9:29 remaining, the Cardinals passed on four consecutive plays. They were leading 20-17.

"That's like something new to me," James said. " I thought we played to win the game. You sit back and you wait and you say, 'OK, this is when my opportunity will come, this is when we're gong to wear them down and we're go to play to win the game.' But it's like we're doing the opposite."
The Cardinals did try to run on the last possession of the third quarter. James gained 9 yards on first down but was stopped on second and third downs.

Coach Dennis Green said that probably had something to do with the decision to pass later.

"We've got a certain amount of confidence in our passing attack," Green said. "I don't know if that's misplaced or not. And we don't have as much confidence in the running game, and I don't know if that's misplaced or not, to be honest with you. When you're 1-4, you're not sure of anything."

[StcChief]

But Edge is just in it for the Money anyway...

[noa]

If they had a decent offensive line, they would have been able to put the game away after it was 14-0. Just pound the ball, eat the clock, and keep all the momentum. They don't have that offensive line, though, so they let us back in the game. Edge followed the $$$, but he should have gone to a team with a decent OLine if he wanted to put up good stats.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

"That's like something new to me," James said. " I thought we played to win the game."

He didn't know Herm coaches us... WE play to win the game.

[oaklandhater]

So I would say with the way things are going it looks like green is going to get fired this year?

[FAX]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

... When you're 1-4, you're not sure of anything."

FAX

[DaFace]

Poor little guy...

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Obviously that interview was already translated for Edgerrin's normal tongue. A lot of that could have been lost in translation, which could account for the apparent anger:

Here is the original transcript, as best as I could recall:

We just got away from da run," "That’s da stupidest thang. ya’ll haz ta be able ta finish da game. ya’ll got ta give us a chance, ya’ll know."

That’s like something new ta me," James said. " meh thought we played ta win da game. ya’ll sit back an’ ya’ll wait an’ ya’ll say, ’OK, this iz when mah opportunity will come, this iz when we’re gong ta wear them down an’ we’re goed ta play ta win da game.’ But da thang haz like we’re doing da opposite."

[Baby Lee]

Is this the same James who sealed their fate by failing to get a 1st down on 2nd and 1 and 3rd and inches?

[Demonpenz]

James doesn't have the luxery of the colts going three wide with 3 of the 10 best WR in the league and dallas clark stretching the field.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Penz,

You obviously don't know how taxing it is to run against a 5 man front

[oaklandhater]

lol he sounded so much happier before the lost

Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 8, 2006 12:00 AM


Running back Edgerrin James delivered either a proclamation of hope or a eulogy this week when he summarized the state of the Cardinals.

They can blame many things for their fourth consecutive 1-3 start: the offensive line's breakdowns, the quarterback's turnovers, the defense's propensity for giving up big plays.

But remember one thing, James said.

"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 got," he said. "We're not going to have a new offensive line. We're not going to have a new system. We're not going to have nothing new. This is what we got this year, and we just got to go out and make the best of it."

So far, the best thing to come out of the season is the team's new stadium. But in moving into their new digs, the Cardinals didn't leave behind the same old problems.

So here they are, 1-3, again, and going with a new starting quarterback, the fifth in Dennis Green's three seasons as coach. Will rookie Matt Leinart experience something different than Kurt Warner, Josh McCown, John Navarre and Shaun King?

The Cardinals hoped to have Leinart sit and learn behind Warner this year. But Warner fumbled 10 times, losing three, and he had five passes intercepted during the three-game losing streak.

Green was quick to note that Warner shouldn't shoulder all the blame for the offensive problems. And the coach ripped his offensive line this week. But it's Warner who lost his job, partly because the 10th overall pick in the April draft was playing behind him.

"The quarterback position, everything is put on your shoulders," Leinart said. "I feel for Kurt a little bit."

Warner has been through this before. He lost his job in St. Louis to Marc Bulger. In 2004 with the Giants, he was benched in favor of Eli Manning.

Leinart comes with an impressive pedigree. He was 37-2 as a starter at Southern California and helped the Trojans win two national championships.

"I think we've got to understand who Matt Leinart is," Green said. "I think that as far as college football is concerned, I don't know if there's ever been a quarterback in the history of the game who has had as much success on that level."

Life in the NFL is far different, however, and it's hard to predict how Leinart will play today against Kansas City or for the remainder of the season. It doesn't help that he is taking over an offense that has had trouble running the ball and protecting the quarterback.

"A lot of it comes down to what you're asked to do," Warner said. "You look at a guy like (Pittsburgh quarterback) Ben Roethlisberger. He had tremendous success, but he wasn't asked to do a whole bunch his rookie year.

"Did he pick it up faster than Eli? I don't know; the situations are different. I think that becomes the biggest question mark. What are the pieces like around you, and what are you asked to do as a young guy?"

Leinart's move into the starting lineup means the team's future starts now, James said. Everyone knew the day would come when Leinart would become the starter, but the Cardinals hoped it wouldn't be only a month into his rookie season.

"It reminds me of how Indianapolis was," said James, who spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Colts. "When I first got there, they had come off a 3-13 season. Peyton (Manning) and Marv (Marvin Harrison) were developing a chemistry. Then I came in, and we built something together, and that's what it's going to take. You can't think it's just going to happen overnight."

[Deberg_1990]

Did anyone notice on that one run he made towards the sidelines that he basically just gave up at the end of the play? Ive noticed this alot about James. He plays very soft. I think this is why Indy felt that could lose him and not lose much. I liked James much better before that injury he had.

[DMAC]

Anyone who wears gold teeth shouldn't be allowed to talk.

[oaklandhater]

Am I the only one who finds it funny that he is talking about not pointing fingers before sundays game, then right after they lose he blames the coaching staff for not running the ball more?