LVCARDFREAK
In the league 20 years!
That helmet-to-helmet hit on Brian Dawkins in the 4th qrt was a something of beauty. I still think Dawkins is seeing stars!
Beanie will sit for now
- Thread starter CardsGuy
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That helmet-to-helmet hit on Brian Dawkins in the 4th qrt was a something of beauty. I still think Dawkins is seeing stars!
LVCARDFREAK
In the league 20 years!
My biggest concern with Hightower last year is he hit the proverbial "rookie" wall. He wasnt running nearly as hard in week 10 as he was in week 2. Edge got his starting job back because Hightower wasnt running well, not b/c Edge did something special.
If he is in better shape this year and understands what it is like to play a 16 game schedule maybe he will be fine, but the cards will need another back to step up at some point this year. Playing RB for 16 games in the NFL is hard to do.
Someone mentioned the Barber comparision earlier. I agree-in more ways then one. Barber as a starter wasnt very good last year. He was used to splitting carries with Julius Jones and Felix Jones and being used as a 3rd down and goaline back. Once he was given the starting job, he couldnt carry the workload. I think Hightower ran into that same situation last year.
I agree with all of this. In addition we have to remember the Cards run blocking was atrocious almost all year. Most of Edge's positive runs involved making someone miss in the backfield. Even in the playoffs you could see the busted assignments on the oline that allowed guys to come into the backfield unblocked.
Hopefully after 20 games together and another off-season with Russ Grimm that will improve.
Yep.
82CardsGrad
7 x 70
No doubt...
My point was to simply say that we almost won the Super Bowl without a dominate, 16 game running back. I do believe that Hightower will be better this year, both physically and mentally, and our line will also be improved...
However, I would not imagine he would become a 16 game starter... he doesn't need to. My point is that with or without Beanie, I think we'll be fine at the RB position... Having Beanie is simply gravy.
joeshmo
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Who cares if he was a question mark leading up to each game. The ultimate outcome was that he still played the game so what came before that really has nothing to do about nothing. Its just like the people calling Dansby having an injury history. Just because he was on the injury report as probable most weeks doesnt mean squat when they actually play.
Playing with broken bones isnt ideal yet he still played and thats the point. He still played through pain and he still produced.
joeshmo
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He must of really been in bad shape then because its impossible to hit a rookie wall when you barely played until week 9, having like what a total of 100 touches all year up to that point.
Goldfield
Formally known as BEERZ
Thank you. I was about to post the same thing...
Goldfield
Formally known as BEERZ
Agreed
LVCARDFREAK
In the league 20 years!
He took over the starting job in the Rams game week 8 I beleive. You are right he didnt get a heck of a lot of reps before that, but he didnt do much after that either. Besides the Rams game his best game was 35 yards rushing against the seahawks. Maybe it was a combo of practicing, preseason games, 143 rushing attempts and 34 receptions, I dunno, but the way he ran earlier in the season-on fresh legs- was considerably harder than laster in the year.
82CardsGrad
7 x 70
The guy made the two biggest plays of the season last year in the Eagles game... 4th and 1 run on the final drive of the game, and then of course the TD on the short toss...
If that's hitting some sort of "rookie wall", I'll take that all day long!
His issues in the regular season after the Rams game, IMO, had just as much to do with the o-line and the rest of the team versus Hightower himself.
Again, during the post-season, when the o-line finally came together, both he and James ran as well as any Cards RB had run over the last 10 years!
LVCARDFREAK
In the league 20 years!
I am only going by what the man himself said "I was out of shape and got tired during the games" etc
I know he had a couple of nice plays and he did run fairly well against the Panthers but otherwise he didnt do squat.
82CardsGrad
7 x 70
10 TD's in the regular season and 3 in the post season?? "Squat"??
And, you can make a case that had not Hightower busted the 4th and short play to the outside in the Eagles game, the Cards might very well have missed their trip to Tampa last season...
"Squat"???
C'mon man...
LVCARDFREAK
In the league 20 years!
143 att, 2.8 ypc 399 yards - sorry
I like Hightower but he needs to show me something other than he can plow in from the 2 yard line. He is now a feature back, lets see what the production will be now that he gets his chance...again.
82CardsGrad
7 x 70
Uggghh... the man (a 5th round rookie) got the yards and the TD's when we needed them.
You're referencing ypc as if the Cards have some sort of long legacy of success in that category? How long has it been since a Cardinal RB excelled in ypc? The Cards have fielded some of the most atrocious o-lines and teams in the history of the game...
This year should serve as a good barometer for both Hightower and the O-line.
