For those that think Edge is the answer.

[dreamcastrocks]

Edge never asked for more carries. He question his lack of touches and lack of being apart of the game plan, concerning having his lowest reception total of his career.

I actually agree with this. If anything, Edge IS a 3rd down back with the hands and blocking that you want from a back on 3rd down. I think that taking him out on 3rd down for JJ is ********.

 

[CardLogic]

How's your wife? Compared to who?..

...Bottom line - If not Edge, then "who?"

Great post, Jeff!

Your ending question is one that hasn't been answered. As a Cardinals' fan one should have learned from past experience that it is not wise to cut a starter without a plan for his replacement. And keep in mind "replacement" means an known equal or better; not a hope and a prayer!

 

[earthsci]

Let's keep drafting for need. It's worked for us in the past.

 

[Duckjake]

How many RBs have the Cardinals drafted or signed as the answer to the running game only to have them fail in AZ and go on somewhere else to have productive careers? Maybe you need an effective offensive line to have a running game. Vikings have 2 Pro Bowl offensive linemen. The games is won or lost in the trenches. Detroit loves drafting WRs. Look at what that has got them.

Two that I can remember. GHearst and Thomas Jones. Pittman went on to have a productive career but as a 4th round selection I don't think he was drafted to be the answer to the running game.

On the other hand there were Tony Jeffrey and Tony Jordan, Anthony Thompson,Chuch Levy,and Leland McElroy who simply failed altogether. (Edit: I forgot to mention Emmit Smith and the famous ASFN quote: "we're so bad we made Emmit cry")

That many RBs struggling in Arizona really highlights your point about the offensive line. Something the Cards haven't been able to put together with any great success since the Coryell days.

The reason is that offensive lines, more than any other aspect of a football team, require continuity and when you have a new coaching staff every 2-3 years and run an Offensive Coordinator of the month club there is no way that can happen.

 

[nashman]

Fix the damn oline! The few times big holes gets opened Edge is able to break off some longer runs. We don't need a 50td when we open a hole, 8-15 yrds is fine as it keeps our offense on the field. I think Edge is still got plenty left if he gets some damn blocking. This team is freakin stupid if they cut Edge, god we have much more glaring needs than freaking RB this front office needs to pull their heads out and fix the D or the O-line and don't worry about RB unless its just a late draft pick for a project back.

 

[BigRedMO]

Two that I can remember. GHearst and Thomas Jones. Pittman went on to have a productive career but as a 4th round selection I don't think he was drafted to be the answer to the running game.

On the other hand there were Tony Jeffrey and Tony Jordan, Anthony Thompson,Chuch Levy,and Leland McElroy who simply failed altogether. (Edit: I forgot to mention Emmit Smith and the famous ASFN quote: "we're so bad we made Emmit cry")

That many RBs struggling in Arizona really highlights your point about the offensive line. Something the Cards haven't been able to put together with any great success since the Coryell days.

The reason is that offensive lines, more than any other aspect of a football team, require continuity and when you have a new coaching staff every 2-3 years and run an Offensive Coordinator of the month club there is no way that can happen.

You also probably recall that in the mid 80s when the Cards had a couple of competitive close to very good teams they had Jim Hanifan as head coach. Hanifan was the O-line coach for Coryell. Hanifan was O-Line coach again for the Rams when they were an excellent team. Hanifan when he was head coach had two book end tackles in Sharpe and Robbins. Interesting that success for the Cardinals seems to correspond with emphasis on the offensive line.

Another Coryell disciple was Joe Gibbs and we know about his creating the Hogs and the success achieved by those teams.

Also interesting that James was a HOF back in Indy and comes here and his numbers drop off hugely and immediately. He got old that fast?

 

[Duckjake]

Interesting that success for the Cardinals seems to correspond with emphasis on the offensive line.

More evidence: In 2002, a year that, due to injuries 41 different players started games and as a result the team had one of the worst passing attacks in NFL history, the Cards ran for 1,823 yards* and averaged 4.4 yards per carry rushing.

The offensive line? LJ Shelton,Pete Kendall, Mark Gruttadauria, Chris Dishman and Leonard Davis. Probably the most talent the Cards have had on the oline since the Hanifan days. 3 first round draft picks and the center from the SuperBowl champion Rams.

*the Cards had 1,450 yards rushing last season and 1,338 in 2006.

 

[az1965]

Interesting stats

here is the one I found interesting:

Yard per Carry by attempts:

Carry 1-10: 4.2 yards
Carry 11-20: 3.5 yards
Carry 21+: 3.0 yards

Just eyeballing other backs, some drop off but not not as dramatically while others get better.

This makes me wonder if he is just getting worn down at this stage in his career.

Could it possibly an indication of OL play???? Why is it only the RB?

 

[football karma]

More evidence: In 2002, a year that, due to injuries 41 different players started games and as a result the team had one of the worst passing attacks in NFL history, the Cards ran for 1,823 yards* and averaged 4.4 yards per carry rushing.

The offensive line? LJ Shelton,Pete Kendall, Mark Gruttadauria, Chris Dishman and Leonard Davis. Probably the most talent the Cards have had on the oline since the Hanifan days. 3 first round draft picks and the center from the SuperBowl champion Rams.

*the Cards had 1,450 yards rushing last season and 1,338 in 2006.

Wasnt that Jake's last year?

how many of those rushing yards were Jake's scrambles?

ahhh, the 2002 season.

Ruined the Seahawks new stadium opener.

Also the big showdown with SF for 1st place in week 6 or 7-- I remember it was one of the Cards first plays from scrimmage in that game (maybe the first) and Andre Carter blows by LJ Shelton, sacks Plummer and recovers the fumble. I dont think the game was more than 1 minute old and the Cards were down by 7 points.

 

[40yearfan]

Edge is not even ranked in the top 22 RBs in the NFL. The last RB is Lendale White with 22 big plays over 10 yards and Edge only has 16. Yup, that's even worse than Shaun Alexander (the softest RB in football). I don't know about you guys but we definately need a home run hitter in the back field. He's ranked 15th in the NFC and there 16 RBs in the conference so you do the math.




http://hosted.stats.com/fb/leaders.asp?range=NFL&type=Rushing&rank=069&year=


That's funny because Edge is 4th best in stuffs/carry. That means he isn't making the right cut or read after hitting the hole. Plus he doesn't have the ability to break tackles or the legs to make a long play.

I'll argue with you all day over that statement. A lot of yards were made on pure effort and that effort was all Edge's.

Sheesh, a reporter speculates on whether the Cards will keep Edge next year and suddenly it's the gospel truth. I don't know what the teams plans are where Edge is concerned, but I do know he deserves credit for what he's done the past two years. I wish him well no matter what happens. He's done his best and that's all you can ask of a man.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I'll argue with you all day over that statement. A lot of yards were made on pure effort and that effort was all Edge's.

Sheesh, a reporter speculates on whether the Cards will keep Edge next year and suddenly it's the gospel truth. I don't know what the teams plans are where Edge is concerned, but I do know he deserves credit for what he's done the past two years. I wish him well no matter what happens. He's done his best and that's all you can ask of a man.

You can't think this is the case, can you? It was discussed before the Rams game on-air by Dave Pasch. Then after the game Rob Moore mentioned it more than twice. Kent Somers mentioned the possibility in his .pdf the night before the Rams game. Darren Urban has a blog post about it up right now. The Cardinals Underground podcast spends several minutes discussing whether or not Edge James will be around next season.

This isn't a rumor.

 

[BigRedMO]

Whiz came to AZ saying he was going to run the ball. I am not a Steelers fan so am not particularly knowledgable about their teams but my impression is that the Steelers during the days when Whiz was with them did not have the flashy RB with break away speed. Jerome Bettis was a big bruiser who got the tough yards but was not break away type back. Based on Whiz's past it would lead me to think that he does not believe he needs the break away back.

 

[40yearfan]

You can't think this is the case, can you? It was discussed before the Rams game on-air by Dave Pasch. Then after the game Rob Moore mentioned it more than twice. Kent Somers mentioned the possibility in his .pdf the night before the Rams game. Darren Urban has a blog post about it up right now. The Cardinals Underground podcast spends several minutes discussing whether or not Edge James will be around next season.

This isn't a rumor.

Until you hear it from a team source, it's a rumor and pure speculation. That's what reporters get paid for and the members of the press corp here in Phoenix are all like lemmings. If one says it, they all jump on the bandwagon and start discussing it.

 

[Rivercard]

You can't think this is the case, can you? It was discussed before the Rams game on-air by Dave Pasch. Then after the game Rob Moore mentioned it more than twice. Kent Somers mentioned the possibility in his .pdf the night before the Rams game. Darren Urban has a blog post about it up right now. The Cardinals Underground podcast spends several minutes discussing whether or not Edge James will be around next season.

This isn't a rumor.

But all that is just speculation too. These guys have to talk about something interesting to fill all that air space - and the James speculation is a nice and edgy controversy. (sorry for the pun)

 

[Skkorpion]

This board is the right place for speculation. Whisenhunt has helped fuel the issue.

Speculation often turns out to be correct. In this case, the speculation is well-founded, I think.

 

[football karma]

You can't think this is the case, can you? It was discussed before the Rams game on-air by Dave Pasch. Then after the game Rob Moore mentioned it more than twice. Kent Somers mentioned the possibility in his .pdf the night before the Rams game. Darren Urban has a blog post about it up right now. The Cardinals Underground podcast spends several minutes discussing whether or not Edge James will be around next season.

This isn't a rumor.

I am a huge beleiver that if you listen to the Cardinal employed radio team (chiefly Pasch and Wolf), you get great insight into what the team is thinking (this is true of any pro sports franchise).

The radio guys job is to communicate to the fans and set expectations -- and what did Pasch and Wolf say about the offseason and next year in the later stages of the Ram game:

-they need help at corner and in the secondary
-they need a pass rusher
-they have questions about Edge, if he still has it, and if he is happy in AZ, but that they "wouldnt do a Pete Kendall and cut him leaving a hole."
-they need to get Dansby, Pace , et all addressed rather than going after big dollar free agents.

The whole offseason has been communicated to us. Give up fantasies about Alan Faneca -- unless he is willing to play for $2.5 mm per year. The Cards are going to sign a bunch of guys who are willing to take Gandy type deals.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Give up fantasies about Alan Faneca.

I refuse to give up hope. The move seems perfect.

 

[Skkorpion]

Very nice post, en fuego. But like a few others, I refuse to drop my hope of signing Faneca yet.

 

[Faithful]

CNN/SI has these splits: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/4652/rushing_splits.html

I think that Edge needs to be complemented, not discarded:

My thoughts exactly! Besides no matter what Whiz says, as long as we have Q and Fitz, this will be a passing team.

 

[Duckjake]

Very nice post, en fuego. But like a few others, I refuse to drop my hope of signing Faneca yet.
Today 05:29 PM

Lets see, we let a pro bowl guard go because he was too expensive. In so doing we had to pass on the offensive rookie of the year running back because we had to draft a right tackle to replace our right tackle who we had to move to left guard to replace the pro bowl guard we let go.

Now we're talking about paying big money to sign a pro bowl left guard.

 

[jefftheshark]

Lets see, we let a pro bowl guard go because he was too expensive. In so doing we had to pass on the offensive rookie of the year running back because we had to draft a right tackle to replace our right tackle who we had to move to left guard to replace the pro bowl guard we let go.

Now we're talking about paying big money to sign a pro bowl left guard.

Therefore, we need to cut Edge to free up the cap room to sign the new pro bowl left guard, so that then we have to draft a RB.

Don't ya love it when a plan comes together?

JTS

 

[Redheart]

This is really hard for me because I really like Edge, he is a great running back but it is clear he is not running away from any DB and most LB's.

He is really good for short yardage, but we need a back that can get the tough, short, yards and bust the big runs too.

Until we find said stud, Edge is the best running back I have seen in all the time the Cardinals have been in AZ. How is that for love, Edge?

 

[40yearfan]

Lets see, we let a pro bowl guard go because he was too expensive. In so doing we had to pass on the offensive rookie of the year running back because we had to draft a right tackle to replace our right tackle who we had to move to left guard to replace the pro bowl guard we let go.

Now we're talking about paying big money to sign a pro bowl left guard.

How many thought the Cards would never pay the amount of money they did to sign Edge? If someone can convince MB that we need Faneca, I do believe he will do whatever it takes to get him.

 

[cardsfanmd]

How many thought the Cards would never pay the amount of money they did to sign Edge? If someone can convince MB that we need Faneca, I do believe he will do whatever it takes to get him.

I wish he would have ponied up the cash to keep KVB.

 

[Duckjake]

Finally I've been able to figure out who has been making the personnel decisions for the Cards for the past 5 years.