Nov 3, 2008 - 2:12 PM
0 shoutsBy Zachary Ingraham PA SportsTicker Staff Writer
The Arizona Cardinals evidently found their running back of the future in the fifth round of April's draft.
Rookie Tim Hightower made his first career start Sunday and did not disappoint, rushing for 109 yards and a touchdown to help the Cardinals post a 34-13 victory over the NFC West rival St. Louis Rams.
"I started to feel more comfortable as the game progressed and I'm thankful for the opportunity," Hightower said. "I'd like to thank my O-line and the fullback - they did a great job all day. They opened up the holes and made my job a lot easier."
Selected 149th overall out of Richmond, Hightower was the 13th running back taken during the 2008 draft. He has done nothing but impress in his first year, culminating in Sunday's performance.
The 22-year-old Hightower had 22 carries, including a career-long 30-yard touchdown run with less than two minutes left in the first half to break open a close game.
For Hightower, it wasn't about starting. It was about the team, which has opened up a commanding three-game lead in the division.
"I expect to do whatever they tell me to do," he said. "One thing I try not to focus on is how many carries I'm going to get or what I'm going to do. I came in with the mindset that whatever they want me to do, I was going to do it to help the team win.
"Regardless if I had 20 carries, had five carries, played special teams or whatever it was, that I was going to do whatever it takes to win."
Hightower's success came at the expense of Edgerrin James, who had started all 135 games he had played since entering the NFL in 1999.
James, who did not touch the ball Sunday, told the Arizona Republic he knew the move was coming.
"It's been brewing for a while," James told the newspaper. "I'm supportive of Tim and happy for him."
Hightower did not hesitate to credit James' teachings for his early success.
"Edgerrin helped me out a lot this week in practice, just like he's helped me out all year," Hightower said. "It's very important to me. It means a lot to me to have somebody like him. I look up to him a lot. I respect him a lot.
"From day one he's embraced me, he's taught me a lot of things and he's pretty much held me by the hand and walked me through a lot of things. It helps when you have a guy like that, who's been there and who's done that - who's had success."
Still, the transition to a backup cannot be easy for James, who signed a lucrative four-year contract with the Cardinals 2 1/2 years ago.
A four-time Pro Bowler with the Indianapolis Colts, James failed to produce similar numbers in Arizona.
And at 30 years old with a history of knee injuries, it became clear this year that James was not the future of the Cardinals' franchise.
Enter Hightower, who followed up an impressive training camp with a solid preseason. He became the Cardinals' goal-line running back and already has seven scores over the first half of the season.
James, on the other hand, was continuing to struggle. He rushed for 380 yards over the first seven games, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry.
While James' woes gave Hightower the chance to become a starter, Hightower's achievement likely will give James the opportunity to explore free agency this offseason.
