Do you think Edge regrets leaving?

by BigBlueShoe on Jan 26, 2007 4:30 PM EST in Analysis Comment 18 comments

It's interesting: many felt the lose of Edgerrin James to free agency last year was the beginning of the end for the Colts. It turned out to be anything but. James was replaced by the combination of Dominic Rhodes and rookie Joseph Addai. In these playoffs, Rhodes and Addai have rushed for 380 and 2 TDs. In the playoffs, Edgerrin James had an annoying habit of... well, disappearing. He never cracked the 100 yard mark in the playoffs. Joseph Addai did in his first playoff game. He ran for 122 yards and a TD against the Chiefs. The next week, against a very dominant Baltimore defense, Dominic Rhodes' running helped ice the game, taking over 6 minutes off the clock and setting up Adam Vinatieri's fifth FG. Again the Patriots, Joseph Addai scored the game winning TD.

It seems, beyond any doubt, that the Colts simply do not miss Edgerrin James. James left because Arizona offered more guaranteed money, and because then-coach Dennis Green ran a similar practice schedule that Dungy does. Green is now gone after guiding the Cardinals to another losing season. New coach Ken Whisenhunt will supposedly have tougher practices and expect more from his high-priced RB. Meanwhile, the Colts are in the Super Bowl, and are running the football better than they ever did with Edge.

PaytonMenning discussed this in another entry:

Perhaps a lot of the Colts reputation for finesse ultimately falls to Edge's feet.

He was the one to be held at the goal-line stand during our 38-34 loss to the Patriots in the 2003 regular season.

I know there are more instances - he was definitely not a great short-yardage back. The Addai/Rhodes combo has been more productive in terms of the power game when we needed it.

I'm a big Edgerrin James fan, but it seems the team simply did not need him, and is better off without him. Would this team be in the Super Bowl is Edge were still on the team? I'm not so sure. Thoughts?

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Edge

This definately closes the "Did-Edge-make-Peyton-look-good-because-they-respect-him-so-much" Argument that was discussed so intense last season.
Saying that Edge was the most important player on our Offense.
Telling people to remember that year where Edge went down, and Dom was the starter. Completely ignoring how amazingly bad our defense was back then.

I would like to hear from those people now!

by Aquabats on Jan 26, 2007 4:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

considering

that the Edge is a far better RB than Addai or Rhodes, I'd say the answer to that question is pretty obvious.

by Terry on Jan 26, 2007 4:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

As always ...

Your stupidity knows no bounds.

Addai had a far better season (2006 regular season), than Edge did. As a backup he rushed for barely 70 less yards all season, and he rushed for one more TD than James did. Addai's 4.8 yds per carry FAR outranked James' 3.4 this season. Edge's longest "breakout" run this season was 18 yards, while Addai's was 41 yards.

Edge clearly was not the better back this season. I like Edge as a player - but in terms of what he brought to the team, I do think the Addai/Rhodes 1-2 punch is a better fit.

by PaytonMenning on Jan 26, 2007 5:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

clearly

your ignorance knows no bounds. Of course Addai had a better year, he had a better line. If they switch teams this season, Edge would have much, much better season statistically.

Anyone who thinks Addai is a better back doesn't know anything about football, period.

by Terry on Jan 27, 2007 7:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Here ya go ...

Putting words in my mouth. I said Addai had a better season - not that he's the better back.

Edgerrin James in his prime is probably the better back. We've got to see what Addai develops into, before we can make that assessment.

All you can fairly say is that this season (2006-2007) Addai has been the better back.

I suppose you think LT is worse than LJ because LT has the better o line?

C'mon, show us all how dumb you are.

by PaytonMenning on Jan 28, 2007 1:56 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Will he regret leaving

it's too early to tell. Whisenhunt seemed to do a good job with the Steelers offense and had great running games.

by cookding on Jan 26, 2007 5:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure he regrets it now...

BUT, if the Colts don't win on Sunday and Arizona ends up in a Super Bowl with Edge as the running back, he won't be unhappy.

"Careers are made by what you do in post season play" - Troy Aikman 1.7.07

by Chad on Jan 26, 2007 5:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No real regrets

I'm sure Edge would like to be a part of the Super Bowl team now, but he did get paid. And he now has an offensive-minded head coach and an offensive line coach as assistant head coach. Plus an up-and-coming QB and the 2nd best tandem of WRs in the league. No trophy maybe, but it's still not so bad being Edge in that offense.

Whether the Colts are better off seems obvious. After all, we've never been this far before. Dominic shoved the ball down the Ravens' throats. Addai waltzed into the end zone against New England. Those kinds of things just didn't seem to happen in years past. I don't blame Edge for past team failures, but it certainly seems that our running game has become more dependable.

by ctnyc on Jan 26, 2007 9:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Lets not get crazy here...

"Addai waltzed into the end zone against New England. "

I could have scored. The blocking on that play was incredible.

"Careers are made by what you do in post season play" - Troy Aikman 1.7.07

by Chad on Jan 27, 2007 2:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Edge compared to Rhodes/Addai

There is no question that the O-line blew the Pats off the ball on that last play (see the discussions about the Saturday block) and any of these backs could have walked in. Does anyone have stats on turnovers and/or stops on key plays? Somehow, it seems to me that when the key moment was there, Edge wasn't.

by RomanGabriel on Jan 27, 2007 1:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

which is the whole point of the story ...

addai has been getting it done all season - not just on that one play (even though it was great).

by PaytonMenning on Jan 28, 2007 1:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well..

I don't regret him leaving, so that's all that really matters.

by KingRichard on Jan 26, 2007 9:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

edge was good

Running backs are a dime a dozen. Bill P knows this and made the tough decision. His first two seasons til the knee injury were fantastic and after that he dropped a notch. Good back but too easily replaced

by phantom angel on Jan 27, 2007 7:17 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

edge gone

i agree with phantom angel. edge was never the same after the knee injury. Addai brings rookie speed and quick cuts back to our running game. his big advantage it he hits the holes quickly, so even though our line isn't that big, the holes don't have to stay open long for him to get there. something james wasn't really doing. i think splitting duties and not having an 'every down' back helps two - fresher legs at the end of the game has burnt a lot of defenses....

no we don't miss edge ... or we wouldn't have made it in the superbowl. and RomanGabriel has a point. how many times did james just not show up, or worse turnover in the ball in big games?

by bluegirl on Jan 27, 2007 3:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

clarification

Yeah, you guys are absolutely right that it was superior blocking that sprung Addai. And I think bluegirl is right too that Addai's speed helps him hit the holes quicker; I would add that defenses have to play differently for Addai than Edge, even near the goal line. And Edge probably would have scored in that same situation, but I guess my not-so-well-articulated point was that Edge never did seem to score in those big situations. Which is not to say that it never happened... but. I have to admit I found myself on Sunday night wondering what would stop us from scoring. But then we did. It's not be fair to blame Edge for all the past failures, but I'm sure glad we have the guys we do now. They got us to the Super Bowl.

by ctnyc on Jan 28, 2007 12:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

terry showcases his irrelevance again

terry, c'mon...not long ago, you were praising romo as if he was the second coming of montana, aikman, unitas, etc. do you really think a group of colts fans are going to think your comments on OUR players hold any weight?

seriously, shouldn't you be looking at the reports from the senior bowl to see what your down and out dallas team can do during the offseason to try and win a playoff game this decade?

by tenyardfight on Jan 28, 2007 1:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The mistake...

was not splitting carries when Edge was on the team. I think he just wore down. I'm sure he regrets moving being a terrible o-line.

Edge is a different runner. He got his 4.2 but never much more than that. He ran safe (probably due to the injury) and didn't really elude tackles--he just used his power to spring through for the extra yard. Rhodes tried adopting that and that's why Rhodes sucked when he was subbing for Edge. Addai is perfectly willing to run straight into a tackler if he has to, but he tries to get away within reason rather than springing forward for the extra yard. Rhodes is doing a lot better using his original Addai-like style. Either one of these guys has a lot better odds of making a big play than Edge. Edge was great for the 3-yards and a cloud of dust, but if you can get a guy that is great at blocking, catching and also has a better chance of making a big play--and is less money, and you have a guy like Rhodes, good in all phases of the game and you know you can get 1,200 yards out of him if the new guy doesn't work out, you let James go.

If James was still on the team, I don't think the Colts would be in the Superbowl. Not because he's worse but because he would be too beat to have done the things these 2 have done together. Rhodes has been splitting carries so he's in good form at the end of the season instead of being dulled by 4 months of warming the bench.

by will on Jan 29, 2007 8:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs