AFC SOUTH Colts RB James back to old ways
He's leading the AFC in rushing.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Edgerrin James is back to his old ways.
Eluding tacklers with knee-buckling cuts and spins, dropping his shoulder to finish runs, he's giving the Indianapolis Colts the runner they need to keep defenses honest.
"He sets the tone for us," coach Tony Dungy said Monday.
Yet the two-time NFL rushing champ has nearly become a forgotten figure this year amid the fanfare of the Colts' record-breaking chases. Peyton Manning is closing in on Dan Marino's record for touchdown passes in a season, receivers are putting up career numbers and the Colts' offense is on pace to score the second-most points in league history.
Team knows his worth
James seemed out of the mix until Sunday, when he shredded a solid Chicago defense for 204 yards on 23 carries, an average of 8.9. It was the second-best performance of his career and included his first touchdown in five weeks.
Now, at age 26 and possibly facing free agency after this year, James is re-emerging as one of the league's most dangerous runners. He leads the AFC in rushing with 1,081 yards. Only Shaun Alexander of the NFC's Seattle Seahawks has more (1,151 yards).
James also is averaging a career-high 4.9 yards per carry and tops the conference in yards from scrimmage (1,399).
"Everyone on this team knows the importance of Edgerrin and knows exactly what No. 32 is capable of doing," Manning said.
James won rushing titles in 1999 and 2000, when he also strung together back-to-back seasons with more than 2,000 total yards.
Everything changed midway through the 2001 season, when James tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Now James, like Manning and the Colts' offense, is on the brink of history. Should he win the conference rushing title, the four-year gap between title runs would be the longest in AFC history.
Seattle's Curt Warner holds the record after winning rushing titles in 1983 and 1986, long before the Seahawks switched conferences.
James' approach is different this time.
He now acknowledges the sideline is his friend. Although he still despises taking plays off, he says it has made him a stronger runner late in the season.
Sunday's game was an example of that new philosophy. The Colts pulled James after three quarters and he didn't seem to mind -- even though he needed just 16 yards to break his single-game franchise record.
"With another game on Thursday, I wanted to make sure I stayed fresh for that game and for the rest of the season," he said.
That could be disheartening news for opponents already battered by the Indy offense this year.