Green wants more 'Edge'

Cardinals coach Dennis Green isn’t bothered when Edgerrin James says he wants the ball more. “No, what bothers me (is) when my son doesn’t listen to me when I tell him to do something,” Green quipped.

Actually, Green acknowledged there may have been something to James’ comments.

“We have a guy we brought in to rush for 1,500 yards and you can’t do that if you don’t have the football,” Green said. “We want to get 25 carries a game (for James) and we haven’t got to 25 yet.”

James has averaged 22.7 carries a game, with 68 attempts (for 231 yards) in three outings. Green said in some games, James will have only 20 carries. But he added James should have had 30 carries against the Rams instead of just 24, but “we left so many plays on the field it was ridiculous.”

James wasn’t backing off his claims Thursday, although he emphasized he isn’t asking to get the ball regardless of the circumstances.

“It’s not saying, ‘Call my number,’ ” James said. “If (defenses) are loading up and there is no opportunity, don’t force it. But if the situation calls for it, you expect your number to be called.”

For James, offensive choices should be simple.

“Use the person that is open and a lot of times I am open,” James said. “I just know I can help and that is one thing I will never get away from, saying, ‘OK, I know I can help this team.’

“If we move the ball one way and get some points, you would think that’s the way it would go.”

RUNNING OVER

Arizona’s opponent Sunday, Atlanta, leads the NFL in rushing offense, plowing through teams for 225 yards a game.

“Any time a team is No. 1 in one aspect, they are going to give you some issues,” Green said.

What makes them so good? Quarterback Michael Vick said he didn’t know — “I just hand the ball off and carry out my fake,” Vick said — but it’s in part because of their depth. Besides Vick, the Falcons have Pro Bowler Warrick Dunn, who after averaging 5.1 yards a carry last season is at 4.9 this season. They also have rookie Jerious Norwood, who replaced beefy T.J. Duckett and averages 5.6 yards a carry.

“(The Cardinals) have Edgerrin James and I’m not sure you have to have another guy who spells him, except for here and again,” Falcons coach Jim Mora said. “He can take the rock and carry it 25, 30 times a game and do it for a whole year and hold up and wear people down without wearing down himself. With what we do, it benefits us to have two guys who can carry the ball.”

EXTRA POINTS

Tight end Fred Wakefield (back) returned to practice Thursday. Linebacker James Darling (calf) remained sidelined and is not expected to play. . . .

The Cards may have missed out on a chance to better simulate Michael Vick in practice. Receiver Damarius Bilbo, whom the Cards cut in the preseason, is currently with the Cowboys’ practice squad and is acting as Tennessee’s Vince Young on the scout team this week and will also play Vick in December when the Cowboys prepare for Atlanta.