TEMPE, Ariz. -- The tugboat horn that signals a significant
play by Marcel Shipp was echoing through Sun Devil Stadium last
weekend, the first sign of life this season in the Arizona
Cardinals' running game.
The performance may have earned Shipp a starting spot ahead of
rookie J.J. Arrington on Sunday at Seattle, although coach Dennis
Green was noncommittal after Wednesday's practice.
"Obviously he's going to play," Green said. "He might start.
We'll see. I haven't really thought much about it."
With Arizona's offensive line struggling to create running room,
Shipp's smash-mouth style might be better suited for the Cardinals'
offense than Arrington's speed-oriented style.
"That's a good theory," Green said. "We have an idea of how
we want to do things, and boy we better get there and start doing
them. We know that Marcel and J.J. are two different types of
player. One has been a very good college breakaway threat and the
other is a good slashing, power-type runner. I think there's a role
for both guys."
Arrington has been listed as the starter virtually from the day
he was drafted. Shipp, meanwhile, underwent a grueling year of
rehabilitation after breaking his right leg and ankle in a training
camp scrimmage in 2004.
"It was very hard, mentally and physically, not knowing if you
could make it back from that kind of injury," he said. "Thank God
that I made it back and I'm playing well."
Undrafted, Shipp has persevered with the Cardinals despite
having first Thomas Jones, then Emmitt Smith and now Arrington
brought in and slotted ahead of him on the depth chart.
"No one's ever going to give me anything," Shipp said, "but I
don't want them to. I like working for everything I get so I know
that I deserve it."
With Arrington out due to illness, Shipp got the start Sunday
against St. Louis. He gained 54 yards in 12 carries and caught five
passes for 39 yards in Arizona's 17-12 loss. The Cardinals rushed
for 82 yards in 16 carries, nothing spectacular but far better than
the 31 they managed in 21 attempts in their opener against the New
York Giants. Arrington had five yards in eight attempts in that
game, Shipp 10 yards in seven carries.
Of course, Shipp wants to start, but he won't make it an issue.
"It's not my decision," he said. "I don't worry about it. I
don't get into things I can't control. All I can do is go out there
and play hard."
There are no hard feelings between Shipp and Arrington.
"We're good. He's like my little brother," Shipp said. "We
don't really worry about who's in the starting job. We're working
together. We want the same thing out of it, and that's wins. That's
all that matters."
With his attitude and work ethic, Shipp is one of the most
popular Cardinals among his teammates.
"I've thought Marcel was a top-notch running back for years
now," quarterback Kurt Warner said. "When we used to play him
when I was with the Rams, I always felt he had the whole package --
the quickness, the toughness, he can run over you.
"I think that's the advantage that Marcel gives us in some of
those situations. He can put his head down and run over you, run
through you and gain a couple of extra yards."