Defiantly, or perhaps obliviously, Edgerrin James told reporters in Seattle last month, ``It's up to me how long I want to play and how far I move up that [all-time rushing] chart.'' If only.

The Seahawks cut James this week and, as a high-mileage 31-year-old running back in sharp decline, the great former Miami Hurricane might be done with his NFL career because the league says so -- not him.

James inched up to 10th on the all-time list with 12,246 yards and even as a reserve may have had the chance this season to climb to eighth, ahead of Jim Brown (12,312) and Marshall Faulk (12,279). Now, 10th might be as high as he gets.

The Hall of Fame could be James' next career climb, but that's steep and I'd call his chances iffy. Four Pro Bowls, two rushing titles and only one first-team All-Pro season (as a rookie in 1999) might be too modest a résumé for even a top-10 yardage niche to overcome. A 4.0 career yards-per-carry average doesn't help.

An indication of James' Canton hopes could come in 2010 when Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis become eligible. They rank fourth and fifth in career yards, yet are not seen as locks. If either gets in, James could have a chance, albeit one I wouldn't bet on.

• Marino under siege: Three of Dan Marino's four biggest records have been eclipsed. His last great one -- 5,084 passing yards in a season, set in 1984 -- might not last long. Colt Peyton Manning's current pace would put him at 5,090, and the erosion of Joseph Addai as a major running threat suggests Manning's air show won't abate.

• Ted Ginn's company: Those kickoff-return TDs last week put Ginn in rare company. Only Dolphins before him with a KR score: Joe Auer (1966), Mercury Morris (1969-70-71), Freddie Solomon (1977), Fulton Walker (1981), Marc Logan (1989) and Wes Welker (2004).

• Hope for the disregarded: Since current 12-team playoff format commenced in 1990, 20.6 percent of playoff teams were at .500 or below at this point in the season.

• Touchdown festival: The 582 touchdowns are the third-most through eight weeks, trailing only 2002 (593) and 1983 (586). Saints' league-leading 36 TDs are third-most through seven games, after 1950 L.A. Rams (40) and 2000 St. Louis Rams (37).

• Rarity of 6.0: Titan Chris Johnson, averaging 6.9 yards per rush, threatens to be NFL's first season rushing leader to top 6.0 since Barry Sanders' 6.1 in 1997.

• Big-play bonanza: The 81 touchdowns of 50 or more yards are the most through eight weeks since 1970. Previous high: 80 in 1998.

• Rookie coaches: Indy's Jim Caldwell this week tries to become only second rookie head coach to start 8-0, after Portsmouth Spartans' Potsy Clark in 1932. (Whatever happened to guys named Potsy? There's Clark, and Ralph's friend Potsie from Happy Days and that's it).

• Sack streaks: Colt Dwight Freeney has a sack in all seven games. Only longer streak to start a season: Eight games by then-and-now Colt Robert Mathis in '05.

• Tight ends on the loose: Tight ends, once seen as mostly blockers, are on pace to set all-time season records for most catches, yards and TDs at that position.

• Wins by decade: Colts (108) and Patriots (107) have a chance to break the record for most franchise victories in a decade. Mark is 113 by the 49ers in the 1990s.

• Almost halftime: Seven teams are at the midway point with eight games played, but the other 25 get there this weekend. Therefore, next week in this space, inevitably: Our midseason awards.

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