Most NFL rookies just hope for some time on the field, a chance to make a good impression. But not Tim Hightower, a first-year running back for the Arizona Cardinals who was promoted to starter by midseason. For many pro-football watchers, the fifth-round draft pick came out of nowhere (actually, he played for the University of Richmond), but the 22-year-old Hightower has proved his worth — scoring nine touchdowns and rushing 327 yards by the end of November — and now his team is heading to the playoffs for the first time since 1998.

Q: How do you psych yourself up for games? Do you have a special iPod mix, or do you say a prayer or have some other kind of ritual?
A: I don’t believe in rituals too much; I’m not a ritual-type guy. I believe in prayer, if you want to call that a ritual. I just review my plays and think about all the hard work and sacrifice it took to get to this point. It’s pretty easy for me — I enjoy doing it.

Q: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about playing in the NFL?
A: The biggest, most important thing I’ve learned is consistency is your best friend. It’s a long season. One day can’t determine the next day. You’ve really got to start each day fresh and approach each day with the mentality of getting better. It’s such a long season — you’re watching film every day, you’re practicing every day — from training camp to the season.    

    Each day, it doesn’t really matter, you’ve got to find a way to beat the system on a good day, on a bad day, when you feel like doing it, when you don’t feel like doing it. Sometimes your body’s hurt, sometimes it feels good — you have to be the same guy.

Q: Are there particular days when it’s harder?
A: After suffering a loss, you want to work harder and erase what you did last week and redeem yourself. That’s the beauty of the game; when you have a long season, you have that chance. It helps you get motivated when your body’s a little bit sore after a game, and you want to wipe that bitter taste out of your mouth. You’re going to go out there and play. You’ve got to think about the sacrifice; you’ve got to think about your role on the team and that people are depending on you.

Q: What’s it like to run through the New York Giants’ defensive line?
A: It’s tough every week. It doesn’t have anything to do with them — it has more to do with us and what we’re doing. They have a very good defense, a very physical defense, but we play a lot of good defenses. We had to play a very good game.

Q: Do you feel like you personally had a good game against them? [Although the Cardinals lost 37-29 to the Giants in November, Hightower scored two touchdowns in the game.]
A: You can’t say you had a good game when you lose it; I can’t say that in the same sentence. I wasn’t good enough. Whether I have two yards rushing or 200 yards rushing, I want to win, and if I don’t win, it’s not a success for me in any way, shape or form. I don’t measure success based on stats or based on yardage or records. I base it on wins or losses. At the end of the day, that’s the only thing that goes down — the win column or the loss column. I don’t feel like I had a terrible game, but I have a lot of room for improvement.   

Q: What did you think when your collision caused Mark Roman’s visor to explode in the Nov. 10 game against the San Francisco 49ers?
A: I didn’t even know — I think two days later at practice, someone told me, so I had no clue. I just saw something flying in front of my face, and I didn’t know what it was. [Chuckles] That was kinda funny.

Q: Do you worry that somebody could tackle you by pulling your hair?
A: That’s never happened. People say that a lot. I don’t really think about that when I’m running; when you’re running, you’re just thinking about making a play, scoring the touchdown. I may think about it off the field. I try to tie it up; I try to switch my hairstyle, put it in a ponytail sometimes, keep them guessing, keep them on their toes.

Q: Has becoming a starter changed your relationship with Edgerrin James [the running back Hightower replaced in the starting lineup]?
A: Not at all. He’s been a class-act guy from day one. He’s the same guy. I want to remain consistent, and I have a perfect example in front of [me]. In good times, bad times, good game, bad game, he’s the same guy. He practices the same way, watches film the same way, takes care of his body the same way. That’s something I admire, look up to and respect. That’s tough to do. A lot of people talk about that, being the same guy, but I call it a skill, a way of blocking out everything else. Our relationship’s become closer; I’ve had to rely on him even more.

Q: What teams did you grow up watching? Were you a fan of the NFL growing up?
A: Oh, definitely. I loved the 49ers — Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice. I loved all those guys. I loved my 49ers, but I also loved Walter Payton and Barry Sanders.

Q: Are you allowed to be a fan of a team other than your own?
A: Now? No. I’m Cardinals all the way.

Q: Tell me what it was like on draft day.
A: I don’t know how to describe it. You just sit there and you wait. You pray for the best, and you expect the best, and you just go from there.

Q: Who’s your hero in life?
A: In life? Jesus Christ. Definitely Jesus Christ.

Q: Do you get to go to church on Sundays?
A: Not really. When we play on Sunday, I go on Wednesdays.