Assumptions had to be replaced with patience.
“I’m not going to say it wasn’t a frustrating time for me because it definitely was,’’ Sanders said. “Any time you come into a season and you think you’re going to be the guy, and for whatever reason it doesn’t work out that way, and you don’t know why, of course it’s going to be frustrating. But I have no control over that.’’
When Sanders returned as a starter, he was joined by veteran cornerback Shawn Springs, who also had been benched for a few games. Sanders had a season-high seven tackles against the Panthers. Last week against Jacksonville, a Sanders tackle stopped the Jaguars from picking up a critical first down on fourth and 1 in the first quarter. Later he put a hit on tight end Marcedes Lewis that knocked Lewis out of the game.
Sanders could be seen making plays and also was heard by his teammates, pointing out assignments and helping to keep everyone in position.
“James is one of the smartest players I’ve been around,’’ said linebacker Jerod Mayo, a defensive captain. “You know, coming in as a rookie last year, he’s really helped me and helped some of the guys make some of the checks out there on the field. So any time you have a veteran that’s been in the system for a long time, it’s huge.’’
That respect is what drew some of Sanders’s teammates to him for advice even though he wasn’t playing. The questions didn’t bother Sanders. Instead he remembered his rookie season, when players such as Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, and Mike Vrabel answered his questions and encouraged him.
“We had a lot of guys I could just sit back and learn the game from and ask them and pick their brain if I had questions,’’ Sanders said. “I felt like that made me a better player over the last couple of years, and hopefully I can relay some of that information to some of the younger guys as well as asking guys like Junior [Seau] and Adalius [Thomas], Shawn when I still have questions.
“You can learn something new each and every day being here.’’
Sanders was so baffled by his lack of playing time after the opener that he eventually asked defensive coordinator Dean Pees why he was out.
