"Beanie Wells appreciates the good things that came in this football season. The Cardinals running back has missed only one game and rushed for 1,000 yards for the first time in his three-year career.

But Wells will look back at the 2011 season with frustration, too. An injury to his right knee suffered against the Steelers in Week 6 diminished his strength and explosiveness.

Wells persevered, helping to dispel the notion that he's soft, but he can't help but think about what could have been.

"I missed a few runs and had I been a little bit healthier, I would have been out there full time," Wells said. "But one day, I tell you one day, I'm going to be healthy and I'm going to unleash hell on this league."

Since the team moved to Arizona in 1988, the Cardinals' running game has rarely unleashed anything other than frustration. In 24 seasons, the Cardinals have had just six 1,000-yard rushers.

So Wells reaching that mark produced a sense of accomplishment but no celebration. The Cardinals have averaged 99.6 rushing yards per game, the most in coach Ken Whisenhunt's five seasons, but that ranks 25th in a 32-team league.

Asked whether the running game had made progress or produced frustration, Whisenhunt quipped: "Would it be fair to say you could have both?""