Among the numbers Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner has put up this season -- 220 rushing yards in the season opener, nine touchdowns, an average of 4.3 yards per carry -- the one that stands out in bold type is his league-leading 227 rushing attempts.

Turner has one fewer carry in 10 games this season than he did in four seasons in San Diego, where he was the understudy for LaDainian Tomlinson.

After finally stepping out of L.T.'s shadow, Turner has proved he has the makeup to be a No. 1 back. He has rushed for 971 yards, third in the NFL behind Minnesota's Adrian Peterson (1,100) and Washington's Clinton Portis (1,063). Turner is a primary reason why the Falcons are 6-4 and in the hunt for a playoff spot one year after they went 4-12.

There's no arguing this point: The Falcons have received a good return on their six-year, $34.5 million ($15 million guaranteed) investment. Their addition of Turner was one of the best free-agent moves of the offseason.

"It was a great signing, and it has made a difference for their team, obviously," said Mark Dominik, director of pro personnel for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "He's been a big part of their turnaround."

Last year was one of the darkest in the history of the Atlanta franchise. There was the dogfighting saga involving Michael Vick, coach Bobby Petrino's walking out on the team with three games left and a lot of empty seats in the Georgia Dome.

Now, the Falcons are enjoying a rebirth largely because of three men: first-year head coach Mike Smith, rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and Turner, who is reducing the stress level of each of the other two.

What distinguishes Turner is his rare combination of power and speed. He is a big back (5-10, 240) who can hit the seam and go long distances. He has 25 runs of 10 yards or more, including a 28-yarder, a 38-yarder and a 66-yarder.

"There aren't a lot of guys like him in the NFL," said linebacker Na'il Diggs, whose Carolina Panthers take on Turner and the Falcons on Sunday in an NFC South clash. "They're doing a great job in Atlanta as far as getting him the ball and letting him just run down the middle, which is what he likes to do."

Because of his size and speed, Turner presents a big challenge for defenses.

"You've got to try to get early penetration -- you can't let him build up a lot of steam going downhill -- and obviously you've got to tackle well," Dominik said. "You can't be a coward. You've got to go up and want to hit him, even though he's a big man."

This is the time of year when every NFL player's body feels tired and beat up. But Turner went through that phase earlier in the season -- it took several games for his body to get used to taking a full-time beating -- and now he says he feels energized.

"I'm feeling fresh," he said. "I'm ready to go."

The statistics support Turner's claim that he's not wearing down. He is averaging almost as many yards per attempt in the fourth quarter (4.8) as he is in the first (4.9). His average on his first 10 carries in a game (4.5) is similar to his average on carries 21 to 30 (4.4).

One reason Turner has stayed fresh is that the Falcons have rotated in Jerious Norwood at running back. Norwood, who is more of an edge runner than Turner, has carried 69 times for 383 yards. The Falcons have the second-best rushing average per game in the NFL (153.4 yards) behind only the New York Giants (172.7).

At his current pace (22.7 carries per game), Turner would wind up with 363 carries in his first year as a feature back. That would be more than any running back had in 2007. Can he continue to handle that kind of load?

"I don't know," Turner said. "I've never been through a whole season as a starting running back, so this is my trial year. I'm going with the flow. When coach calls my number, I'm ready every time."

And Smith will continue to call on Turner. He knows a winning number when he sees one.

Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.

2

This was a "gold package" home game for the Packers, which meant it was one largely attended by Milwaukee season-ticket holders. No wonder the traffic heading north on I-43 Sunday morning was so heavy.

1. Three's a crowd

Since the NFL switched to four-team divisions in 2002, the Packers and Bears have ruled in the NFC North. Green Bay has won the division four times, and Chicago has finished first twice. Now, there's a logjam at the top.

With their surprisingly easy victory Sunday, the Packers raised their record to 5-5 and moved into a tie for first place with Chicago and Minnesota, which fumbled a chance to have the top spot all to itself by losing in Tampa.

This isn't the league's sexiest division, and only the winner likely will make the playoffs, but the remaining six weeks could provide plenty of intrigue for the contenders (sorry, Detroit, but you're not in this discussion).

The Packers, who have only one opponent left on their schedule with a winning record (Carolina), face two division rivals, Chicago and Detroit, in the final two weeks. The Bears have no opponents left with winning records, and they have Minnesota and Green Bay among division opponents. The Vikings, who still must play Chicago and Detroit, have three foes with winning records -- Arizona, Atlanta and the Giants -- in the final three games.

SN's WEEK 11 COVERAGE

10-Pack: Logjam in NFC North

Brown: Romo makes a difference

Breer: Titans relentless, resilient

Eichenberger: Big Blue too tough for Ravens

Dillon: Packers poised to repeat in North

Scoreboard: Full Week 11 results

More: RealScouts | TSB | Fantasy Source

I'm not a betting man, but if I were, my money would be on the Packers repeating as NFC North winners. And who would have predicted that back in early August, when Green Bay traded Brett Favre to the Jets and ushered in the Aaron Rodgers era at quarterback?

2. Counter intuitive

The Bears came into the game with the 30th-ranked pass defense -- the linemen had recorded only three sacks in the last four games -- and the fourth-rated run defense. So the Packers came out of their locker room throwing, right? Well, no.

Green Bay dared to go directly at the strength of the Chicago defense, which held the Titans to 8 yards rushing a week ago, and had scintillating success. The Bears were allowing an average of 74.9 yards rushing per game, but the Packers surpassed that mark by halftime, as they rushed for 138 yards on 19 carries in the first half.

Running back Ryan Grant finished the game with 145 yards on 25 attempts. It was his season high in rushing, and only his second 100-yard rushing performance of the season. Maybe like last season, Grant will come on strong in the second half and propel the Packers into the postseason.

The Green Bay line, particularly the inside threesome of center Scott Wells and guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz, manhandled the Chicago front seven. It pushed the Bears all over Lambeau Field.

And it wasn't just the linemen who blocked well. The tight ends and receivers stepped up, too. One highlight moment came when tight end Tory Humphrey lined up in the backfield, picked up outside linebacker Lance Briggs and turned him around on an 8-yard run by Grant.

3. Plenty left in the tank

Reports of the demise of Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher might be exaggerated. Although the '05 Defensive Player of the Year has been hindered by a back problem much of the season and his tackle totals have shrunk, he still can be a big playmaker.

In the second quarter, Urlacher lined up close to the line, as if he were going to blitz, and then dropped into coverage. Backpedaling and turning around, he reached up and intercepted a pass intended for Donald Driver at the Chicago 10. It was his first interception of the season.

Later in the first half, Urlacher burst through on a blitz and forced Rodgers to scramble to his right and thrown an incomplete pass.

4. Velcro men

Most teams are fortunate to have one cornerback who can play tight man-to-man coverage. The Packers have three defensive backs who can stick to receivers and practically suffocate them.

You know about starting corners Al Harris and Charles Woodson, but second-year defensive back Tramon Williams, who plays in the team's nickel package, has the same style. Just ask Bears wideout Devin Hester, who couldn't get inside position on Williams on a quick slant and saw it get broken up.

Williams was the only Packers defender who broke up two passes in Sunday's game.

Senior writer Dennis Dillon covers the NFL for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.

5

1 .Don't give Peyton Manning a short field

The Colts intercepted Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger three times, including on a Hail Mary on the game's final play, but the two that killed Pittsburgh resulted in fantastic field position for Indianapolis. And the Colts converted both opportunities into touchdowns.

Keiwan Ratliff's pick of Roethlisberger late in the first half set up the Colts at the Pittsburgh 30 with 1:24 left. Six plays later, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning tossed a 2-yard scoring pass to tight end Dallas Clark.

In the fourth quarter, after Roethlisberger's second interception, the Colts took over at the Steelers 32 and needed only four plays to score the game-winning touchdown.

2. Turning a weakness into a strength

After limiting the Giants to 83 rushing yards and holding the Redskins to 60 -- big squeezes on the NFL's top two running offenses in back-to-back weeks -- the Steelers figured to throw a blanket over the Colts' ground game.

For most of the game, Indianapolis all but disdained the run, figuring that going up against the third-ranked run defense would be like trying to knock down a brick wall. But when it mattered most, the Colts used the run game to set up the game-winning touchdown pass.

After taking over at the Pittsburgh 32, following Roethlisberger's aforementioned second interception, Dominic Rhodes ran three times for 14 yards. On first-and-10 from the 17, Manning faked the signature stretch play to Rhodes, then lofted a touchdown pass to Rhodes, who sneaked past the Steelers defenders to make the catch down the right sideline.

3. Feels like a stranger

We all know that Manning and Marvin Harrison are the most prolific quarterback-wide receiver passing tandem in NFL history. Their numbers coming into Sunday's game: 925 completions, 12,475 yards and 110 touchdowns.

But something seems wrong. They don't look like a couple of guys who know each other's most intimate thoughts. In fact, as Steelers radio analyst Tunch Ilkin observed during the first half, they look like strangers.

Although Harrison caught two passes for 31 yards in the opening half, he mostly looked out of sync with Manning. There were two telling moments. On a first-and-10 play from the 50 near the end of the first half, Harrison was wide open down the right side and appeared to make a half-hearted effort at catching Manning's pass. Yes, the pass was slightly underthrown, but in past years, Harrison would have snapped it up.

Then, early in the third quarter, he dove and dropped what looked like a certain touchdown pass in the front corner of the end zone on third down. Harrison suffered a mild concussion after the incompletion when he was kicked in the head, but he was back on the field for the Colts' next offensive series.

4. Next men up

One reason the Steelers are 7-3 and still leading the AFC North -- one of several reasons -- is their depth. With several starters sidelined by injuries, the subs stepped up to be counted.

Mewelde Moore started his fourth game in place of Willie Parker (shoulder) and provided a good chunk of Pittsburgh's offense. He rushed 24 times for 57 yards and two touchdowns, and he caught six passes for 58 yards. Other backups who played key roles for the Steelers were tight end Matt Spaeth, who started for Heath Miller (high ankle sprain); left tackle Max Starks, who subbed for Marvel Smith (back); and linebacker Lawrence Timmons, who replaced LaMarr Woodley (calf).

5. Tips for Taylor

Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor left his fingerprints on several Indianapolis passes as he broke up a number of attempts. But he'll probably remember two other close calls -- opportunities that turned from potential picks to receptions by Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne.

The first one came in the opening quarter and resulted in an Indianapolis touchdown. Taylor had great coverage on Wayne, but he deflected the ball into the hands of the receiver, who then spun Ryan Clark around to complete a 65-yard touchdown. In the third quarter, Taylor again tipped a pass for Wayne, who corralled it for a 16-yard gain.

Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.

7

1. Peyton Manning is starting to look like, well, himself

And that's good news. After struggling in the first seven games -- probably from a combination of coming back from two knee surgeries in the offseason and being out of sync with his receivers because he missed all of training camp -- Manning turned in his best performance of the season. It was the kind we're used to seeing.

Getting excellent protection -- he wasn't sacked once and rarely was pressured -- Manning completed 21 of 29 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns, both to second-year wideout Anthony Gonzalez.

It was a good thing that Manning returned to form, because Indianapolis had no running game. The Colts, who ranked last in the league in rushing coming into the game, gained only 47 yards on 21 carries.

2. Matt Cassel can do a decent Tom Brady

Speaking of looking like someone, Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel didn't do a half-bad impression of Tom Brady, the man he replaced when Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener.

SN's NFL WEEK 9 COVERAGE

Florio: Week 9 10-Pack

Brown: Cowboys need a break

Breer: Jets muddle AFC East race

Dillon: The Peyton we know is back

Crossman: Cards have playoff mojo

Fantasy Source: Blitz | UFR

Cassel connected on 25 of 34 passes for 204 yards. And he distributed the ball to seven different receivers. Cassel's passes kept alive several long New England drives. Unfortunately for Cassel, one of his last passes landed in the hands of Colts safety Bob Sanders, and the interception ended the Patriots' last good scoring chance.

3. Bob Sanders is an integral part of the Colts' defense

OK, we knew that before Sunday night's game. But Sanders' return after missing the previous five games with a high ankle sprain gave Indianapolis a much-needed lift.

Sanders made six tackles, but his biggest play was a leaping interception of Cassel's fourth-down pass late in the fourth quarter that basically ended New England's final hope to come back. It was a statement that the Colts are still down, but not out. The victory lifted Indianapolis to 4-4 and kept its hopes alive for a playoff spot with half the season left.

4. The Colts' defense still can't make stops on third down

And that's a big problem. Indy came into the game ranked 29th in the league in third down defense. Teams converted 41 of 92 attempts (44.6 percent) in the first seven games. And New England continued to beat that drum.

After hitting on three of six opportunities in the first half, the Patriots went 3-for-3 on the opening series of the third quarter. They converted a third-and-7 from their own 48, a third-and-5 from the Indianapolis 40 and a third-and-8 from the 29. Those three plays kept alive a 15-play, 72-yard drive that ended in a 6-yard scoring run by BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

But the Colts held on third down when it mattered most. With Indianapolis leading, 18-15, late in the fourth quarter, Cassel threw a short pass to running back Kevin Faulk, who avoided two tacklers before free safety Antoine Bethea brought him down after only a 1-yard gain. New England then went for it on fourth down, and Sanders intercepted Cassel.

5. The NFL is indeed a copycat league

The Patriots reinforced that notion when it twice set up in the Wildcat formation in the first half. Remember, running back Ronnie Brown and the Dolphins burned New England with that unique scheme during a 38-13 victory in Week 3.

In New England's rendition of the Wildcat, Faulk lined up in shotgun formation while Cassel split out wide to the right. On second-and-6 from the Indianapolis 23 early in the second quarter, Faulk took a direct snap and ran for a 5-yard gain.

The Colts were ready the second time. Faulk again took a direct snap and threw a quick pass to his left to wide receiver Wes Welker. But Bethea raced up and tackled Welker for a 2-yard loss.

Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.

13

Chris Johnson, who shares the Tennessee Titans' running back position, has rushed for 626 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan Clady, who has played every snap at left tackle for the Denver Broncos, has allowed no sacks and committed just two penalties. So who has been the better rookie?

"Chris Johnson has done a nice job, don't get me wrong. But in all fairness, he's not a full-time back," said former NFL general manager Charley Casserly. "To play left tackle as a rookie is pretty hard to do, and (Clady) has played really well. You could make an argument that he is better at his position than Chris Johnson is at his position."

We're all about arguments. So, in reverse order, these are the 10 rookies we think had the best performances in the first half of the season. Let the wrangling begin.

10. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina. Coach John Fox loves the power running game, and Stewart is his kind of guy. At 5-10, 235 pounds, Stewart is a dynamo who excels in short-yardage and goal line situations. The second running back selected in the draft (after Oakland took Darren McFadden), Stewart has rushed 96 times for 362 yards and five touchdowns.

9. Jake Long, OT, Miami. The No. 1 pick in the draft, Long is exactly what the Dolphins were looking for: a big, physical lineman who's a mauler in the running game. "He wants to dominate," said offensive line coach Mike Maser. "He brought that with him from Michigan, and I haven't done anything but continue to feed that attitude." As a pass blocker, Long has quick feet but needs to be more consistent with his hands.

8. Chris Horton, SS, Washington. From the beginning, this seventh rounder has stood out because of his instincts and knack for being around the ball. Horton is a physical player who is good in run support as well as coverage. He has 37 tackles, three interceptions and four pass defenses, and he makes a big play almost every game. Playing in place of former starter Reed Doughty, who has been hurt, Horton excels at playing close to the line, which allows free safety LaRon Landry to play the deep middle and cover a lot of ground.

7. DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia. After an awkward introduction on a national stage — he tossed the ball just before crossing the goal line in a Monday night game in Dallas — Jackson has emerged as playmaker for the Eagles. He leads the team with 32 catches, 505 yards and one touchdown (that one counted). His speed makes him an elusive target for defenses, whether he is running a go pattern down the sideline or taking a screen pass and turning upfield. Jackson also is averaging 11.2 yards on punt returns.

6. Jerod Mayo, ILB, New England. It's rare for a rookie linebacker to step in and play right away for the Patriots, but Mayo has been a nice fit in their scheme. Although he hasn't produced a lot of big plays, he has played consistently. Consider his game-by-game tackle totals: 6-7-12-2-7-8-6. He has good strength, uses his hands well and is instinctive. Most of all, he has earned the trust of the coaches and veteran teammates such as Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel.

5. Ryan Clady, OT, Denver. One of two rookie offensive tackles to start every game (Long is the other), the 6-6, 325-pound Clady is a perfect fit in the Broncos' zone-blocking scheme. He has a huge frame, long arms (37 inches) and moves his feet well. He hasn't allowed a sack despite going up against such pass rushers as Oakland's Derrick Burgess, San Diego's Shaun Phillips, New Orleans' Will Smith and New England's Richard Seymour and Adalius Thomas. Clady also is a good run blocker, as the numbers show. According to Stats Inc., the Broncos average 3.9 yards when they rush to the right, 3.9 yards when they run up the middle and 5.8 yards to the left — Clady's side.

4. Eddie Royal, WR, Denver. After he was underutilized as a receiver at Virginia Tech, some scouts thought Royal's role would be as a returner and third-down receiver. Instead, he has been the perfect complement to Broncos wideout Brandon Marshall. The explosive Royal has speed, change of direction and short-area quickness. He torched Oakland cornerback DeAngelo Hall in the season opener and then helped beat San Diego in the Ed Hochuli game by catching a late touchdown pass and the game-winning, 2-point conversion. Royal is the leading receiver among rookies (39 catches, 392 yards, 2 TDs) and has had nine receptions in three different games.

3. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta. The Falcons needed a new leader, a fresh face for the franchise, after the Michael Vick debacle — and Ryan has provided them one. He has put fannies back in the seats at the Georgia Dome, which was starting to sound like an echo chamber on game days. Few rookie quarterbacks have started for their teams since Day 1 and have played as well as Ryan has. He has completed 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,441 yards, 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Atlanta already has won as many games (four) as it did all last season.

2. Matt Forte, RB, Chicago. Asked whether Forte is as good as any rookie running back he's been around, Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner replied, "Better. He doesn't play like a rookie; he plays like a five-, six- seven-year vet." Forte can handle whatever type of run is called. He has the quickness and burst to get to the perimeter and is an instinctive runner with good vision inside. Forte is a double threat who has rushed 147 times for 515 yards and 4 touchdowns, and has caught 29 passes for 223 yards and 2 TDs. He just doesn't catch passes out of the backfield; he sometimes lines up wide and runs routes like a wide receiver.

1. Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee. Jeff Fisher never has had a player as explosive as Johnson. Once he hits the creases in the Titans' zone-blocking scheme, Johnson is a threat to go the distance. Eighteen of his 122 carries have gone for 10 or more yards — and he also is Tennessee's second-leading receiver (19 catches for 92 yards). Although his 4.24-second 40 was the fastest at the NFL Scouting Combine in 15 years, Johnson is a surprisingly rugged runner inside. He also picks up protections well, which is why the Titans often leave him on the field on third-down plays.

Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.

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