Week 9 Judgements: Rookie backs making plenty of noise in league

1. If there's any consolation for Indianapolis, it's this: The Colts almost beat New England without four key starters. Joining Marvin Harrison on the sideline were left tackle Tony Ugoh and linebackers Freddie Keiaho and Tyjuan Hagler. Yet the Colts came this close to pulling off the improbable. I know, it's not much, but it'll have to do until next time.

2. If I'm Bill Belichick, I give my tackles more help the next time New England meets Indianapolis. I'm sorry, but Matt Light and Nick Kaczur are overmatched by Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.

Here's a fun fact: When Drew Brees plays well, so do the Saints. (Getty Images)

3. For those of you counting, that makes Tom Brady 31-2 on artificial turf. His only losses were at Buffalo and Indianapolis.

4. Memo to Andy Reid: Draft a big-time running back. The Eagles haven't had a hammer between the tackles, and it shows every time they're in third-and-short. They had second-and-2 Sunday which became third-and-1, and they couldn't make the first down. Do Brian Westbrook a favor, Andy, and find someone who can.

5. Let's call off the election now. It's Adrian Peterson for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in a landslide. All he did was produce 253 yards rushing ... in one half. By comparison, former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander had 217 in his last five games.

6. My NFC Offensive Player of the Week is not a player. It's a defense: The Detroit Lions unit produced two TDs, five sacks and four turnovers.

7. You can stop looking for the next Devin Hester. We found him. Would Antonio Cromartie please come down? My only question is: Why don't the Chargers have him return kicks or work him into the offense?

8. Denver's not in trouble; the Broncos are on life support. You have four shots inside the Detroit 6 and can't score? It's over, guys.

9. Seattle shouldn't go far in the playoffs for the same reason I can't see the Packers going far: no running game. I've given up on Alexander, and it looks as if the Seahawks may have to as well.

10. You've gotta feel for Buffalo's Marshawn Lynch. He's having a terrific year, yet there's only one rookie people talk about -- and it's not Lynch. Any other season, and he'd be Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he demonstrated why in the fourth quarter against Cincinnati. On one drive, he touched the ball on every play, carrying six times for 24 yards before throwing his first touchdown pass. On the next, he ran 56 yards for a TD. Nope, the Bills don't miss Willis McGahee.

11. This is why New Orleans wins the NFC South: Drew Brees. He's back on his game, and the numbers prove it. Brees has 11 touchdowns, one interception in his last four games. New Orleans won all of them. He had one TD, nine interceptions in his first four games and -- wouldn't you know it? -- the Saints lost all of them.

12. No one is suffering more in Carolina than Steve Smith. The last two weeks he had five catches for 33 yards. Once, that was an ordinary series for the guy.

13. There are two reasons Green Bay's win was so impressive: 1) It occurred after a Monday night travel date, and 2) the Packers did it by putting 20 fourth-quarter points on a club that hadn't allowed more than 20 in any game all season. Brett Favre, take another bow.