NFC West

Teams are listed alphabetically

Halfway home

Offensive MVP: Steve Young, QB, 49ers. He's in his 14th NFL season. He recently turned 37. And he keeps raising the bar higher. Last year, after he suffered a concussion in the season opener, the 49ers asked Young to be more conservative. This year, they asked him to just be himself. The evidence: six 300-yard passing performances (he's on pace to throw for 4,870 yards this season), a league-leading 21 TD passes and an unbridled, albeit more savvy, approach as a runner. Oh yeah, it's fun being Young again.

Defensive MVP: Kevin Greene, LB, Panthers. Another player who doesn't let age deter performance, Greene, 36, had 12 sacks after nine weeks. On one, he leaped over Buts running back Warrick Dunn to get quarterback Trent Dilfer. Greene has had 83 1/2 sacks since turning 30--more than any other NFL player--and set a league record earlier this season with at least two sacks in five straight games (including the final game in '97).

Top rookie: Cam Cleeland, TE, Saints. Coach Mike Ditka, a Hall of Famer, knows a good tight end when he sees one. Ditka called Cleeland "my guy" when the Saints drafted him in the second round last April. Ditka's guy had 28 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns through last Sunday--this after suffering a serious eye injury in a controversial hazing incident during training camp.

Top coach: Dan Reeves, Falcons. Reeves has rebuilt one of the division's weakest teams into a fundamentally sound playoff contender that has won 12 of its last 16 regular-season games. The Falcons match up physically with most opponents and lead the league in time of possession.

TSNumber: 8. Times Rams quarterback Tony Banks was sacked by the 49ers in Week 8. That equaled the number of sacks St. Louis' former NFL franchise, the Cardinals, gave up the entire season in 1975. -- Dennis Dillon

Atlanta

6-2:T 1st

Anderson shines, line battles, teams wins

BURNING ISSUE: The same offensive line that has paved the way for RB Jamal Anderson's terrific start (he is now No. 4 on the team's rushing list) also has allowed 31 sacks. Rookie T Ephraim Salaam and second-year G Calvin Collins have been particularly inconsistent, and even veteran T Bob Whitfield has had lapses. QB Chris Chandler believes the problem up front isn't a lack of talent, but rather a lack of experience and time playing together. If that is the case, the line should improve over the second half of the season. Expect second-round pick Bob Hallen and undrafted rookie Jose Portilla to get increased playing time at guard and tackle, respectively, in an effort to upgrade at those positions and get the rookies some experience.

MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE: After rushing for 323 yards in last year's 1-7 start, Anderson has broken out for 862 in this year's 6-2 first half. He has eclipsed 100 yards in five of his last six games, and he's averaging 108 per game. In addition to his 862 rushing yards, Anderson has 215 receiving yards. If this keeps up, it'll be hard to keep Anderson out of his first Pro Bowl.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Second-year QB Tony Graziani hasn't played well enough to take the No. 2 job from 44-year-old Steve DeBerg. DeBerg is a gamer, and has been a good addition because of his experience and insight, but he isn't going to win many games on his own. If Chandler goes down, the Falcons are in serious trouble.

DRAFT ANALYSIS: Two players have made an impact: Fourth-rounder Tim Dwight, a return specialist and H-back, and seventh-rounder Salaam, who has started every game at fight tackle. Dwight led all NFL rookies with 871 all-purpose yards through October 26, but he has a sprained knee that will keep him out of the next three to six games. Salaam is starting by default and is being pushed for his job by Portilla. The top three picks have contributed minimally. LB Keith Brooking, chosen 12th overall, backs up Cornelius Bennett and plays in nickel situations, Hallen is a reserve guard and WR Jammi German, a third-rounder, hasn't caught a pass.

WHAT TO EXPECT: The team has shown that with Chandler healthy and Anderson in the lineup, it is playoff caliber. Although the second-half schedule is more difficult than the first, the team should stay close with the 49ers and secure at least a wild-card berth if there are no major injuries. -- Tony Fabrizio

GRADING OUT vs. St. Louis

OFFENSE B+

Anderson had his best day as a pro, rushing for 172 yards and scoring 3 TDs.

DEFENSE B+

Rams held to 46 yards rushing, didn't get a first down until Falcons led 17-0.

SPECIAL TEAMS B

Solid coverage and 3 FGs by Morten Andersen, but one FG was blocked.

STRATEGY A

Rebounded from an ugly loss to the Jets with one of the year's best efforts.

FALCONS

PASSING        Att.   Comp.     Pct.    Yds.   Long
Chandler       179      92     51.4    1538      62
DeBerg          34      18     52.9     195      29

PASSING         TD     Int.    Rate   Sacks
Chandler        12       7     86.8      24
DeBerg           1       1     67.6       5

RUSHING        Att.    Yds.     Avg.     TD
J. Anderson    187     862      4.6       6
Chandler        14      39      2.8       1
Green           13      30      2.3       0

RECEIVING       No.    Yds.     Avg.     TD
Mathis          32     494     15.4       4
Martin          31     595     19.2       4
J. Anderson     16     215     13.4       1

SCORING        XPM   XPA   FGM   FGA   Pts.
Andersen        24    25    12    14    60

PUNTING         No.    Yds.    Avg.     Blk.
Stryzinski      40    1558     39.0       0

KO RETURNS      No.    Yds.    Avg.     Blk.
Dwight          24     635     26.5       1

PUNT RETURNS    No.    Yds.    Avg.     Blk.
Dwight          16     132      8.3       0

SACKS: Archambeau 4.5, C. Smith 4.5,
Dronett 3.5

INTERCEPTIONS: Buchanan 3,
White 1, Robinson 1