Reggie Bush, NFL Rookie Record-Setter, Leads Saints

Reggie Bush, the record-setting rookie for the New Orleans Saints, gets a chance to build on a historic National Football League performance when his team visits the Dallas Cowboys, winner of four straight games.

Reggie Bush, a 21-year-old running back and the No. 2 pick in April's draft, spun, sidestepped and shimmied his way to four touchdowns against San Francisco last week, when other first-year players also produced game-changing plays.

The learning curve for young players, who might have automatically watched from the sidelines a few seasons back, is shrinking, NFL analysts say. Rookies may be ready to perform when they enter the league because of weight and exercise programs and advanced playing systems in high school and college.

``The guys are so much better prepared when they sign with a team or get to camp than they ever were before,'' said former Cowboys director of player personnel Gil Brandt, whose teams won Super Bowls in 1972 and 1978. ``We're going to have probably close to 50 rookies that start eight games this season. That's awfully good.''

Besides Reggie Bush last weekend, Vince Young became the first rookie quarterback to rally a team from 14-point deficits in consecutive games; Chicago's Devin Hester tied an NFL record for touchdowns on kick returns; and Denver's Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall hooked up for the league's longest scoring pass between rookies in more than 10 years.

Offensive Stars

Other offensive rookies who have played large roles this season include running backs Joseph Addai of Indianapolis and Laurence Maroney of New England; quarterback Matt Leinart of Arizona; and receiver Marques Colston of the Saints.

This is the first time in five years that all the quarterbacks drafted in the first round -- Young, Leinart and Cutler -- became starters during their rookie seasons. Young returns to his hometown this week to face the Houston Texans, while Cutler makes his second start against the San Diego Chargers, who are tied with Indianapolis at 10-2 for the best record in the NFL.

Reggie Bush may be the most heralded of the rookie crop, coming out of the University of Southern California as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, an award given to the nation's top player.

He became the fourth player in NFL history with 100 receiving yards and at least three rushing touchdowns in the same game last week, prompting one-time Chicago Bears coach and ESPN analyst Mike Ditka to compare him to Hall-of-Fame member Gale Sayers.

Winning Streak

Against the Cowboys on Dec. 10, Reggie Bush and the Saints face one of the NFL's hottest teams and are in first place in the National Football Conference's East Division with an 8-4 record. The Saints, also 8-4, lead the NFC South.

Young, 23, was the first quarterback taken in this year's NFL draft after leading the University of Texas to a comeback win over Reggie Bush, Leinart and Southern California in college football's championship game last season.

Young has continued his late-game heroics since taking over as the Titans' starter two months ago. Tennessee heads to Houston this week after beating the New York Giants and the Colts with fourth-quarter rallies.

``The most impressive thing to me is his poise,'' Texans coach Gary Kubiak said of Young at a news conference. ``He's like any young player, he's made some mistakes, but he's got his team in position to win at the end of the game.''

Growing Pains

Reggie Bush had only two touchdowns before his breakout game last week. Young lost four of his first six starts, Leinart dropped his first five and Cutler had three turnovers in his first game Dec. 3 against Seattle -- the Seahawks won 23-20. Another rookie, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, has a 3-6 record.

``While the player that comes into the league now is a lot more advanced, what they have to learn is so much more because teams do so many different things on defense,'' Brandt said.

Young has led the Titans to three straight wins, while Leinart has helped the Cardinals win two of their past three games after a 1-8 start. Reggie Bush is second in the NFL in receptions, while Colston leads the Saints with seven touchdown catches.

Hester is the first rookie in 39 years to return four kicks for touchdowns. Addai tied a Colts record two weeks ago with four rushing touchdowns.

Some rookies aren't ready to handle the NFL's speed and strength. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells says quarterback Tony Romo would have been out of the league if he hadn't waited three years before making his first start this season. Romo is the NFL's top- rated passer. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers didn't start until his third season and now leads the league's top-scoring offense.

``It all depends on the circumstances with the talent around them,'' said former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, who took over as a starter six games into his rookie season in 1983. ``Sometimes because you have a first-round pick in the draft and a pretty talented team, you want to put them in there and see what they can do.''

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January
•Reggie Bush Engaged to Kim Kardashian?

December
•Eagles vs. Saints Preview 12/23/07
•Bush Hoping to Play Against Eagles 12/18/07
•Cardinals 24, Saints 31
•Bush Out For the Year 12/12/07
•Falcons 14, Saints 34 12/10/07
•Falcons vs. Saints Preview 12/10/07
•Buccaneers 27, Saints 23 12/02/07
•Buccaneers vs. Saints Preview 12/02/07


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