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Top rookies to battle in San Francisco

By Rob Longley

Rookie Race:

Much is being made of the success of Vikings phenom running back Adrian Peterson, who leads the league in rushing with 1,197 yards.

But when the Vikes travel to San Francisco 49er, another leading rookie will attempt to stop him in his tracks. Linebacker Patrick Willis tops the NFL in tackles with 173.

So what does Willis need to do to avoid looking silly, like so many defenders Peterson has undressed so far this season?

“You don’t want to break down on a guy like that,” says Willis, who was selected 11th in the 2007 draft, four spots later than Willis.

“You just want to go (after him.)”

Hot Ratings:

It is clearly more than just Canadians near the U.S. border are tuning into NFL telecasts in the wake of a record-setting ratings run for TSN.

The all-sports network hit an all-time high for an NFL telecast this past Monday when the dramatic New England Patriots comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens drew an audience of 687,000.

With a peak measurement of 1,069,000 for the final 18 minutes of the telecast, the game cracked a barrier that is rarely beat by the network.

It’s not as if the ratings bounce is a one off, either. The previous record for an NFL telecast on TSN was set just four days previous when the Green Bay-Dallas telecast.

The ratings for both games are well above the weekly average for TSN’s Friday Night Football CFL telecasts.

Quick Kicks:

The Bills are hoping rookie running back Marshawn Lynch will return to the lineup against the Dolphins. Lynch has been out of the lineup for a month with an ankle injury ... Peterson is the only rookie in NFL history to have a pair of 200-yard rushing games in his first year. Vikes coach Brad Childress attributes some of his team’s power-running success to a group of receivers who aren’t shy to lay down a big block. “I had an official at the end of (last week’s) game tell me, ‘Coach, I don’t think I have ever seen wide receivers block like this since I have been officiating in the NFL,’” Childress said. “That’s quite a statement.” ... The Lions know they will have a fired-up Cowboys squad on their hands this week - with a win, Dallas can clinch first in the NFC East ... Meanwhile, if the Packers defeat Oakland or the Lions lose, Green Bay will clinch the NFC North title.