Lineup

44 | PROFOOTBALL

Adrian Peterson

The Vikings runningback showed once again why he's the most formidable force in the NFL

By Damon Hack

52 | PROFOOTBALL

Dark Horses

An also-ran from2008 is likely to reach Super Bowl XLIV. Could it be Drew Brees's Saints?

By Tim Layden

60 |TENNIS

U.S. OpenCircus

The chaoticfortnight included rain delays, an epic meltdown, and titles for Kim Clijstersand Juan Martín del Potro

By S.L. Price

66 | COLLEGEFOOTBALL

Rich Rodriguez

A come-from-behindvictory over Notre Dame took some of the heat off the Michigan coach

By AustinMurphy

74 | BASEBALL

Shot in theArms

Thanks to pitchingcoach Dave Duncan, St. Louis is a Lourdes for the inconsistent, the hurt andthe aging

By JoePosnanski

80 | NASCAR CHASEPREVIEW

Tony Stewart

The regular-seasonpoints leader, now a driver-owner, has a rosier outlook but the same fiercewill to win

By LarsAnderson

Departments

4 Leading Off

14 Letters

18 Scorecard

• No-puntfootball

• So long, LisaLeslie

• Whither theCoyotes?

28 Just My Type

Amar'e Stoudemireon eyes, Suns, Shaq

by Dan Patrick

31 Faces in theCrowd

34 Inside ...

• Baseball

Toronto's bigbat

• The NFL

The Ravens air itout

• CollegeFootball

Houston's bigupset

• The WNBA

Beware theMercury

96 The Vault

Young DerekJeter

100 Point After

A fantasy footballdraft ... for schoolkids

by ChrisBallard

Mark Reynolds'sstellar season has made little news (page 34).

ON THE COVERPhotograph by Fred Vuich Inset: Al Tielemans

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JONATHAN WILLEY/ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS(REYNOLDS)

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