October 12, 2009 Table Of Contents
LEADING OFF
Inside: THE WEEK IN SPORTS
The Saints' once-soft defense has turned tough thanks to its new hard-hitting, ball-hawking approach
By Peter King
Who's up, who's down
By David Sabino
Toby Gerhart, a deceptively fast back who is quieting the skeptics, has Stanford out front in the Pac-10
Long-struggling Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed speed at Kansas, but can NASCAR's most popular driver keep it up?
PRO FOOTBALL
A month into the season the surprising new Broncos are undefeated, in command of the AFC West and playing like they mean business—especially on defense
By Jim Trotter
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
TCU coach Gary Patterson is turning good offensive players into great defenders and threatening the BCS hegemony
BASEBALL
The return of Pedro Martinez to the playoff stage adds spice—and mystery—to an already intriguing first round of matchups
By Tom Verducci
St. Louis has the game's best player and two Cy Young candidates, but top-to-bottom, L.A.'s the better team
By Joe Sheehan
Most of the big names are the same as in '07 and so, too, is the story line: Defense again trumps the long ball
By Joe Sheehan
At press time the Twins and the Tigers were headed for a one-game playoff—for the right to be squashed by the Bombers
By Joe Sheehan
Los Angeles has the right lineup and rotation for October; it just ended up with the wrong matchup—again
By Joe Sheehan
LOST HISTORY
He broke professional football's color barrier in 1946, yet even though he played alongside Robinson in college, few people remember the great running back Kenny Washington or the shameful history of segregation in the NFL
Point After
Departments
In Central America, soccer is always more than a game
By Grant Wahl
With its regular referees locked out, the NBA eases in replacements
By Chris Mannix
Chicago's Olympic bid was brought down by an anti-USOC vibe
John Madden opens his video playground to six proud papas of pro quarterbacks
What smart fans should do this week
By Dan Patrick
Edited by Elizabeth McGarr
By Puzzle by Mike Baranack
By Peter King