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VIKINGS
Anthony Barr

Anthony Barr breaks out for Vikings as rookie

Tom Pelissero
USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Anthony Barr (55) celebrates as the Minnesota Vikings beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-13 in overtime at Raymond James Stadium. Barr returned a fumble for a 27-yard touchdown on the first play in overtime to win the game.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - How talented is Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr?

He has put himself in defensive rookie of the year conversation at the season's midpoint, even though he doesn't truly know what he's doing yet on that side of the ball.

"Most of it really is instincts and just trying to figure it out on the fly," Barr told USA TODAY Sports this week. "Hopefully, I don't make too many mistakes along the way. I'm just really getting started."

Barr played offense exclusively from his sophomore year of high school through his sophomore year at UCLA, where he was an "F-back" before making the move to outside linebacker in 2012. Even then, Barr played mostly on the line in a 3-4 defense that gave him fewer responsibilities in space than he has on the strong side in Vikings coach Mike Zimmer's 4-3 base scheme.

His chances to learn the new spot this spring were limited by the NFL-NCAA rule barring rookies from participating in voluntary practices while their schools are in session. Linebackers coach Adam Zimmer – Mike's son – made two trips to watch practice tape with Barr in Los Angeles, but he remains short on reps.

"Coverage is still something I'm getting used to and still playing behind the ball and using my eyes well," said Barr, 22. "Technique is still far from where it needs to be. We can go all day about what I need to improve."

Barr has found ways to be productive, though. He's playing all three downs, has three sacks and won last week's game at Tampa Bay on the first play of overtime – stripping fellow rookie Austin Seferian-Jenkins, scooping the ball and racing 27 yards for a touchdown. He's just the sixth rookie named NFC defensive player of the week in the past 10 seasons.

It surely helps that Barr has good genes. He's the son of former Notre Dame and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tony Brooks and nephew of two other former NFL players, Reggie Brooks and Cedric Figaro, though he was raised by his mother, Lori Barr, and his grandparents.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, Barr ran the 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds at the scouting combine and showed off his quickness with one of the best three-cone drills (6.82 seconds) among outside linebackers. The Vikings were willing to take a raw talent ninth overall in May's draft in part because they trusted Zimmer and his staff to mold him.

That process is ongoing, to say the least. But so far, so good.

"A lot of improvement needs to be made," Barr said, "and a lot of improvement will be made, just with time."

Rookie receiver competition

Arizona Cardinals rookie John Brown's 75-yard touchdown catch to beat the Philadelphia Eagles last week was by far the biggest play of his young NFL career.

But it's the sort of thing the soft-spoken, speedy third-round pick from little Pittsburg State in Kansas has been doing in practice since training camp, where he sold coaches on his chances for contributing right away.

"He is mature. He came in mature. And he's very, very hungry," Arizona coach Bruce Arians told USA TODAY Sports. "He doesn't let too many things slide."

Four of Brown's 22 receptions so far have gone for touchdowns, leading a Cardinals team that's 6-1 not only because of an aggressive defense that has overcome numerous losses, but an Arians-directed offense that general manager Steve Keim has filled with a lot of weapons.

Brown might be in offensive rookie of the year conversation if this weren't shaping up to be such a high-volume group of first-year pass-catchers. He ranks sixth among all rookies in receiving yards (316) and 10th in receptions.

Four receivers drafted in May – Buffalo's Sammy Watkins, New Orleans' Brandin Cooks, Carolina's Kelvin Benjamin and Jacksonville's Allen Robinson – are on pace to crack 70 catches. To put that in perspective, just one drafted rookie receiver (San Diego's Keenan Allen with 71) hit the 70-catch mark last year and none the four years before that.

Eddie Royal, who is now Allen's teammate with the Chargers, had 91 catches as a rookie with the Denver Broncos in 2008. Anquan Boldin set the rookie record with 101 catches in 2003 with the Cardinals.

Three and out

• Talk about putting yourself in a hole: The Panthers haven't scored a first-half touchdown in 20 possessions, dating to the opening drive of their 37-all tie at Cincinnati on Oct. 12. Since, they've been outscored 79-36 overall in three straight losses at Green Bay and at home against the Seahawks and Saints, falling to 3-5-1 and out of the lead in the middling NFC South. For all the focus on the drop-off of a defense that led Carolina to a division title last season, the offense has lived down to the worst fears after overhauls to the receivers and line. Injuries in the backfield haven't helped, but everything just looks out of whack, resulting in brutal passing lines like the one QB Cam Newton put up Thursday against New Orleans: 10-of-28 for 151 yards, an interception and a 39.4 rating.

• It didn't go unnoticed around the league that the Cowboys' first loss since the opener came on a night they ditched their winning formula. Even when they fell down 21 to St. Louis in Week 3, the Cowboys ended up with an even run-pass split. Yet in a close game against the Redskins, QBs Tony Romo – who briefly exited with a back injury – and Brandon Weeden combined for 40 dropbacks, while RBs DeMarco Murray, Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar had 26 carries (including two wiped by penalties). With Romo questionable for Sunday, it'd be easy to bet on OC Scott Linehan and coach Jason Garrett getting back to form if they weren't facing a Cardinals defense that ranks No. 3 against the run and struggles to rush the passer. Stay tuned.

• A sign of just how long Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have been squaring off: Their first two meetings came as division rivals in the old five-team, pre-realignment AFC East. Brady and the Patriots won both games, including his starting debut on Sept. 30, 2001. They finished 11-5 to take the division title on a tiebreak and won the Super Bowl the following February. Manning and the Colts finished fourth at 6-10. Sunday's meeting between the Patriots and Manning's current team, the Broncos, at Foxboro will be matchup No. 16 between the future Hall of Famers. Brady still has the edge, winning 10 of 15.

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