L.A. SHOWS ITS BEST ON A SUNDAY.

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI

The greatest day of the L.A. college football season wasn't a Saturday. The fun didn't even take place in L.A.

It happened on Sunday, all over the NFL map, in Glendale, Ariz., Jacksonville, Fla., Houston and Irving, Texas.

Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart helped their new teams to upset victories, to the nostalgic delight of USC fans following along from their couches. Maurice Jones-Drew carried his new team to a big win, making it back-to- back feel-good weekends for UCLA fans. And this after Vince Young led his new team to a win, reminding fans here that it was a truly special player who knocked off the Trojans in the Rose Bowl last January.

A month or two ago, when each was struggling, the jury was out on these four NFL rookies.

Now look at them. They're playing well, older teammates and opponents are praising them and their teams are on winning streaks. Whatever doubts existed a few weeks ago, we now can say the four stars of L.A. football's recent past have bright futures after all.

Bush: Doing more as a pass receiver than as a ball-carrier, he gained 162 yards on 12touches and turned a screen pass into a long touchdown as the New Orleans Saints beat the Dallas Cowboys 42-17 in a showdown of division leaders.

Some may wonder about Bush's durability. Nobody can question his moves, on display again in the winding, 61-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter.

``The Saints utilized Bush to the best of his abilities,'' Dallas receiver Terrell Owens said afterward.

Since October and November, when he totaled less than 100 yards rushing and receiving over a three-game span, Bush has come on strong. His 79receptions this season are second-most in the league. The Saints have won three in a row and lead the NFC South by two games with three to play.

Leinart: The quarterback's second touchdown pass of the afternoon gave the Arizona Cardinals a 27-21 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, whose plans of clinching the NFC West title were put on hold.

Remember when we wondered if Leinart's left arm was strong enough for the pros? A 56-yard touchdown pass on Arizona's first play from scrimmage may have put that issue to rest.

In a three-game span in October and November, he completed less than 45percent of his passes. In four games since, he's over 60 percent. The Cardinals have won two in a row, their first winning streak since 2004.

``As the kid grows, this thing is going to take off,'' said Edgerrin James, the Cardinals' Pro Bowl running back.

Jones-Drew: As sharp as the ex-Trojans were Sunday, the little ex-Bruin running back was better, accounting for 303 all-purpose yards in the Jacksonville Jaguars' 44-17victory over the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts.

Drew rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns, and returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. The Jaguars won their second in a row.

Wrote columnist David Whitley in the Orlando Sentinel: ``If his name were Maurice Reggie-Bush, the national media would have already awarded him NFL Rookie of the Year and a couple of Nobel Prizes.''

Fred Taylor, the Jags' veteran running back, said it's actually an advantage for Drew to be only 5-foot-7.

``He hides behind the offensive line that is 6-4, 6-5 or better,'' Taylor said, ``and then when he finally makes contact he is strong enough to break tackles, run over a couple guys. I think he will be able to last as long as any other back in this league, 10years or more.''

Jones-Drew's big game might have made it easier for Jags coach Jack Del Rio, the old USC linebacker, to pay off their bet on the Bruins-Trojans game. As he'd promised to do, Del Rio wore a Bruins basketball jersey to his Monday press conference last week.

Young: The star of Texas' national-title victory over USC in the Rose Bowl scored the climactic touchdown in the Tennessee Titans' 26-20 overtime win over the Houston Texans in a fashion sadly familiar to the Trojans and their fans.

The quarterback ran 39yards for the winning touchdown, giving him 86yards rushing to go with 218 passing. The Titans' four-game win streak is their longest since 2003.

At mid-November, Young was completing 45.7 percent of his passes. In three games since, he's at 65.2 percent.

Sunday, he stuck it to his hometown Texans, who could have drafted him but passed him over to take disappointing defensive end Mario Williams.

``I never want to give Vince Young his props or the recognition he deserves, but he made me a believer on that last play,'' Texans defensive end N.D. Kalu said. ``I didn't know if I wanted to throw my helmet or cry.''

Add it up, and it's likely that Young or Jones-Drew gets the Rookie of the Year award, unless it's Bush's New Orleans teammate Marques Colston or Indianapolis' Joseph Addai.

But Bush and Leinart, after some early struggles, are making progress. A month or two ago, we might have wondered. Sunday we knew for sure. The kids are going to be all right. They're certainly worth watching.

All this local pride is enough to make you forget that the best team in the NFL is just down the highway in San Diego.

heymodesti(AT_SIGN)aol.com

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