The most unpredictable of NFL seasons has featured in its first nine weeks a scoring binge and a passing fetish, a run of empty backfields and a rash of cheap shots, a rushing record and the passing of one of its greatest quarterbacks.

Expect more of the unexpected in the second half. And remember that the Pittsburgh Steelers fit the three-year profile of Super Bowl champions who changed quarterbacks along the way.

Here's roll call for the best and worst of the NFL's first half.

Best team: Green Bay Packers. They have the best quarterback and the best home-field advantage in the league.

Worst team: Seattle Seahawks. They have no quarterback, no defense and, apparently, no answers.

Best turnaround: San Diego Chargers. They went 5-11 last season, losing their final nine games. Now, they're tied for first in the best division in football.

Worst collapse: Chicago Bears. They went from a 13-3 division winner to a 2-6 loser and from Chicago to Champaign, Ill., while Soldier Field is rebuilt.

Best offensive player: Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes leads the NFL in touchdowns (15), points (90), rushing yards (857) and scrimmage yards (1,297). He has even outdone Marshall Faulk.

Best defensive player: Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. It doesn't matter that he missed the past four games. You only need to see the Denver game.

Most exciting player: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. He's faster than speed-dial.

Best offensive rookie: Denver Broncos running back Clinton Portis. Yes, the Broncos produce runners, but it's hard to believe 50 players went ahead of him.

Best defensive rookie: Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers beats out Dallas Cowboys free safety Roy Williams - barely - on the basis of his league-high nine sacks.

Best second-day draft pick: Miami Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael, a fourth-rounder, has more catches (26), yards (339) and touchdowns (four) than either of the first-round tight ends.

Best comeback: Dolphins running back Robert Edwards missed three seasons recovering from an injury that almost cost him his leg.

Rising star: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Peerless Price. Last year, he had 55 catches. This season, he has 60 in nine games, thanks to the arrival of Drew Bledsoe.

Fading star: Steelers running back Jerome Bettis. Overweight and injury-prone, he's no longer the best back even in Pittsburgh.

Best accomplishment: Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith. Passing Walter Payton as the all-time rusher was an appropriate climax for Smith.

Best attention-getter: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens, signing a ball after scoring and giving it to an adviser, was much ado about nothing.

Best coaching job: Tie, Atlanta Falcons' Dan Reeves and the Ravens' Brian Billick. Vick's emergence in Atlanta without any credible receivers is a tribute to Reeves. And who's done more with less than Billick?

Worst coaching job: Tie, St. Louis Rams' Mike Martz and Seahawks' Mike Holmgren. Both coaches bought into the genius bunk.

Most likely to be fired: Minnesota Vikings' Mike Tice, Cincinnati Bengals' Dick LeBeau and Oakland Raiders' Bill Callahan. Callahan's status likely will be determined by Oakland's playoff fate.

Biggest eye-opener: Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier thought he could win with quarterbacks Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel.

Biggest oversight: Butch Davis. Needing a running back, the Cleveland Browns coach passed up his own Clinton Portis of Miami to take Boston College's William Green, who has been a bust.

Second-biggest oversight: The Bears and Redskins passing on the chance to acquire Bledsoe in the offseason. Neither team has a passable quarterback.

Best administrator: Randy Mueller, who got fired after he rebuilt the New Orleans Saints into a contender overnight.

Worst administrator: Mike Brown, who should fire himself as Bengals president after a decade of ineptitude.

Best defensive assistant: Wade Phillips has elevated the Falcons from 30th in defense to tie for fifth.

Best offensive assistant: The Steelers' Mike Mularkey changed philosophies and quarterbacks this season and didn't miss a beat.

Worst call: The NFL, for denying Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's request to wear hightops in Week 2, honoring the late John Unitas, and fining Ravens quarterback Chris Redman for wearing them.

Biggest bonehead play: Browns' Dwayne Rudd drawing a 15-yard penalty for throwing his helmet with a play unfolding. Rudd's gaffe allowed the Chiefs to kick a game-winning field goal in Week 1.

Biggest upset: Ravens 34, Denver 23 on Monday Night Football in Week 4. The Ravens had scored just seven points in their first two games.