Lindsay, Conner emerging stars

Roll the tape of Phillip Lindsay and James Conner, because if you haven’t watched already, the Broncos’ and Steelers’ running backs have caused a collective NFL double-take this season.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin: “I remember the first couple of times I watched (Lindsay) five, six weeks ago on cross video (and) I had to get a flip card to figure out who he was.”

Denver linebacker Von Miller: “(Conner) looks 5-5 on film and probably like 160 pounds.”

Lindsay began the year undrafted from CU, scored a 29-yard touchdown on his second NFL touch and now ranks No. 5 leaguewide in yards per carry (5.5). Conner ran for 144 total yards as a rookie, then emerged in Year 2 from the shadow of Le’Veon Bell’s contract dispute and has exploded for 11 touchdowns in 10 games this season.

Entering late November, with the duo’s production still thriving, the initial shock factor on tape has worn away. Or, as Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin puts it about Lindsay, “I think you can stop wondering 11 games in. I think he’s got a big enough body of work. He’s a guy to be reckoned with. Inside and out he’s capable of breaking big runs.”

“(Conner’s) numbers are damnnear identical to Le’Veon, and we already know what type of player he was,” Miller said. “He’s a great player, he’s able to hit the holes the right way and take screens and catch the ball. Whatever it is, he’s a complete running back 100 percent.”

The healthy return of Royce Freeman (ankle) to Denver’s backfield figured to break up production. But in the Broncos’ 23-22 victory at the Chargers last week, Lindsay led the way with 106 yards rushing/receiving and a pair of touchdowns — including a fourth-quarter direct snap run into the end zone. Lindsay’s accounted for four scores over his last five games as the Broncos’ clear every-down rusher until