I’m back again for Week 3. Here are your performers of the week in the NFL.
Deebo Samuel
The 49ers literally have scored exactly 30 points in every game, so you can say that their PPG looks pretty good. Deebo Samuel was Thursday’s best performer, with 129 yards and a touchdown on six catches.
Sam LaPorta
Sam LaPorta was one of the high-drafted tight ends last spring, and is proving why he was high up on Detroit’s draft board. LaPorta scored a long touchdown and totaled 84 yards on eight catches. A shout-out to Amon-Ra St. Brown as well.
Matthew Judon
The Jets once again played well on defense, but faltered mightily on offense. They did get a late chance to tie the game, but Judon sacked Zach Wilson in the end zone for a safety that wound up securing the game for New England.
Deshaun Watson
Remember Deshaun Watson in 2019 and 2020? If you do, then his performance against Tennessee is reminiscent of those “glory days.” Watson passed for 289 yards, two touchdowns, and just six incompletions, as the Browns put on a dominant offensive display. A shout-out to the Cleveland defense for holding Tennessee to under 100 total yards.
Jordan Love
The Packers were down 17-0 to the Saints after three quarters, and nobody expected them to do much in quarter four. Jordan Love had something to say, clearly. He ran for a touchdown, passed for a two-point conversion, and then passed for a touchdown. After a late missed field goal by New Orleans, the Packers ended the game as 18-17 winners, thanks in large part to the Love-led rally.
The Dolphins Offense
Two words: 70 points. Need I say more? I will anyway. Shout-outs to Devon Achane and Raheem Mostert who scored four total touchdowns each and to Tua Tagovailoa for passing for 309 yards and four touchdowns in three quarters. As a unit, Miami gained 726 total yards, a historically high total, and Achane had 233 of those yards by himself. Also, the defense forced three turnovers, which is also commendable.
Justin Herbert
If the Chargers were simply better, Justin Herbert would definitely be in the conversation for top five QB. Performances like his 405-yard, 3-touchdown outing against Minnesota on Sunday most certainly helps his case for being amongst the upper echelon of the league’s starting quarterbacks.
Bills Pass Rush
The Bills gave Sam Howell’s Commanders a stark reality check in their 37-3 victory at FedEx Field. The pass rush, in particular, was extremely impressive. Nine different pass rushers recorded at least one QB hit (four of them got two, and one got three). The relentless pressure wound up producing nine sacks and forcing Sam Howell into throwing four interceptions, one of which was by collected by defensive end AJ Epenesa, returning it for a fourth quarter touchdown.
Tank Dell
CJ Stroud has looked outstanding in his last two games, and this game was by far his most impressive, as he passed for 280 yards. Tank Dell got over half of that yardage himself. On just five receptions, Dell posted 145 yards, including a 68-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter to put the game to rest.
Gardner Minshew
Gardner Minshew proved against Baltimore that he is amongst the better game-managing quarterbacks in football. He passed for 227 yards and a touchdown and led several crucial drives that led to the Colts’ overtime victory over the Ravens.
Jarran Reed
I would highlight Kenneth Walker for his performance since it ignited the offense in the second half, but the defense showed out in the meantime. Jarran Reed especially stood out. Reed had eight tackles and 1.5 sacks, impressive stats that rarely are associated with defensive tackles.
Patrick Mahomes
The arrival of Taylor Swift definitely helped Patrick Mahomes get back into character. Mahomes passed for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns, powering the Chiefs to 34 first-half points and a dominant 41-10 win over the helpless Chicago Bears.
Joshua Dobbs
Joshua Dobbs led Arizona to the biggest upset of the week. Dobbs passed for 189 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 55 yards. He lead the Cardinals (who ran for 222 total yards) to a 28-16 victory against the Dallas Cowboys.
Levi Wallace
The Steelers once again showed the importance of top notch defense, holding the Raiders to 18 points, sacking Jimmy Garoppolo four times, and forcing three turnovers. In particular, Levi Wallace turned up with two interceptions, including a late interception that killed the Raiders’ final drive.
DeAndre Swift
For the second week in a row, DeAndre Swift put up over 100 yards rushing. He may have not hit pay dirt this time, but he still ran for 130 yards and helped the Eagles move to 3-0 on the season via a 25-11 defeat of Tampa Bay.
Logan Wilson
The Bengals finally stepped up and ended their losing skid in primetime against the Rams. Logan Wilson made several crucial plays, which included two interceptions, one of which killed a Rams drive that was on the brink of entering their red zone.
