Head Coach Ranking

W.O.W. – Winners Of The Week (Week 16)

By Juan Lozano and Marc Harper | December 30, 2020

Vikings @ Saints – Alvin Kamara (RB)

  • Kamara scored 6 touchdowns in a game. 
  • You know who he is. We will spare you a unnecessarily wordier story about Kamara’s contribution to winning that we reserve for less recognizable contributors. 
  • Kamara’s game totals: 22 carries for 155 yards and three catches for 17 yards and 6 touchdowns. 
  • Yes, other Saints made critical plays in the game, but Kamara had six rushing touchdowns.
  • Incredible. 

Bucs @ Lions – Mike Evans (WR)

  • Nearly every player on the Tampa Bay Offense is worthy of recognition this week: Brady, Godwin, Fournette, Gronk, AB. All of them made plays. We chose Mike Evans. 
  • Evans had 10 catches for 181 yards and two scores. He’s now only 40 yards away from another 1,000-yard season. And now, the longest tenured member of the name players is headed to the playoffs for the first time.
  • The Bucs hit when they drafted him, seven years ago. 
  • The Bucs were happy to capitalize on the Bills’ mistake. It’s taken awhile for the organization to put a winning team around Evans, but they’ve finally assembled a team capable of making a deep playoff run and Evans, of course, is a key part of that

49ers @ Cardinals – Jeff Wilson, Jr. (RB)

  • The defending NFC Champion 49ers have had a roller coaster 2020 season. They are not even playing at home in the Bay Area down the backstretch of the season and have had to take on a “spoiler” role as they are out of playoff contention.  The 49ers almost ruined the Arizona Cardinals chances with a surprise victory on Saturday. What made it more surprising is that the they were forced to start third-string quarterback C. J. Beathard against the Cardinals’ who boast a highly touted offense. 
  • Third-year running back Jeff Wilson, Jr. was a workhorse for the Niners as he rushed 22 times for 183 yards. His lone catch came in the first quarter and Wilson went for 21 yards and the 49ers first score of the game.
  • Wilson, an undrafted free agent out of North Texas has been with the 49ers since 2018. He’s made prior contributions to the team, after all, he has five rushing touchdowns this season and a total of nine in his career. However, Saturday was Wilson’s most productive day as a member of the 49ers. 

Dolphins @ Raiders – Myles Gaskin (RB)

  • For good reason, this game will probably be remembered by Dolphins fans as the game where Ryan Fitzpatrick took over for Tua and won the game for Miami preserving their playoff hopes in highly dramatic fashion. This game might already have been given a nickname to remember the game by.  
  • Neither is our W.O.W.
  • This is the second week in a row where Miami’s WOW is a former Washington Huskies running back. Last week it was Savion Ahmed. In Week 16, it is Myles Gaskin. 
  • The Dolphins offense struggled as they were without some injured key players. 
  • Gaskin was a weapon in the running and passing game as he rushed 14 times for 87 yards and would also catch five passes, two of which were touchdowns for 82 yards. 
  • His two touchdowns both came in the second half. The first score, a ten-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa tied the game 13-13 early in the third quarter. 
  • The second touchdown was a pass from newly inserted veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick that Gaskin took 59 yards to give the Dolphins a 23-22 lead with 2:55 training the game. 
  • Gaskin, one of the most decorated running backs in PAc-12 history was Miami’s seventh round pick in 2019. He was the last running back taken in that draft.  
  • In 2019, Gaskin only appeared in seven games as a rookie and finished the season with just 133 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown and seven receptions for 51 receiving yards. 
  • The Dolphins have relied on a number of different running backs in 2020, the previously mentioned Ahmed, Matt Breida, and even now-departed Jordan Howard.
  • Gaskin was placed on injured reserve in November and was activated in early December only to be made unavailable and placed on the Covid-19 list. Gaskin was activated before Saturday’s game.  He appears to be the most explosive and consistent back Miami has. 

Browns @ Jets – Jamison Crowder (WR)

  • The Jets needed just enough offense to beat the nearly receiverless Browns. Fortunately, they got almost all of their offense from Crowder who was a jack-of-all-trades. Crowder had one carry for 14 yards, threw a 43- yard touchdown, and caught seven passes for 92 yards and another touchdown. In total, Crowder was responsible for twelve of the 23 points the Jets scored.
  • Crowder has been one of the rare bright spots on a bad, but improving Jets team. Crowder has played for two of the most dysfunctional organizations (Washington Football Team and Jets) in the NFL, but has constantly been impressive. It’s unfortunate to be on bad teams, but all a guy can do is make the most of it. On Sunday, Crowder did. 

Colts @ Steelers – T.J. Watt (OLB)

  • The Steelers will go as far as their defense will take them. They aren’t doing enough on offense right now, but even with injuries they still have one of the best defensive fronts in all of football. 
  • On Sunday, Watt had a strip sack of Colts quarterback Philip Rivers that led to a Steelers score.  These were Pittsburgh’s only points of the first half. If they didn’t steal one on defense, in this game where they were down 21-7 at the half, they would have had no chance to pull off the come-from-behind victory. 
  • Watt had a great game, notching 2 sacks, a tackle for loss and a QB hit. Even after losing difference makers like Bud Dupree and Devin Bush for the season, the defense still hums because of players like Watt.

Giants @ Ravens – Ravens OL

  • The Baltimore Ravens were able to put Giants away early as they scored on all four first-half possessions. Baltimore scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and later kicked field goals on the final two possession of the half to take a 20-3 lead into halftime. 
  • The first possession was an 82-yard drive, thirteen-play drive that took eight minutes off the clock. That drive set the tone for the Ravens offense which dominated the Giants previously solid rushing defense. Baltimore ran for 249 yards on Sunday and Gus Edwards (85 yards), Lamar Jackson (80 yards) and J.K. Dobbins (77 yards) took turns gashing the Giants defense. 
  • Baltimore’s production was surprising considering the Giants’ defense entered Sunday’s game allowing just 3.9 yards per rushing attempt. 
  • The Giants have a lot of money invested in their front with linemen Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams, Dalvin Tomlinson and linebacker Blake Martinez. They got pushed around by a Ravens offensive line that has suffered key injured at center and tackle. 

Bengals @ Texans – Samaje Perine (RB)

  • Perine might not be Bengals running backs Joe Mixon or Giovani Bernard, but he was the most reliable back on the field, for both teams, on Sunday. He carried the ball thirteen times for 95 yards and two scores and added four catches for 44 yards. 
  • Perine is on his third different team (including a second stint with the Bengals), but he looked as good as any running back that’s suited up for them this year. The Bengals might not be playing for much as they have been out of playoff contention for a long time, but a player like Perine, showing enough down the stretch can help him stay in the league another year. 
  • For the Bengals, you have to wonder if it was worth paying Joe Mixon given the stable of running backs on the team. We liked the deal at the time, but Mixon has missed almost the entire year. It should be an interesting offseason in Cincinnati. 

Bears @ Jags – Roquan Smith (ILB)

  • The Jags appear to be “all-in” on “Tanking for Trevor” at this point in the 2020 campaign, but they still need to play the games. Uncomfortably for Jaguars fans that want Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the game felt tight through the first half. 
  • Fortunately for Jaguars fans, Roquan Smith finished the day with two interceptions while adding eight tackles.
  • Smith’s interceptions led to 10 total points in a must-win game for the Bears. They’ll need a similar effort from Smith next week against the Packers if they want to make the playoffs.  
  • Also, this is Smith’s third straight week as our Bears W.O.W.

Carolina @ WFT – Curtis Samuel (WR)

  • Samuel was the leading rusher with seven carries for 52 yards. He also had five catches for 106 yards. It might be strange to say, given the emergence of Mike Davis at running back, but the Panthers have replaced Christian McCaffrey’s production with Curtis Samuel. 
  • They line him up similarly, both in the backfield and at WR. They try to get him the ball in space as often as possible. At times, throwing the ball downfield to him instead of Roby Anderson and DJ Moore seems to be a mistake, but on Sunday he could do no wrong. 
  • We also just need to point out that even remotely competent quarterback play for the WFT would have been enough to win. The WFT lost every day this week by starting Dwayne Haskins. They admitted their mistake on Monday, cutting him after less than two seasons on the team, but I wonder why they bothered starting him on Sunday. Not a good look for a team that’s only one win away from making the playoffs. 
  • Samuel was a former Ohio State University teammate of Haskins. It’s fair to say he had the better day. 

Falcons @ Chiefs – Demarcus Robinson (WR)

  • In a game where the Chiefs offense struggled mightily, and their offensive weapons were kept quiet most of the day, it was one of their least recognizable offensive players, wide receiver Demarcus Robinson that had the game winning touchdown.
  • Robinson was the recipient of a 25-yard strike from Patrick Mahomes after a dropped Falcons interception to give the Chiefs a 17-14 lead with 1:55 remaining in the game. It was Robinson’s second catch of the game. It was his second, last and most important catch of the day.
  • Robinson, a University of Florida was a fourth round pick in 2016.  He signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs before the 2020 season. He’s been a reliable option for Mahomes. It appears by his presence late in this game as well as his production that he is someone that Mahomes can count on in the future. 

Broncos @ Chargers – Mike Williams (WR) 

  • The Chargers were without the services of Keenan Allen, who was out due to injury and tight end Hunter Henry who was on the Covid-19 list.
  • Mike Williams stepped in and took over as primary receiver with four catches for 54 yards. A week ago, Williams was limited to two catches as he was not 100%.  This week, Williams doubled his production and three of the four catches were for first downs, including two big catches to extend drives that resulted in Chargers scores. Williams was targeted ten times dung the game. Even though Justin Herbert could not connect with Williams, Denver spent a lot of defensive energy trying to slow him down. 
  • Williams’ best catch of the game wasn’t a reception. It was an interception. Williams was inserted into the “prevent defense” on the game’s final play, a Hail Mary heave from the 50-yard line by Broncos quarterback Drew Lock and he came down with a ball that had reached the end zone, to secure the Chargers win.  
  • Williams was drafted seventh overall by the Chargers in the 2017 Draft out of Clemson.  He has been a steady performer for the Chargers. We expect him to sign a second contract with the team.

Rams @ Seahawks – Jamal Adams (SS)

  • Adams is one of the most important players on the Seahawks defense. Adams’ improved health and availability is a big part of the turnaround on defense in recent weeks. Adams was everywhere on Sunday notching eight tackles and deflecting a pass. 
  • Adams’ most important play of the day was in the red zone in the third quarter. Rams running back Darrell Henderson ran right and it appeared as if he was about to score. Adams ran around from the other side of the field and knocked Henderson out of bounds at the two-yard line. The Rams managed to go four plays without scoring from the two-yard line, and the Seahawks held onto their 13-6 lead. 
  • Adams plays as hard and as fast as anybody out there on the Seahawks defense. Seattle won that trade this summer with the Jets.

Eagles @ Dallas – Michael Gallup (WR)

  • Gallup is not one of the “big names” on the Cowboys. He doesn’t have the big contract. He’s not Elliot or Cooper or Lamb. He didn’t play for Alabama or Ohio State. But watching Cowboys games, you’ll notice the Cowboys love to go to the Colorado State alum in tight spots. 
  • After falling behind 14-3, Dalton hit Gallup for a 21-yard score to bring the game to 14-10. On the next drive, Dalton hit Gallup short and Gallup galloped for 55 yards, setting up a field goal.  For the day, Gallup caught 6 of 8 targets for 121 yards and two scores. 
  • There is a lot of money invested in the Cowboys’ offense, but the two best players all year have probably been Gallup and Pollard. The Cowboys have a cacophony of weapons on offense, and if they are able to sneak into the playoffs, they’ll likely be a tougher out than many expect.

Titans @ Packers – AJ Dillon (RB)

  • Rookie running back AJ Dillon was expected to spell starter Aaron Jones with Jamaal Williams being declared out due to injury. Instead Dillon took over the bulk of the work after Jones left the game briefly in the first half. 
  • Dillon would end the game with 21 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns, in a snowy game where the Titans loaded the box to attempt to stop the running game. Dillon’s first touchdown came on fourth-and-1 that he broke for a thirty-yard score. 
  • Dillon would also add a catch for five yards. 
  • Dillon is actually the highest drafted out of the Packers three running backs as he was drafted in the second round. 
  • Prior to the game, Dillon had only carried the ball 24 times for 115 yards in nine games. Dillon had missed five games thus far, due to battling Covid-19.  Both Jones and Williams are free agents at the end of the season. It will be interesting to see if the team allows either or both of them to depart in free agency with the emergence of the highly regarded Dillon.

Bills @ Pats – Lee Smith (TE)

  • The Bills offense has a lot of firepower, especially at wide receiver with Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley. The running back duo of Devin Singletary and Zach Moss is also proving to be productive. Yet, the offense manages to get contributions from other personnel. Lee Smith, a tight end that looks like an offensive lineman is one such player. ,
  • Smith, a ten-year veteran caught a four-yard pass from Josh Allen with 5:32 remaining in the first half to give the Bills a 17-9 advantage.  Smith finished with two catches for 31 yards and a touchdown. 
  • It was sweet and fitting that Smith scored against the team that drafted him in the fifth round with the 159th pick in 2011 and that cut him after training camp that season. The Bills immediately picked him up and he stayed with the team until 2014. He then signed with the Raiders and was a member of the team from 2015-2018 before finally returning back to Buffalo in 2019.  Smith has had a long career, but this post-season will only be his second playoff appearance having reached the playoffs with the Raiders in 2016. We think Smith and the Bills have a great opportunity to make a deep playoff run.

Opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not express the views or opinions of Headcoachranking.com.

W.O.W. – Winners Of The Week (Week 15)

By Juan Lozano and Marc Harper | December 23, 2020

Chargers @ Raiders – Jalen Guyton (WR)

  • Second-year wide receiver Jalen Guyton had the best game of his career on Thursday night in a victory against the Raiders. 
  • Although he didn’t find the end zone, Guyton hauled in four passes for a career-high 91 yards, a mark that led the Chargers in receiving yards. 
  • Guyton had a shaky start to the game with a dropped pass from Justin Herbert early in the second quarter on third-down and near midfield that would have likely resulted in a big gain, if not a touchdown. 
  • Luckily for the Chargers, Guyton recovered and made an impact on the game as Chargers starting wide receiver stalwarts Keenan Allen and Mike Williams were largely ineffective due to injuries sustained in the Sunday victory over Atlanta. The normally dynamic duo combined for three catches and 39 yards.  
  • How big were Guyton’s catches? Three of Guyton’s four receptions resulted in first downs. 
  • Even when he wasn’t catching a pass, he drew key pass interference penalties on Raiders cornerback Trayvon Mullen, one in the third quarter and the other on the game’s final drive. Immediately after the pass interference in overtime, Guyton badly burned Raiders second-year cornerback Keisean Nixon for a 53-yard reception that put the Chargers in the red zone. 
  • Guyton, a high school teammate of Cardinals quarterback, began his career at Notre Dame, and transferred to the University of North Texas, went undrafted and signed with the Cowboys, and was cut in the team’s final roster cutdown. The Chargers signed Guyton to their practice squad in Week 8 and played in only three games in his rookie campaign but didn’t catch a pass.  Guyton appears to be emerging as a big play threat for big-armed rookie quarterback Justin Herbert. The Herbert-Guyton combo looks to be the beginning of a lethal deep ball duo in coming years. 

Bills @ Broncos – Jake Kumerow (WR)

  • This game ended up being a blowout, but the Broncos stayed in the game in the first half. They were in the game until Jake Kumerow’s first catch of the season, a 22-yard touchdown pass on 2nd & Goal, from Josh Allen that gave the Bills a 21-7 advantage over the Broncos.
  • Kumerow has been primarily a special teams player during his career. He began the season on the Bills practice squad and became a member of the active roster beginning in Week 9. Prior to Saturday’s game, Kumerow has only had twelve offensive snaps. After all, the Bills have an excellent receiving corps and the rotation is a difficult one to crack.
  • Saturday’s touchdown was not Kumerow’s first career touchdown. As a member of the Packers, he caught two touchdowns and 32 total passes. 
  • Kumerow has as interesting background and lineage. A native of Elgin, a Chicago exurb, he began his career at the University of Illinois, and later transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, a perennial Division III power. 
  • Kumerow is with his fourth team and has been in the NFL since 2015. He started his career with the Bengals, before moving to the Patriots, and later the previously mentioned Packers from 2017-2019.  He was signed by Green Bay as an exclusive rights free agent this off-season, but was cut at the end of training camp this season and the Bills immediately signed him to the practice squad. 
  • Kumerow is the son of former Miami Dolphins linebacker Eric Kumerow and the cousin of the Bosa brothers (Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa). He is also the great-grandson of Chicago mob boss Tony Accardo.

Panthers @ Packers – Krys Barnes (LB)

  • On 1st & Goal from the 1-yard line and with 7:39 remaining in the first half, Packers linebacker Krys Barnes not only turned away a leaping Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater at the goal line, but forced him to fumble the ball. The ball was recovered by Packers cornerback Kevin King who returned the ball to the Panthers 47-yard line. Seven plays later, the Packers would go ahead 21-3. 
  • Barnes would finish with six tackles on the day. 
  • For many reasons 2020 has been a year unlike any other in the NFL. One development we see is that undrafted free agents have had a difficult time making teams. Barnes, an undrafted free agent out of UCLA was cut during the Packers final roster trim-down, but was signed to the practice roster. Barnes was activated prior to Week 1 and started against the Vikings and was playing well until he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after the Week 9. He was not activated until nearly a month later prior to the Week 13 game. He’s getting back into the swing of things and making plays for the Packers. 

49ers @ Cowboys – Cowboys Defense / Special Teams

  • The Cowboys offense is not very good. Running back Tony Pollard played well as the starter, and was a big part of what they did get done offensively. But the Cowboys offense could not win this game.
  • Fortunately, football games involve three phases: offense, defense and special teams. On defense, forcing turnovers is a big part of the win equation. The Cowboys forced two interceptions and recovered two fumbles. The biggest was probably the early Richie James fumble that led to a 14-0 lead. All of these turnovers led to short fields and allowed the Cowboys to put up 41 points on the day. 
  • Somehow, the Cowboys find themselves right in the mix of a playoff race, and if they continue to force four turnovers a game, we like their chances. 

Seahawks @ WFT – DJ Reed (CB)

  • Sunday turned into a defensive battle, with the Seahawks having to hold off a late Washington run. A big part of that was DJ Reed.
  • Reed had 6 tackles, 3 pass deflections, and an interception. He was around the ball almost every play. Reed got the start and matched up on (and shut down) Terry McLaurin for most of the day. 
  • Reed didn’t appear in a game until Week 8 this year, so it’s fair to assume he’s still getting back in game shape, but he didn’t miss a beat this week. 

Bears @ Vikings – Robert Quinn (DE) and Roquan Smith (LB)

  • The Bears have not had much success in free agency in 2020. The fanbase and media have criticized defensive end Robert Quinn as he signed a big free agent contract this off-season, and has not contributed much. It doesn’t help Quinn’s cause that the Bears defense has been exposed in recent weeks.
  • On Sunday, Quinn joined forces with linebacker Roquan Smith, last week’s WOW to tackle sensational Vikings running back Dalvin Cook on 3rd & 1 from the Vikings 29-yard line for no gain right before the two-minute warning.  On the next play, a fourth down from the same distance, quarterback Kirk Cousins’ pass to tight end Tyler Conklin fell incomplete and the Vikings turned the ball over on downs.
  • The Bears took over and four plays later, increased their lead to 33-27 on a Cairo Santos 42-yard field goal with fifty-six seconds remaining. It would prove to be enough but it was close as there was a Hail Mary scare at the end of the game.  
  • Quinn finished the game with two tackles and one sack while Smith totaled six tackles. 
  • The Bears defense seems to have tired in recent weeks and for good reason as they played a lot of snaps early. Chicago has won two in a row after a six-game losing streak. They need more plays like this out of their defense to make a serious threat at a playoff spot. 

Patriots @ Dolphins – Salvon Ahmed (RB)

  • The Dolphins were playing without multiple starting wide receivers. They knew they were going to have trouble scoring points and moving the football. Their rookie quarterback is prone to turnovers (see interception in the end zone). While the Patriots are not exactly world beaters on offense, the Dolphins needed to figure out something offensively that worked against the Patriots. 
  • Enter Ahmed. He carried 23 times for 122 yards and a score. The Patriots had no answer for him (or reserve running back Matt Breida) all day. 
  • To beat the Patriots, you need a sustained sixty-minute effort and to wear out their defense. The Dolphins held the ball for 37 minutes. That’s a recipe for success (unless you are the Vikings). Running the ball consistently, with just enough in the pass game, can lead to many wins.

Jaguars @ Ravens – Gus Edwards (RB)

  • Edwards is not Mark Ingram. He’s not J.K. Dobbins. Edwards is not a former first-round pick. He didn’t play at Alabama or Ohio State. He was undrafted out of Rutgers. 
  • But year after year, down the stretch, he seems to become the Ravens most important running back. That doesn’t stop them from trying to upgrade the position, but one might think they should stop throwing money and draft picks at the position when Edwards can get the job done. 
  • On Sunday, Edwards had nine carries for 42 yards and added two catches for 36 yards. He seems to provide a spark to the offense whenever he touches the ball. It’s no surprise that as the Ravens get him involved, their offense begins to run more smoothly. 
  • We’ll see if they continue with Edwards or look to Ingram. Our take? More Edwards. 

Bucs @ Falcons – Devin White (LB)

  • The Bucs were plagued by another slow start on both sides of the ball. While the offense eventually figured it out, it would not have mattered if the defense didn’t stop Matt Ryan. 
  • Ryan had completed 23 of 31 passes in the first half, and was not pressured at all. That changed in the second half when White notched 3 sacks. The first was on a key third down to end a promising Falcons drive. Two were on third downs that helped end drives. 
  • White also had 12 tackles, including 4 tackles for loss and had two pass deflections on the day. He was everywhere. 
  • The Bucs don’t have the best corners in the NFL. That was especially true after Carlton Davis left at the end of the 2nd quarter and didn’t return. Even with him in the game, they struggled to contain Calvin Ridley. Getting a timely pass rush from Devin White helped turn the tide, and resulted in a couple of key stops. 
  • White is going to continue being one of the most important players on this team. If he can keep getting consistent pressure on timely blitzes, this defense will be tough to score on come January. 

Lions @ Titans – Darrynton Evans (RB)

  • We can’t put Cory Davis and Derrick Henry on this list every week. They played great, but we need a new name.  
  • Evans allows the Titans to sit workhorse Derrick Henry and give him a breather when needed. He looked good on Sunday, with eight carries for 30 yards and a pair of catches for 27 yards and a score. 
  • The Titans don’t need him to be Henry, but if they can add him to the rotation to give Henry a rest down the stretch, the Titans will be better for it come January. He also added a nice change of pace, with the Lions struggling to keep up with his speed after dealing with the bruising from Henry. 
  • Evans is the former Sun Belt Offensive Player of the year, and was drafted in the third round this year by the Titans. It’s easy to see why they liked him. 

Texans @ Colts – Zach Pascal (WR)

  • The emergence of Michael Pittman Jr., and the re-emergence of veteran T.Y. Hilton had reduced Zach Pascal’s number of pass-catching opportunities in recent weeks. In the previous three games, Pascal had only a combined three catches for 61 yards over his past three games. 
  • On Sunday, Pascal was the team’s leading pass catcher with five grabs and their receiving yardage leader, with 79 yards. He also scored two touchdowns. 
  • Zach Pascal scored on a 11-yard pass from quarterback Philip Rivers with 0:52 remaining in the first quarter to give the Colts a 14-0 lead. 
  • The second touchdown came on a five-yard catch, run and plunge to cap off a 12-play, 75-yard drive that broke a 20-20 tie. 
  • Pascal, an undrafted wide receiver from Old Dominion University has been a member of the Colts since 2018. He was signed by Washington in 2017, was cut and later signed with division rival Tennessee in 2017, prior to joining the Colts. 

Eagles @ Cardinals – DeAndre Hopkins (WR)

  • Sometimes the recipe is simple. Throw the ball to the best receiver in the NFL. Week to week it’s not clear the Cardinals know that. But on Sunday, they finally followed the recipe and got DeAndre Hopkins going. 
  • Hopkins had nice catches for 169 yards and a score, an unbelievable game-winner. Teams just can’t guard him.
  • The Cardinals have gone away from Hopkins in recent weeks and have lost while targeting Andy Isabella more. This is a bad formula. More of Hopkins, less of everyone else, and the Cardinals will be playing in January. 

Jets @ Rams – Frank Gore (RB)

  • This is a Frank Gore appreciation post. Did his stats jump off the page? No. But he ran hard and made timely plays, and continues to be one of the most consistent players to play the game.
  • Needing a first down to seal the game, Gore positioned himself right at the first down marker in soft coverage, made the catch and ended the game. Every week we see players run just shy of the marker allowing opposing defenses to make the tackle short of the sticks. Gore wasn’t going to let that happen. 
  • He also knew that without a first down, the Jets would be setting up a repeat of the Raiders finale where they lost the game. The organization might be tanking for Trevor, but don’t tell the players. 

Chiefs @ Saints – L’Jarius Sneed (CB)

  • Kansas City cornerback L’Jarius Sneed returned to his home state and made a significant impact on the outcome of the game with a first-quarter interception of quarterback Drew Brees on the Saints second drive of the game. Brees was pressured and a pass down the sideline, intended for Lil’Jordan Humphrey, fell short of the intended target. Sneed snagged the errant wobbly pass and managed to get his feet in bounds to give the Chiefs the ball in a scoreless game.
  • Seven plays later, the Chiefs scored the game’s first touchdown and the Saints would play catch-up the rest of the game
  • Sneed added three tackles, a sack, and three passes defended in victory. 
  • The rookie corner is getting back into the rotation having returned in Week 11 after a broken collarbone during a Week 3 contest. Although he’s in first year, this was Snead’s third career interception, having picked off a pass in the season’s first two games. 
  • Sneed was a fourth round pick of the Chiefs in this year’s draft out of Louisiana Tech. He is from Minden, Louisiana, just east of Shreveport and approximately five hours from New Orleans. He made everyone back home proud with his performance. Sneed was also a WOW in Week 2. 

Browns @ Giants – Austin Hooper (TE)

  • Browns tight end Austin Hooper hauled in five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown in the victory over the Giants. Hooper’s touchdown, a two-yard pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield early in the second quarter, was the Browns first touchdown of the game. This gave the Browns the lead for good against the struggling Giants. 
  • It was a good return to action for Hooper who was inactive in Week 14 due to a neck injury. 
  • A 2016 third-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons out of Stanford, Hooper was a free agent signing in 2020. He enjoyed consecutive seasons of over 70 catches with the Falcons in 2018 and 2019. 
  • Hooper will not meet that mark this season. This will likely be his lowest mark since his rookie season. However, he’s on a playoff team and is making significant contributions. We are sure that is much more important to Hooper than the number of receptions.   

Steelers @ Bengals – Mackensie Alexander (CB)

  • Alexander had the highlight of the night as he high-stepped out of bounds following an interception late in the second quarter.
  • The play was much more important than that.
  • Alexander’s pick led to a touchdown that put the Bengals up 17-0 against their first-place division rivals. While neither team is capable of a shootout at the moment, the Steelers have significantly more talent on both sides of the ball. The Bengals needed to force turnovers to keep this one close. They not only kept it close, but won the game outright.

Opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not express the views or opinions of Headcoachranking.com.

W.O.W. – Winners Of The Week (Week 13)

By Juan Lozano and Marc Harper | December 9, 2020

Browns @ Titans – Rashard Higgins (WR)

  • Higgins has been a revelation for the Browns since Odell Beckham Jr. tore his ACL. On Sunday, he caught 6 of 9 targets for 95 yards and a score. The Browns pride themselves on running the football, and Jarvis Landry is the main receiving threat, so there are only so many passes to go around, but Higgins has made the most of his opportunities. 
  • Higgins signed a one-year deal for just under $1 Million this year. If he can continue to make plays down the stretch, he will be in line for a multi-year deal with some guaranteed money. Not a bad result for a fifth-round pick out of Colorado State. 
  • The Browns offense has seemed to flow a bit more after the Beckham injury, Higgins is a big reason why. 

WFT @ Steelers – Logan Thomas (TE)

  • Washington Football Team tight end Logan Thomas tied the game with 9:09 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard touchdown receptions from Alex Smith. WFT would later add two field goals in the quarter to overcome a fourteen-point deficit against the previously undefeated Steelers. 
  • Thomas would finish with nine catches for 98 yards.
  • Thomas, a converted quarterback from Virginia Tech Was a fourth-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2014. After bouncing around as a quarterback, Thomas switched to tight end in 2016 as a member of the Detroit Lions. He later signed with the Bills and came back to the Lions before joining WFT in 2020.  Prior to this season, Thomas had caught only 35 passes. In 2020, he’s caught 43 passes. 
  • He signed a one-year contract and will be a free agent at the end of the season. 
  • And speaking of tight ends… 

Raiders @ Jets – Darren Waller (TE)

  • We’ve seen Waller put up some big numbers this season, most notably in Week 1 against the Saints on MNF. Everyone knows what he’s capable of.  To be in week 13, and not have a plan for him is coaching malfeasance. Much will be made about Gregg Williams going cover zero on the last snap of the game to lose. Rightfully so, but if the Jets made any effort to contain Waller, it wouldn’t have mattered. 
  • Instead, Waller hauled in 13 catches for 200 yards and 2 scores. Watching the game we thought he might end up with 20 catches. Still, while Waller (and TEs in general) are a matchup problem, he is not Tyreek Hill. You can guard him. You can build the defense around guarding him, but that’s not what the Jets do, and it burned them badly even before the final snap of the game. 

Jags @ Vikings – Harrison Smith (S)

  • Smith has had a very impressive season thus far. It would not be a stretch to say he’s the most important non-Dalvin Cook player on this team. Smith has had a knack for making big plays all season, and Sunday was no different. 
  • In overtime, after a quick three-and-out from the offense, Smith picked off Jaguars quarterback Mike Glennon to set up the game winning field goal. The Vikings defense had been gashed late in this one, and Smith getting them off the field quickly was instrumental to getting the win.  He also added 6 combined tackles and seems to be everywhere. 
  • Smith is 32 and is entering the last year of his deal. He’s still one of the better safeties in the league, and has shown no signs of slowing down. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Vikings extend one of their most impactful players on defense. 

Bengals @ Dolphins – Mike Gesicki (TE)

  • This was an ugly game. There wasn’t much offense. There was a fight. The lone bright spot was Gesicki continuing to prove he is one of the better tight ends in this league. 
  • He caught 9 of 11 targets for 88 yards and a score. One of the best things you can do for a young quarterback is provide a nice big tight target as a security blanket, and Tua has been more than happy to take advantage of that.
  • The Dolphins took Gesicki in the 2nd round of the 2018 draft, and it’s fair to say the pick has worked out quite well. Gesicki and Tua can be an effective pair for years to come.  

Colts @ Texans – Jonathan Taylor (RB)

  • There were a lot of questions when the Colts drafted Jonathan Taylor in the second round in the 2020 draft despite having Marlon Mack.  Mack was lost for the year, early in the 2020 campaign.  Taylor has shown exactly why he was drafted.
  • On Sunday, he averaged 7.1 yards per carry while rushing for 91 yards. He added 3 catches for 44 yards and a score. 
  • Taylor has been ineffective in the last couple of weeks as the Colts leaned more on Phillip Rivers, but for this team to win in the playoffs, they’ll need to keep this balanced approach. If Taylor can keep it going, there won’t be many teams that can match the Colts. 

Lions @ Bears – Romeo Okwara (DE)

  • The Lions won the first game after both the general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia were fired. It wasn’t an easy win for the Lions as it was a road game against a desperate Bears team.  For the majority of the game, it appeared as if the Bears would get the win. After all, they held a ten-point lead in the fourth quarter. 
  • Romeo Okwara thwarted victory celebration plans and ensured the Bears a sixth straight defeat. 
  • On 3rd & 4, with the Bears on their own seventeen-yard line, and with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter, the defensive end strip sacked Trubisky. The ensuing fumble was recovered by defensive tackle John Penisini at the Bears seven-yard line. The Lions would take over and two plays later running back Adrian Peterson scored a 5-yard touchdown that gave the Lions the come from behind win. 
  • In addition to the sack, Okwara finished with four tackles and two quarterback hits. 
  • This isn’t Romeo Okwara’s second strip sack of the season as he strip-sacked Matt Ryan in a Week 7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. He’s been making plays all season and is set to be a free agent at the end of this season. He is only 25 years old and yet is a five-year veteran. He first signed with the Giants and later joined the Lions in 2018. There’s a need for strong pass rushers in the league and we anticipate that Okwara is going to get PAID. 
  • Romeo Okwara is the older brother of Lions rookie defensive end Julian Okwara.

Saints @ Falcons – Jared Cook (TE)

  • The Saints tight end Jared Cook has been an afterthought in the offense after Drew Brees went down with a rib injury. Cook had only one catch in the last three games. He had three on Sunday in a win against the Falcons. All three came on third down and all were either scores or lead to scores. Let’s take a look at those catches:
  1. In the first quarter, Cook caught a Taysom Hill pass for 7 yards on 3rd-and-6 from the Saints 35-yard line. This drive would end with a Tre’Quan Smith touchdown.  
  2. At the end of the second quarter (1;45 remaining), Cook caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Hill to give the Saints a 14-6 lead. 
  3. In the third quarter, facing a long 3rd-and- 7 from the Atlanta 31-yard line, Cook caught a Hill pass for a 10-yard gain.  Running back Alvin Kamara scored on an 11-yard rush on the drive to give the Saints a 21-9 advantage

Giants @ Seahawks – Leonard Williams (DT)

  • Is it possible for the Jets to lose two games in one day? Watching Leonard Williams on Sunday afternoon had us scratching our head. Why did the Jets trade him? The Jets traded him for a third round pick and a conditional fifth round pick. I understand that the Jets are rebuilding (or are they?), but it’s hard to get a player like Williams. Even if they let him play out his deal they would have been in line for a compensatory pick. Instead… 
  • Williams finished with 2.5 sacks on the day in a huge upset against the Seahawks. He was instrumental in the win. There was pressure against Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson all game and he never got comfortable. Williams was a big reason why. On the season, Williams has 8.5 sacks. Players like Williams make it clear that the issue with the Jets wasn’t just Gregg Williams. It’s everything. 
  • The NFC East might be much maligned, but there are some good defensive fronts. Williams headlined a great defensive performance and has the Giants in a battle against the Washington Football Team for the NFC East division title. 

Rams @ Cardinals – Cam Akers (RB)

  • Rookie second- round draft pick Cam Akers gained 72 yards on 21 carries in a road victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Akers also caught one pass for 22 yards.
  • Those aren’t gaudy stats but his contribution was in helping the Rams hold the ball and keep the Arizona offense off the field. The Rams’ time of possession was 38:53 compared to the Cardinals’ 21:07.
  • There was some concern that the loss of running back Todd Gurley would result in the loss of some effectiveness of the running game. That has not been the case. Rather, the 21-yard old, second-round pick out of Florida State appears to be taking the lead in this “running back by committee” situation. 

Pats @ Chargers – Gunner Olszewski (WR)

  • Gunner Olszewski is in his second season with the New England Patriots. He had not reached the end zone until the second quarter of the road game against the Los Angeles Chargers. 
  • Olszewski took a punt, seventy yards to give the Patriots a 14-0 lead.
  • In addition to playing special teams, Olszewski is a wide receiver and got in on nine plays in the blowout win. On one of those plays, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham connected with Olszewski for a 38-yard touchdown to put about the twentieth nail in the Chargers coffin. 
  • The second-year player is a Texas high school product and a converted cornerback from Division II, Bemidji State. 

Eagles @ Packers – Rashan Gary (OLB/DE)

  • We know what Davante Adams and Aaron Jones do. But this game was over because of the erratic play of Carson Wentz. The great defensive line play of the Packers was a big reason why. 
  • Gary had 1.5 sacks on the day and made his presence felt with two other QB hits. The Packers already have one of the best edge rushers in Za’Darius Smith. They drafted Gary in the first round in 2019 to help bolster their defensive line and make teams pay for doubling Smith. They were going up against a weak line, but if this defense can continue to generate pressure, they will be a tough out come January. 

Broncos @ Chiefs – Harrison Butker (K)

  • The Kansas City Chiefs had a difficult time reaching the end zone in an AFC West home contest. Their usual high octane offense was stymied by a stubborn Broncos defense. Luckily for the Chiefs, they had kicker Harrison Butker. 
  • Butker kicked five field goals in the game, including one to end the first half to cut the Broncos lead to 10-9. 
  • The longest of the game was his final one, a 48-yard field goal with 1:06 left to extend the Chiefs advantage to 22-16. Down six, Denver had to attempt to reach the end zone rather than get in makeable field goal range. The Broncos worked from a point of desperation and the Kansas City defense forced quarterback Drew Lock to throw an interception. 
  • There’s a lesson to be learned: Even potent offenses have off-days. This was one of those days for the Chiefs.  This is a good lesson to those fans that always insist on attempting fourth down conversions at the goal line and high percentage field goal attempt range. There is value in kicking field goals, even early. You just never know when you are going to need points. 

Cowboys @ Ravens – Patrick Queen (LB)

  • Queen intercepted an Andy Dalton pass intended for Amari Cooper at the Dallas 38-yard line with 8:20 left in the second quarter. 
  • On the very next play, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson connected with wide receiver Miles Boykin for a 38-yard touchdown pass to give the Ravens a 14-10 lead. Queen would also contribute five tackles and one pass defended in the best winning effort. 
  • Queen is a 2020 first round pick out of Louisiana State University. He’s an impact on the Ravens defense already in his first year. He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after a stellar Week Five performance. Like the Ravens, we anticipate Queen having a fantastic career in Baltimore. 

Bills @ 49ers – Cole Beasley (WR)

  • Beasley, a nine-year veteran is on pace to have his best season. 
  • In a Monday night win against the 49ers, Beasley had nine catches for 130 yards and a score. The touchdown, a 5-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen tied the contest early. Two of his catches in the first half were over 30 yards each.  
  • Beasley, who spent the majority of his career with the Cowboys before signing with Buffalo in 2019, lettered at Southern Methodist University and was an undrafted free agent.  Stefon Diggs gets much of the attention in Buffalo and he should be recognized for his contributions, but Beasley is an important piece of a much improved Buffalo offense in 2020. 

Opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not express the views or opinions of Headcoachranking.com.

W.O.W. – Winners Of The Week (Week 12)

By Juan Lozano and Marc Harper | December 3, 2020

Texans @ Lions – Will Fuller (WR)

  • Detroit defensive back C.J. Moore and Houston defensive back A.J. Moore, identical twins, played in the Lions annual Thursday afternoon Thanksgiving contest, but it was a son of the City of Brotherly Love, Texans wide receiver, Will Fuller, that made the greatest impact on the outcome of the game.
  • Fuller torched the Lions secondary for 6 catches, 171 yards and two touchdowns. 
  • Both of Fuller’s touchdowns came in the fourth quarter. The first was a 40- yard strike to give the Texans a 34-17 lead. The second was on a trick play, a Duke Johnson lateral back to Watson who found Fuller for a 34-yard score. 
  • It’s possible that Fuller has played his last game as a member of the Houston Texans as he is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, one that was shortened due to a six- game PED suspension that was announced on Monday. 

Washington Football Team @ Cowboys – Antonio Gibson (WR/RB)

  • Antonio Gibson rushed 20 times for 115 yards and three touchdowns in Washington’s Week 12 win over the Cowboys.
  • His first score, a five-yard run came in the first quarter to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive. 
  • Gibson also made plays in the passing game with 5 catches for 21 yards.

Dolphins @ Jets – DeVante Parker (WR)

  • Parker was clearly the focal point for the Dolphins on Sunday. They targeted him 14 times against a young and inexperienced Jets secondary. He finished with 8 catches for 119 yards. 
  • The game was about what you expect from the Jets at this point, but it does raise further questions for the Dolphins. They very easily can make the playoffs and maybe win a game or two if they keep veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in. It’s just not clear they want to win. 
  • For receivers like Parker, playing with Fitzpatrick gives them an opportunity to juice their stats going into the offseason. 

Cards @ Pats – Ja’Whaun Bentley (LB)

  • Arizona took a 10-0 lead early in this road game against a feisty Patriots team. After the Patriots cut the lead early in the second quarter, the two teams played the remainder of the half without a score.  Arizona then had a chance to kick a field goal or attempt a touchdown from the Patriots one-yard line at the end of the second quarter. 
  • Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake was stopped short of the goal line by Ja’Whaun Bentley with an assist from Akeem Spence. It was not Bentley’s only big play of the game as he would finish with 13 total tackles. This was arguably the Patriots and Bentley’s best defensive effort in 2020. 
  • Bentley, a fifth- round draft pick out of Purdue in 2018 had a strong start to his NFL career, joining the starting lineup immediately, returning a fumble for a touchdown in his second game and intercepting a pass in Week 3 of that season. However, he was placed on season-ending injured reserve in the first month of the season. He struggled to return to form in 2019, but is now one of the leaders of the Patriots defense, especially with linebacker Dont’a Hightower having opted out of the 2020 season.

Panthers @ Vikings – D.J. Wonnum Jr. (DE)

  • Wonnum only had one tackle on the day, but he had the biggest play of the game. Trailing 21-10 late in the third quarter, Wonnum blocked a chip shot field goal that would have extended the game to 24-10. 
  • The Vikings at that point had looked listless in all three phases of the game. The Vikings recovered the block, and went down and kicked a field goal a couple of plays later. This was crucial in a one- point game.
  • Wonnum is a 2020 fourth-round pick from the University of South Carolina. If he can keep making plays on special teams, I’d expect that we see him more regularly playing defense.

Browns @ Jags – Jarvis Landry (WR)

  • The Browns strayed from their usual formula of running the ball and playing solid defense on Sunday. While Nick Chubb did still run for over 100 yards, and the defense played just “OK”, Jarvis Landry was the star of the game. 
  • Landy had 8 catches for 143 yards and a score. He likely should have had a second touchdown, but Mayfield missed him on the easiest throw you’ll see in the NFL. 
  • This was the Landry the Browns thought they were getting when they acquired him from Miami. This is the one we often see glimpses of. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see it every week, but on Sunday he was an instrumental part in the Browns picking up their eight win of the season. 

Titans @ Colts – Derrick Henry (RB)

  • The Titans avenged a November, nationally televised home loss to the Colts with a dominant road performance. The Titans were led by running back Derrick Henry who finished the day with 178 yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns. 
  • All three of Henry’s touchdowns came in the first half of the game. His first touchdown came on the game’s first drive. Henry would find the end zone twice in the second quarter, at the 6:15 minute mark to tie the game and at 1:41 to break that tie. Tennessee would have the lead for the remainder of the game. 

Giants @ Bengals – Jabrill Peppers (S)

  • There was not a lot of offense in this game. And that’s putting it mildly. The Bengals were held to 155 total yards. Not what you’d like to see from an NFL offense. 
  • That being said, Jabrill Peppers played a key role on the Giants defense. He finished with 6 tackles and two pass deflections. Peppers was in coverage on a lot of close down the field balls. It generally felt like Peppers was everywhere. 
  • While we didn’t put together this list when Peppers was on the Browns, I don’t think we would have ever placed him on it. He’s really come into his own on the Giants. He’s become the player that many actually expected him to be in college, that is, a hybrid safety who can also line up against tight ends and faster wide receivers. The Giants are happy to have him. 

Chargers @ Bills – AJ Klein (LB)

  • Bills weakside linebacker, A.J. Klein had a career day with fourteen tackles, 1.5 sacks, a pass defended and two quarterback hits. 
  • Klein is in his first year with the Buffalo Bills having played the three previous seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2013 draft and was with the team until 2016.
  • In Buffalo, Klein is reunited with former Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane, who was also a member of the Panthers front office when Klein was drafted. 
  • The eight-year veteran had a rough start to his first season in Buffalo but he’s starting to show that he is worth the three-year, $18 million contract ($11.3 million guaranteed) he signed in the off-season. 

Raiders @ Falcons –  Jacob Tuioti-Mariner (DT)/ Honorable Mention: (Derek Carr- QB- Las Vegas) 

  • Sunday was all types of bad for the Raiders. Against the Falcons, nothing good happened for a Raiders team that has turned in some uneven performances this year. Derek Carr had 4 turnovers and probably didn’t help his case for remaining as the Raiders quarterback for much longer. 
  • It’s hard to say that any player on the Falcons played great. It really just seemed like the Raiders did not want to win. And win they did not. 
  • Jacob Tuioti-Mariner managed to be in the right place right and managed to recover two fumbles on the day. Tuioti-Mariner is a former undrafted free agent out of UCLA.
  • Otherwise, he had a strong day at nose tackle while the Falcons held Jacobs to only 27 yards. A stout run defense forces Derek Carr to drop back. We saw what happens when he is forced to do so. 

49ers @ Rams – Ross Dwelley (TE)

  • We’ve put Ross Dwelley on here before because of his contributions in the passing game. This week, it’s because of his blocking. 
  • On the last offensive snap of the game for the 49ers, Dwelley goes in motion and puts a brutal block on Aaron Donald. Not only does this let Mostert pick up an extra few yards, but it also stops Donald from possibly forcing a fumble by timing the hit right as the ball is handed off (Mostert fumbled on a play like this earlier in the game). 
  • The 49ers run game relies on tight ends and fullbacks making the necessary blocks. Having multiple guys on the team that can be relied on to pull and block allowed the team to run all the way to the Super Bowl last year. We saw a little of what that looked like on Sunday. 

Saints @ Broncos – Latavaius Murray (RB)

  • In a game where both teams were without their starting quarterbacks, it was easy to anticipate that both teams would be focused on running the ball. The Broncos were in more dire straits as they were without any of their quarterbacks whereas the Saints started Taysom Hill, a jack of all trades to run the team’s offense.
  • The game was an opportunity for reserve players to make an impact. In this case it was eight- year veteran running back Latavius Murray. 
  • Murray rushed for 124 yards on 19 carries for two touchdowns. This was 8 carries and 70 yards more than the Saints MVP candidate running back Alvin Kamara. 

Chiefs @ Bucs – Tyreek Hill (WR)

  • It’s hard to say enough good things about what Hill did on Sunday against the Bucs. Sure, he finished 13 catches for 269 yards and 2 scores. And that’s great. But it’s also how he does it. 
  • The threat of him going deep for 75 yards (like he did on Sunday) is not only enough to force the defense to focus on him, but it also is demoralizing. If you watched Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis on the sideline after the scores, you could see he was upset. It’s hard to go out and play after that. 
  • While the score remained close, Hill’s 200 yards in the first quarter alone really put the game away. I’m not sure anyone really expected a comeback after that. The Chiefs have to figure out their offense. There is no excuse for only scoring 7 points in the second half. But they do not need to figure out Hill. He’s as good as it gets. 

Bears @ Packers – Darnell Savage (S)

  • Chicago Bears offense is woeful. They are struggling. Badly. 
  • Second-year Packers safety Darnell Savage added to the Bears frustrations with his first two interceptions of the season in the Sunday Night prime time game against their division foe. 
  • Savage’s first interception came in the second quarter when the game was still in doubt. Savage intercepted a Trubisky bomb intended for rookie wide receiver Darnell Mooney in the end zone. The Packers would drive 80 yards for a score to put the game totally out of reach at 20-3. 
  • The second pick in the middle of the third quarter near midfield when Savage again picked off Trubisky on another deep pass, this one intended for wide receiver Anthony Miller. 
  • He would also add one tackle and two passes defended to the Packers’ efforts.
  • Savage is a 2019 first-round pick out of the University of Maryland was one of the fastest players at the NFL Combine with a 4.36 forty-yard dash time.

Seahawks @ Eagles – Jamal Adams (S)

  • The Eagles matched the Bears in offensive futility. 
  • And like the Bears, the Eagles were stymied by the opposing team’s safety.
  • Seattle safety Jamal Adams finished the game with nine tackles, 1 sack and two passes defended. 
  • Adams appears to be finally healthy after having being less effective earlier in the season, due to a shoulder injury. Seattle needs Adams to consistently play at an expected high level. After all, the Seahawks did give up two future first-round picks to acquire Adams from the New York Jets prior to the season. 
  • Adams is playing his best football of the season, heading into the last month of the season which includes a game against his previous team, the Jets.

 Ravens @ Steelers – Joe Haden (CB)

  • The Steelers must thank the Browns every day for releasing Haden. He’s been an impact cornerback for the Steelers since the minute he arrived. The Ravens were without some playmakers for Wednesday’s game and they already lacked depth at wide receiver. Going up against Haden and Fitzpatrick only compounded the issue. 
  • On Wednesday, Haden jumped an RGIII pass early in the first quarter and returned it for a touchdown. Both teams had trouble moving and scoring the football. Adding 6 points on a turnover in a game that was decided by 5 points was critical to remaining undefeated. 

Opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not express the views or opinions of Headcoachranking.com.

W.O.W. – Winners Of The Week (Week 11)

By Juan Lozano and Marc Harper | November 25, 2020

Cardinals @ Seahawks – Bo Scarbrough (RB)

  • Seattle’s running back corps was without starting running back Chris Carson and backup Travis Homer in a tough division game against Arizona on Thursday night. The injury bug has impacted the Seattle running game the last few weeks and the two-game losing streak reflects that.  
  • Seattle got contributions on the ground from running back Carlos Hyde, also coming off injury, and was placed into a starter’s role and finished with 79 yards and a touchdown on fourteen carries. Quarterback Russell Wilson was more active in the run game as well with 42 rushing yards.
  • Even though he was just the third-leading rusher with 31 yards, newly signed Bo Scarbrough is our WOW player of the game. 
  • Scarbrough would leave the game with a leg injury in the fourth quarter, but not after making plays on three Seattle scoring drives. When he was injured, Scarbrough was coming off a nine-yard run that placed Seattle in much more favorable field position. The drive ended in a field goal that gave Seattle a 28-21 lead. This is a strong contribution for a player that Seattle signed on Thursday afternoon off their practice squad. 
  • Scarbrough had been signed to Seattle’s practice squad on November 11, after having been released by the Detroit Lions on October 31.
  • This is Scarbrough’s second go-around with Seattle as he was with the organization in 2018 and 2019 after having been signed off the Jaguars practice squad. 
  • Scarbrough was a seventh-round draft selection of the Cowboys in 2018. 

Bengals @ Washington Football Team – Chase Young (DE)

  • Chase Young only had three tackles on the day, none of which were sacks. But his biggest tackle was a violent collision with former Ohio State teammate Joe Burrow on fourth-and-goal, with Washington holding a seven-point lead.. 
  • Young easily could have given up on the play, and hoped the corner out in space could make the play. The corner didn’t, but Young did.
  • It’s hard to predict what would have happened if Burrow had squeezed into the endzone. Score wise, it’s only seven points, but not scoring in the red zone can be deflating, especially for a young offense.
  • Unfortunately, it’s hard to know because of the eventual devastating, season-ending injury to Burrow, but that doesn’t take away from Young’s impact. 
  • Coming into this game, some have been calling Young a “bust.” That’s preposterous, and you won’t hear that on this site. He impacts the game on almost every play even if he doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. It’s early, but the Redskins have an impactful player on their defensive line. 

Falcons @ Saints –  Saints Defensive Line

  • Weekly readers will remember that we put David Onyemata and Trey Hendrickson in this column over the past couple of weeks. They were outstanding again. Each notched two sacks in the game. Cam Jordan bested them with three sacks. Between the three of them they also had eight quarterback hits.  
  • The Saints defensive line has been coming on strong in recent weeks, but collectively this was the best the unit has looked this year. The Saints have good, not great, cover corners and safeties. For this defense to work they need to get to the quarterback. If they continue sacking opposing quarterbacks eight times per game, they’ll win a lot of games even if Drew Brees does not return. 

Steelers @ Jags – Bud Dupree (OLB)

  • The Steelers have one of the best pass rushes in the NFL. That’s a big reason why they are undefeated. Dupree is also one of the best players on that pass rush. On Sunday, he only had three tackles, but one was a sack, and one was a tackle for loss. He added two quarterback hits and a pass deflection for good measure. 
  • When going up against a rookie quarterback in Jake Luton, Dupree seemed to be disrupting the backfield on every single play. He has a quick jump, and even when not getting home, he forced early throws and bad decisions from the rookie quarterback.
  • Anybody who has watched Tom Brady come under pressure against great pass rushers knows you do not actually need to sack him. You need him to think you might sack him. Dupree forced that feeling almost every single play on Sunday, and he is a big reason why the Steelers won and remain undefeated.

Patriots @ Texans – Keke Coutee (WR)

  • Coutee, a fourth-round draft pick of the Texans in the 2018 draft had been a forgotten man in Houston until Sunday. 
  • It took the release of returner DeAndre Carter and a foot injury to wide receiver Randall Cobb to get the little-used and oft-injured Coutee into the mix. 
  • Coutee only had two catches for ten yards, but one of those receptions was a touchdown with ten seconds left in the first half to give the Texans a 21-10 advantage. Coutee also returned two punts in the game.  Coutee had not had any catches since Week 2. 
  • The Texas Tech-product has been rumored to be a trade or release candidate. Houston will have a new coaching staff in 2021. Coutee looks like he will have a chance to prove to the staff that he can make a contribution and belongs in the NFL. 

Eagles @ Browns – Oliver Vernon (DE)

  • The weather gods have not smiled on the Browns this season. E very game looks more miserable than the last. Fortunately for the Browns, it means the recipe stays the same. Run the ball and play good defense. Nick Chubb provided the running, but our W.O.W. of the week is defensive end Oliver Vernon. 
  • Vernon made a Pro-Bowl just two years ago, so it’s not as if he’s overlooked. But on a team with Myles Garrett, he’ll never be the first player one thinks of when they think of the Browns defense. Maybe he should be. 
  • On Sunday, Vernon lived in the Eagles backfield. He had three sacks, three tackles for loss, and hit Carson Wentz another three times. One of his sacks resulted in a safety. In a five-point game in poor weather, every point matters just that much more. Vernon was directly responsible for two points. The rest of his play helped keep the Eagles to 17 points on the day. 

Lions @ Panthers – PJ Waker (QB)

  • With starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater injured, Panthers backup PJ Walker got the starting nod in Week 11. 
  • Walker helped the Panthers to a 20-0 victory over the visiting Detroit Lions. Walker went 24-for-34, 258 yards passing, as well as a touchdown and two interceptions. The touchdown, a 17-yard pass to the versatile Curtis Samuel, came on the Panthers first drive of the second half to give the Panthers a 14-0 lead and total command of the game. 
  • Walker was acquired in the off-season after having been a member of the XFL Houston Roughnecks before the league shuttered operations. Although he is now known as the former XFL quarterback, the 25-year-old Temple University-product is not new to the NFL, having spent time with the Indianapolis Colts from 2017 to 2019. 
  • Walker played for Panthers head coach Matt Rhule at Temple.
  • Bridgewater may be back sooner rather than later. This might have been Walker’s only start of the season. If that’s the case, we think that Walker has found a home in Carolina for the foreseeable future. He has a coaching staff that supports him and he’s shown he can start, finish and win an NFL game. 

Titans @ Ravens – Corey Davis (WR)

  • We’ve put Corey Davis on this list before. We’ll put him again. After a disappointing start to his career, he’s really come a long nicely this year. Teams focus on Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Jonnu Smith. That leaves ample opportunity for a fourth player to step up. Once again that player was Davis. 
  • Davis was held without a catch in the first half, but exploded for five catches and 113 yards in the second half. He helped provide a reliable offensive threat at a time when they couldn’t run well. 
  • Fortunately for the Titans, Davis provided just enough to make it into overtime. From there, Henry took over and that’s all she wrote. 

Jets @ Chargers – Denzel Perryman (LB)

  • On 3rd & 4 with 1:29 remaining in the first half, Perryman sacked Jets quarterback Joe Flacco for a nine-yard loss which ended the Jets drive and forced them to punt. 
  • The Chargers would kick a field goal after a punt and a seven play, 60-yard drive in 1:10 to give the Chargers a 24-6 lead that even they could not blow.  (And they’ve been great at that).
  • The Chargers would hold on for a six-point win after the Jets made a comeback at the end of the game. A conversion here and a potential score at the end of the half could have changed the momentum of the game sooner. 

Dolphins @ Broncos – Tim Patrick (WR)

  • There are a lot of top wide receiver draft picks on the Broncos. Just this year, they used high draft picks on Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler. Both those players are good, and will only get better with time. But the best wide on the field on Sunday? That was Tim Patrick. He had five catches for over 100 yards. 
  • Patrick is also a great story and we made note of his story in Week 4. He was undrafted coming out of Utah. He bounced around multiple teams and practice squads before finding a spot with the Broncos where he has continued to get better and better. 2020 is his best season by far, and if he continues to develop alongside Jeudy and Hamler, the Broncos could have the best receiving corps in the league within a couple of years.  

Cowboys @ Vikings – Andy Dalton (QB)

  • Sometimes, all a quarterback needs to do is not hurt their team. Since Dak Prescott was injured, the Cowboys have had mostly bad play from their quarterbacks. It’s their fault. They decided to let Garret Gilbert and Ben DiNucci start games. They lost some winnable games because of that. I have no doubt, if either of those guys started this game, the Cowboys would have lost. There are a lot of problems with the Cowboys, but the best thing they could do is have anybody other than Gilbert or DiNucci playing QB.
  • Fortunately, Andy Dalton is back, and he did what they needed him to do. He only passed for 200 yards, but he had three TDs and only threw one pick. The recipe for the Cowboys to win looks a lot like the team they were playing. Throw effectively, and hand the ball off to your elite running back.  Zeke Elliott finally got going, averaging 4.9 yards per carry on the day. 
  • For Dalton, the key is clear, don’t try to make too many plays. Live to fight another down. Hand the ball to Elliott and Pollard. On Sunday, he managed that, and the Cowboys won.

Packers @ Colts – Julian Blackmon (S)

In Week 6, we named Blackmon as a W.O.W. 

In Week 11, we will do so again. 

  • The rookie safety made a game-winning strip of Week 10 WOW player, Packers wide receiver, Marquez Valdes-Scantling that was recovered by defensive lineman DeForest Buckner at the Packers 29-yard line. Four plays later, fellow rookie, kicker Rodrigo Blankenship nailed a 39-yard game winner to give the Colts a victory, a 7-3 record. With the win, the Colts retained first place in a tight AFC South race. 

Chiefs @ Raiders – Le’Veon Bell (RB)

  • In his fourth game as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Le’Veon Bell finally made an impact on the outcome of the contest. 
  • With 5:54 remaining in the contest, Bell rushed for a six-yard touchdown to give the Chiefs a 28-24 lead. Bell would finish the game with seven rushes for 25 yards. 
  • Bell, a seven- year veteran is playing a different role on the Chiefs than he’s accustomed to. He is playing a complementary role on a talented team with a rookie running back that gets the majority of carries. He isn’t “THE MAN”.  Instead, rookie standout Clyde Edwards-Helaire gets the majority of the work as he did on Sunday when he rushed fourteen times for 69 yards and two touchdowns. By contrast, Bell finished the game with seven rushes for 25 yards. 
  • The Chiefs are overwhelmingly a passing team. But in those instances where the weather gets bad or they’ll have to control the ball, they will need ball carriers like Bell to help them close out games. 

Rams @ Bucs – Jordan Fuller (S)

  • Rams rookie safety is another repeat WOW Player of the Week. We mentioned him after a stellar Week 1 performance, even mentioning at that time, his connection to Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady. 
  • On Monday night, Fuller picked off Brady twice, including the game-sealing interception.  
  • Fuller would also have four tackles and two passes defended in the Rams victory. 

Opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not express the views or opinions of Headcoachranking.com.