By Juan Lozano and Marc Harper | October 14, 2020
Bucs @ Bears– Kyle Fuller (CB)
- Cornerback Kyle Fuller separated Bucs rookie running back Ke’Shaun Vaughn (last week’s WOW for Tampa Bay) from the football on a 3rd & 10 play from the Bucs 25-yard line near the end of the first half. The play was first ruled an incomplete pass but later the call was reversed and determined to be a completed pass and fumble. Robert Quinn recovered the fumble at the Bucs 27-yard line and the Bears would capitalize and score a touchdown four plays later to amazingly take a 14-13 lead into the half. At one point, early in the second quarter, Tampa Bay had a 13-0 lead. Fuller’s jarring hit and the forced fumble would prove to the major turning point in the game.
Rams @ WFT – Troy Reeder (LB)
- Rams second-year linebacker Troy Reeder was a force against the Washington Football Team on Sunday. The undrafted second-year starter out of the University of Delaware finished with 11 tackles, two sacks, and three pass defended on the day.
- The Rams were up 13-7 early in the second quarter and Washington was at their own 36-yard line. Reeder stopped running back J.D. McKissic for a 6-yard reception on 3rd down and WFT was forced to punt. The Rams scored a touchdown on that next drive on to put the game out of Washington’s reach.
- Reeder made the Rams roster as an undrafted free agent out of training camp in 2019. He began to make starts down the stretch in his rookie campaign and is becoming a consistent contributor to the club in 2020. Redder was on the field for 58 total snaps on Sunday.
Bills @ Titans– Anthony Firsker (TE)
- The rare Tuesday night NFL contest was a close game up until halftime.
- The Titans were up 14-10 and started a drive from their own ten-yard line after a booming Bills punt. They would go the length of the field to score a touchdown and take the two-score advantage. One big play in the drive came when tight end Anthony Firsker made a first down catch on 3 and 4 from the Buffalo 22-yard line with 27 seconds left in the half. On the next play, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill ran the ball in to the end zone and extended the Titans lead to 21-10.
- It was all hands on deck as the Titans week was in flux due to Covid-19- related issues. Tennessee was expected to be without a lot of offensive firepower this game. Wide receiver AJ Brown was declared active before this game and contributed significantly, but fellow wideouts Corey Davis and Adam Humphries were still out and thus many young receivers and tight ends, like Firsker had to step up.
- Firsker, a third-year undrafted tight end out of Harvard had a total of three catches on the night. But none was bigger than this one that allowed the Titans to extend a drive to make it a two-score game.
Eagles @ Steelers– Chase Claypool (WR)
- There was fantastic rookie wide receiver play around the NFL on Sunday, but Canadian Chase Claypool easily had the most impactful performance of the day. He had seven catches on 11 targets for 110 yards and three scores. He also added a TD on the ground. Every time the Eagles started to creep back into the game, Claypool responded with a big catch or score. Year after year, the Steelers replace big name WRs with younger players, and year after year they prove they scout and develop WRs better than any team in the NFL.
Cardinals @ NY Jets- Chase Edmonds (RB)
- It’s not clear the Jets are going to win a game this season. Opponents might take advantage of the opportunity to play the Jets and get reserve players some meaningful reps. Edmonds, the third year running back out of Fordham University, staked his claim for more touches in the Cardinals offense. While Kenyan Drake is the starting back, Edmonds provided a big boost as the primary receiving back against the Jets. He finished with five big catches for 56 yards and added a score on the ground.
Raiders @ KC Chiefs-Raiders Defensive Line
- In a game in which the Chiefs scored 32 points, I’d still argue the Raiders defensive won the game. The defensive front caused Patrick Mahomes all types of trouble throughout the entire game, but especially the second half. Mahomes never looked comfortable and missed some throws he normally makes. The Chiefs offense really never got going until the game was out of hand. Mahomes was sacked three times, and under pressure throughout the entire second half. To beat the Chiefs, teams will need to replicate what the Raiders did defensively.
Jaguars @ Texans– Brandin Cooks (WR)
- Obviously, Brandin Cooks is a big-name player with a bigger contract. However, expectations were low after an underwhelding season with the Rams in 2019. On Sunday, he was the main reason for the win. He caught eight of 12 targets for 161 yards and a score. The Texans obviously miss Deandre Hopkins (and David Johnson hasn’t been much help), but Cooks was a bright spot on an offense trying to get it going. He was a big reason why the Texans got their first win of the season.
Bengals @ Ravens– Patrick Queen (LB)
- This was an easy call. The rookie linebacker from LSU forced and recovered a fumble. He later returned another fumble 53 yards for a score. He did all this while leading the team with 9 combined tackles on the day. The Ravens didn’t play particularly well on offense, but their defense made Joe Burrow uncomfortable the entire day. Queen, playing against his former college teammate, was a big part of that. It’s clear why he was a first-round pick.
Panthers @ Falcons- Juston Burris (S)
- With the Panthers leading 20-13 lead with 8:49 left in the game, the Falcons were at the Carolina five-yard line and facing a 3rd & 4. Safety Justin Burris intercepted a Matt Ryan pass intended for Russell Gage. The two teams would go on to exchange field goals, and the Panthers held onto win this NFC South contest. A score here would have obviously tied the contest and the outcome may have been different.
- Burris would finish with 3 tackles, and a pass defended in addition to the interception.
- Burris was a Jets fourth-round pick in 2016 and has bounced around going from the Jets, to the Browns, the Raiders, back to the Browns and now the Panthers where it appears he has found a home for the foreseeable future.
Dolphins @ SF 49ers- Preston Williams (WR)
- Second-year player Preston Williams had four catches for 106 yards and a touchdown in the Dolphins destruction of the 49ers in Santa Clara.
- Three of Williams’ catches were in the first half and were for first downs. The touchdown came after the rout was on in the second half.
- Williams, at 6-5, 210 was undrafted out of Colorado State University after beginning his college career at Tennessee. He declared for the NFL Draft after a standout junior season in 2018. His 2019 rookie campaign was shortened by a torn ACL suffered in Week 9. At the time of the injury he was the best offensive skills player for Miami with 32 catches for 428 yards and three touchdowns. He’s picked up where he left off before the injury. This was a fantastic undrafted free agent signing for the Dolphins.
NY Giants @ Cowboys– CeeDee Lamb (WR)
- Sunday was a great day for rookies. The Cowboys traded for Amari Cooper to be the number one threat, but five games into the season, it’s clear that Lamb makes the offense go. He had eight catches for 124 yards, and just about every ball that went to him, it was a big play. The offense will obviously take a hit with quarterback Dak Prescott’s season ending injury, but the emergence of Lamb can help keep this team competitive (especially in the horrendous NFC East).
Colts @ Browns – Ronnie Harrison (S)
- Third-year Browns safety Ronnie Harrison intercepted a Philip Rivers pass at the Colts 47-yard line and returned it the length of the field for a score to increase the Cleveland lead to 27-10.
- Harrison would finish the game with two tackles, two passes defended in addition to the touchdown and interception.
- Harrison, a 23-year old in his third season in the league was a Jaguars third-round pick in 2018 out of Alabama. He was traded at the beginning of the season from Jacksonville to Cleveland for the Browns fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Vikings @ Seahawks– Damontre Moore (DE)
- Damontre Moore signed with the Seahawks just over a month ago. It’s his second stint with the team having played for them in 2016. He’s bounced around to a number of teams since being drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Moore even played in the now defunct AAF.
- Moore made an outstanding play on Sunday that contributed to the Seattle win.
- The Seahawks were down 13-0 at the half. They finally got on the scoreboard and a little momentum in the third quarter with a touchdown. After finding the end zone to make it 13-7, they had Minnesota pinned deep in their own territory.
- On 3rd & 17 from the Vikings 18-yard line, Moore strip sacked quarterback Kirk Cousins and the ball was recovered by Seattle linebacker K. J. Wright at the Vikings 15-yard line.
- Two plays later, the Seahawks would take their first lead of the contest.
Chargers @ Saints– Marquez Callaway (WR)
- The Saints wide receiving corps sorely misses Michael Thomas who was unavailable in three prior games due to injury and Week 5’s contest for disciplinary reasons.
- Emmanuel Sanders stepped up with 12 catches, but the Saints received an unexpected contribution from undrafted rookie wide receiver, Marquez Callaway. Callaway had four catches for 34 yards, including a first down catch on the first play in the overtime period that resulted in a Saints score.
- Callaway also contributed on special teams, returning 6 punts for 69 yards and 2 kickoffs for 57 yards. Callaway like the previously mentioned Preston Williams, both played at one time for the University of Tennessee.
Opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not express the views or opinions of Headcoachranking.com.
