NFL Week 13 Star Performers
Where is the time going? Week Thirteen is in the books already and the sharp end of the season has begun. As the division leaders look to secure their place in January football, those In The Hunt are gearing themselves up for the wildcard push that they’ll need to score the other three places in each Conference. But which star is pulling their weight for their side after Week Thirteen?
Jalen Hurts
QB, Philadelphia Eagles, W 35-10 vs Titans
I looked at Jared Goff and Joe Burrow this week initially but there is one man that is really pushing Patrick Mahomes in the MVP race this season and he was once again on sparkling form. Going up against an incredibly stout Tennessee defence who have caused problems for a lot of quarterbacks this season. Helped out by an exceptional O-Line Hurts kept it clean this weekend with superb, accurate throwing and excellent decision-making; finishing 29 of 39 for 380yds and three touchdowns.
He truly is one of a handful of elite QBs this year and is no longer ‘just a fantasy asset’. He goes on a run of three road-games coming up, including the Giants and the Bears in the forthcoming two weeks, I’d expect to see more fireworks from the former Alabama star.
Davante Adams
WR, Las Vegas Raiders, W 27-20 vs Chargers
It’s been a slow start in Vegas for one of the big signings in the off season, but Davante Adams showed us once again the kind of electric pace and route running wizardry that he has to offer with a captivating performance which might (and I say might) have just given the Raiders half an outside chance at maybe being In The Hunt by Week Eighteen. He needed only eight receptions to cover 177 yards of receiving and grabbed a brace of touchdowns to boot.
There is no doubt that this man is special and the better the linkup between him and Derek Carr gets, the more the Raiders should begin to shine. Unfortunately, missing Darren Waller means that there are fewer big-man targets on the side and he’s ending up in hefty coverage. I wonder if he’ll find it a touch harder when he’s matched up against Jalen Ramsey next week.
Nick Bosa
DE, San Francisco 49ers, W33-17 vs Dolphins
I’ve made a lot of noise about various players on the 49ers D this season, but it’s been quiet from Nick Bosa until this weekend; recording three sacks and piling on a further four QB hits, he lead the team against a stout Miami O-Line.
Perhaps helped, to some extent, by Terron Armstead missing with a pectoral issue – which looks like it might keep him side-lined again this week – Bosa looked back to his explosive self which has seen plaudits rained on the former Ohio State Buckeye since he was drafted in 2019. He isn’t back to full health yet, carrying a questionable flag into Week Fourteen, but if he plays be sure that he’ll be grafting to be right up in Tom Brady’s face.
A week to forget for… Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo
You need a bit of luck when you’re gunning for a Super Bowl title and the 49ers are not getting the rub of the green. They walked into the season having decided that Trey Lance would lead the team only for him to go down with a broke ankle in Week Two and then watched the man he had seemingly replaced play some really solid ball until, whilst extending a play this week, he was rolled up on and fractured his foot.
Wishing Jimmy G a quick recovery and Brock Purdy some good fortune as Mr Irrelevant steps up to the plate with the San Francisco team still very much gunning for a post season run.
