NFL Week Four Star Performers
Week Four is in the books, we had our first London game (which I was lucky enough to attend), and the leagues movers and shakers are just beginning to take shape but who were the star performers of the week?
Patrick Mahomes
QB, Kansas City Chiefs, W 41-31 @ Buccaneers
Four weeks in an Mahomes makes his second appearance on my list already. The guy is special though and he’s working with fewer elite weapons than he ever has done previously. Turning out three touchdowns for one (insignificant) interception on 23 completions against a Bucs team that, pre-season, were looking like they could be dangerous but are a touch lost running through to Week Four.
Either way, there must be a special mention to the scramble/pirouette/shovel pass that he pulled for the Clyde Edwards-Helaire touchdown pass, innovation like that is not commonplace.
Nick Bosa/Samson Ebukam
DE(s), San Francisco 49ers, W24-9 vs Rams
If I can hand my awards out to two wideout stars, then why not two defensive ends that made Matt Stafford’s lift a living hell on Monday night? Well, I’ve done it anyway. Combining for four sacks and frankly making the Rams O-Line look distinctly average whilst piling pressure on the Super Bowl winning QB, Ebukam and Bosa are operating at an elite level.
Their acceleration, power, reach and hand speed are going to be causing problems for every team in that division and beyond. Let’s hope Nick can stay healthier than his older brother.
Rashaad Penny
RB, Seattle Seahawks, W48-45 @ Lions
There were a few experts predicting a breakout year for Penny this season and his biggest game to date came in an absolute points fest in Detroit.
17 carries, 151yds for 2TDs really is Rashaad Penny stacking his claim to be the true RB1 of the team after the loss of Chris Carson before the season began as they also brought in bright young thing Kenneth Walker III in the second round of the Draft.
Yes the Lions may not be the stiffest competition out there. But you can only beat what is in front of you and Penny turned it into a fine paste.
A week to forget for… Tua Tagovailoa
QB, Miami Dolphins, L27-15 @ Bengals
A horror-show injury to a player who was really starting to find his feet this season. I’m not the only one who was surprised by the lack of injury report on Tua after last week and it’s a testament to his hardiness however nobody wants to see what happened in Ohio on Thursday night.
I’m sure I’m right in saying that everyone writing for offGrid wishes Tua a speedy recovery. The league must learn from this once and for all. The sport is amazing, but under those helmets are people who need protection, even if they want to play.
Wishing Tua all the best!