NFL Week Ten Star Performers
So, Week Ten is in the books and we are officially over the halfway point of the regular season. Seems like no time at all since we ushered the 2022 season in and since then the London games have been and gone and the first European regular season game outside of the UK was held.
Tom Brady says it was one of the best footballing experiences of his life. Colleen Wolfe sounded like she was going to breakdown in emotion when questioned about it. But this piece isn’t about experiences, it’s about players. Time to see who shone during Week Ten.
Justin Jefferson
WR, Minnesota Vikings, OT/W 33-30 @ Bills
I should just start leaving a slot for Jefferson open on my top three every week. I’m running out of superlatives to describe what he can do on a football field. In what will most definitely be a contender for Game of The Year, the final quarter of this victory for the Vikings could not have happened was it not for this astonishing athlete.
Yes, the Vikings look like a solid all-round outfit. The defence has established talent. The running game is probably as good anything in the league. The addition of TJ Hockenson to the receiving options paid dividends here but it was the Double J that caught all the eyes.
10 catches for 193 yards and a Touchdown are headline-making stat lines but it was the manner of some of the catches that made the jaw drop.
The grab on 4th and long with two minutes on the clock was unholy and Kirk Cousins and the crew managed to end up turning the ball over on downs! I’m sorry if it’s getting boring me picking him but when he stops blowing my mind, I’ll stop writing about it.
Justin Fields
QB, Chicago Bears, L 31-30 vs Lions
He got a mention last week for really stepping up and even though his team couldn’t pull together a win he was brilliant again this week and so finds a spot on the list for proper.
He is remarkably elusive as the pocket breaks down and his ability to scramble is second only to the league’s absolute best – I’m looking at you, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. But where the Ravens and Bills rosters offer a lot more than the Bears can offer Fields we are seeing sparks of a very special talent where he attempts to fill the gaps.
I hope he continues to flourish even as the franchise flounders in an NFC North where the surprise Vikings are runaway winners, Green Bay have flattered to deceive, and the Detroit have only been half a step short of being done for 2022 before November is over.
When I had a look over the franchise chances at the beginning of the year, I laughed at the notion of this guy surprising me. Shows how much I know.
On the running front, little shout to Saquon Barkley in his game in New York this week where he carried the ball THIRTY FIVE times during their win over the Texans. Be careful, Big Blue, he’s not indestructible.
Patrick Peterson
CB, Minnesota Vikings, OT/W 33-30 @ Bills
I so nearly gave it to Tua again this week – once again he was nearly perfect, and this time against moderate D. And, as ever, Patrick Mahomes was Patrick Mahomes (absolute fire).
But I’m going to give my shout to Patrick Peterson, almost purely because he made two HUGE interceptions in that epic game on Sunday. Josh Allen has been known to throw up some risky balls in his short career, but Peterson made him pay for it! Twice he adjusted to float perfectly between Allen and his target receiver. As an aside, the eleven-year veteran is also ripped like a runner bean!
Gives me hope that well into my thirties my beach body days aren’t over yet. I just need to become a professional athlete and run myself down to 8% bodyfat and grow a few inches.
A Week to forget
AJ Brown
WR, Philadelphia Eagles, L21-32 vs Commanders
He’s been unstoppable all season, but as the Eagles fell from perfection, Brown looked human again. He came out of a break awkwardly early in the game and was promptly benched for a period. He returned but didn’t look quite right and it showed in his production.
One reception on four targets for just seven yards. For Fantasy Owners (right here!) it was a real kick in the gut for us to watch a guy who has been carrying the Eagles to the heights that they’ve experienced this year (pun intended) get shut out. On to the next one, get healthy and go again.
