Offensive Player of the Week
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
The stats:
8 receptions
201 yards
1 TD
The Cincinnati Bengals held a 20-17 lead over the Baltimore Ravens game with about seven minutes to play in the third quarter. It had been a close, back-and-forth game. Then Ja’Marr Chase caught a short pass over the middle slipped some tackles by a few Ravens and ran away from a couple Ravens. 82 yards later, Chase was in the end zone and the Bengals had a 27-17 lead. That play was the turning point in what became a 41-17 smack-down.
There was a pre-draft argument that the Bengals should take Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell with the fifth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Some draft hacks cried that the Bengals would be fools to pass on a blue chip left tackle. They had to pick a blocker to protect franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Instead, the Bengals went with a playmaker for Burrow. A playmaker he knew well from his LSU days. Seven games is a minuscule sample size but right now it looks the Bengals made the right decision. Chase is a big reason the Bengals are 5-2 and sitting atop the AFC North.
Defensive Player of the Week
Denico Autry, DE, Tennessee Titans
The stats:
3 tackles
2 sacks
2 tackles for loss
Perhaps the entire Tennessee Titans defense should be defensive players of the week. They did yesterday what many thought impossible. They kept the Kansas City offense out of the end zone for an entire game. The final score was 27-3. It was overall team win for the Titans. The offense made things easy for their defense. The defense returned the favor. The offense scored early and often. 14-0 after the first quarter. 27-0 at the half. The Titans defense brought it home. Autry was a big reason for that.
Special Teams Player(s) of the Week
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions felt that they had to throw in some “tricks” to take down the Los Angeles Rams. After a game-opening touchdown drive, the Lions were successful with an onside kick. About a minute after that successful onside kick, the Lions had a fourth-and-seven at midfield. Instead off giving the ball to the Rams, the Lions went with a fake punt. Punter Jake Fox tossed a pass to gunner Bobby Price, 17 yards, first down. That revived drive ended with a field goal. Before the Rams even had a possession the Lions had a 10-0 lead. It needed to be more. In the third quarter, the Lions pulled out another fake punt. Fourth-and-eight from their own 35-yard line, up-back C.J. Moore took the snap and sprinted around the left end for 28 yards to the Rams 37-yard line. Unfortunately that bold special teams play led to no points.
Lions Special Teams on the day:
Onside kick
2 fake punts
4 field goals
Busy day. Unfortunately the Lions needed more than four field goals in their 28-19 loss to the Rams. Touchdowns rather field goals would’ve helped.
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Is it really an NFL weekend without the Minnesota Vikings?
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