Category: New England Patriots

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Rookies of the Week – Week 3

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50-point demolitions, supposed tanking teams pulling off shock wins, and a media frenzy in Kansas. Has the NFL ever been more eclectic than it is at the moment?

Anyway, let’s shake it off and take a look at the standout rookies from Week 3.

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De’Von Achane, Running Back – Miami Dolphins

Achane was outstanding in the Miami Dolphins’ 70-20 victory over the Denver Broncos, rightfully earning himself the AFC Offensive Player of the Week title.

Finishing with four touchdowns and 233 all-purpose yards, Achane became only the second player in NFL history to have two rushing touchdowns, two receiving touchdowns, and at least 200 rushing yards in a game.

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Brian Branch, Cornerback – Detroit Lions

Branch, who was unlucky not to get in my Week 1 article, was outstanding in the 20-6 win against the Falcons. Not only did he hold his own against Kyle Pitts and Drake London in coverage, but he also helped his team stifle fellow rookie sensation Bijan Robinson, limiting him to 60 total yards.

Finishing the game with two quarterback hurries, 11 solo tackles, three for a loss, and two pass breakups, Branch only seems to be getting better.

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Jalen Carter, Defensive Line – Philadelphia Eagles

Carter continued his dominant streak for the third consecutive week, wreaking havoc on Tampa Bay’s offensive line. With half a sack, a QB hit, four pressures, and a first-career forced fumble, he’s proving to be a game wrecker. His 20.5% pressure rate so far this season is not just good; it’s All-Pro level good.

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Christian Gonzalez, Cornerback – New England Patriots

Could Gonzalez be having a Sauce Gardener-type year? It may be early in the season, but if his start is anything to go by, then he is well on pace. In Sunday’s 15-10 win over the Jets, Gonzalez was lined up against Garrett Wilson on 23 of his 41 snaps and held him to only three catches for 18 yards.

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Sam LaPorta, Tight End – Detroit Lions

LaPorta continues his hot streak on this list thanks to an eight-reception, 84-yard showing where he also scored his first touchdown as a pro. He now leads all tight ends in receiving yards with 186 and is second in receptions to T.J. Hockenson.

It’s also a third week in a row for the rookie tight end! To put that into perspective, only two players got on the list three times last year: Garrett Wilson and Dameon Pierce, albeit on a smaller ranking list last year.

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C.J. Stroud, Quarterback – Houston Texans

If Week 2 saw Stroud sneak into my article over Anthony Richardson, then Week 3 was where he cemented his place. The young quarterback had 20 completions on 30 attempts for 280 yards and two touchdowns. His PFF grade of 91.1 when throwing from a clean pocket led all quarterbacks in the league.

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Tuli Tuipulotu, Edge Rusher – Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers haven’t exactly wowed on defence, but that hasn’t deterred Tuipulotu from making his case as an early Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, and his performance against the Vikings will only help his case. With nine pressures and three sacks in the game, he now totals 12 pressures and three sacks in just two starts this season.

Honourable Mentions: JuJu Brents (Colts), Tank Dell (Texans), Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), Marvin Mims Jr. (Broncos), Michael Wilson (Cardinals)

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5 things to look out for in Week 18

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Week 18 is here! As the season draws to a close, there are five games with playoff spots riding on them

1. This one’s for Damar

After an emotional week, the Buffalo Bills will be out to play for their hero, Damar Hamlin. After the contest was abandoned, the NFL has chosen not to replay the game to avoid scuppering the traditional schedule.

Because both teams have played one fewer game than the rest of the league, some rules have been put in place to ensure a ‘fair’ playoff seeding. It’s safe to say that the Bengals are displeased.

Due to those rules, and Kansas City beating Las Vegas last night, Buffalo cannot be the number-one seed, but are playing for the opportunity to have the AFC Championship game at a neutral site, should they face the Chiefs.

2. A big opportunity for Skylar Thompson

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Miami’s playoff hopes are riding on Skylar Thompson, the team’s third-string rookie quarterback. After Teddy Bridgewater dislocated his pinky finger in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots, Thompson will make his second start of the season.

The collapse of this team has been rather spectacular, losing five straight after being in the mix for the one seed just a few weeks ago. It’s fair to say they’ve been rather unlucky, but the Chargers and 49ers games were inexcusable. A win and a New England loss will send them to Buffalo or Cincinnati next week.

The New York Jets were eliminated after a loss to Seattle last weekend. They will start Joe Flacco in place of Mike White, who is out with a rib injury. If the Jets win, they would have swept the Dolphins this season.

3. Mike Tomlin, the winner

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Mike Tomlin has done it again! His Pittsburgh Steelers would have yet another winning season with a victory over Cleveland today. No-one would have been expecting that two months ago.

If both Miami and New England lose, which could very much happen, the Steelers would even make the postseason. This all comes after winning seven of their last nine games.

They’ve won those games in typical Pittsburgh fashion, by an elite defense. Tomlin and Teryl Austin’s unit have only allowed more than 17 points once in that nine-game stretch.

4. Could the Seattle Seahawks sneak in?

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Seattle are still alive, just. They looked to be out of the playoff picture before pulling off a win over the Jets seven days ago. A victory would put pressure on the Green Bay Packers later this evening.

Pete Carroll’s team had lost three straight before that victory. The Seahawks would make the postseason with a win over the Rams on Sunday and a Detroit Lions win over the Packers.

Baker Mayfield will start what could be Sean McVay’s final game as an NFL coach. The reigning Super Bowl champion head coach looks set to go into broadcasting, whilst Baker will try to impress in his final audition for a starting job somewhere next season.

5. Packers, Lions close out the regular season

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After an against-all-odds run of wins, the Green Bay Packers look destined for the playoffs. And rightly so too, the postseason would be better with Aaron Rodgers in it.

As for their opponent the Detroit Lions, if the Seahawks lose to the Rams, they will take the last spot in the wildcard round with a win over their division rival tonight.

With the most riding on this game, it was sensible to pick it as the regular season closing Sunday Night Football matchup.

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5 things to look out for in Week 17

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As the playoff picture gets clearer by the day, some teams are hanging on threads. Here are five things to look out for in Week 17

1. Can Teddy Bridgewater secure the Miami Dolphins’ playoff berth?

Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins are in big trouble after losing four straight and dropping from the second seed to just having a 59% chance of making the playoffs. They’ll face New England without their starting quarterback.

Tua Tagovailoa threw three consecutive drive-ending interceptions after an impressive first half against Green Bay at home on Christmas Day. What seemed unusual at the time was later confirmed to be a concussion earlier this week.

Teddy Bridgewater will get the start against the Patriots, who look in disarray after two straight un-Belichickian losses from Rhamondre Stevenson’s mistakes. Could the worst New England team in over two decades make the playoffs?

2. Mike White is back for the New York Jets

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Robert Saleh, one of McDaniel’s colleagues in San Francisco, would relish a loss, as a New England win followed by a Jets victory over Seattle puts everything on the line in Week 18.

That win will be crucial, as a loss will eliminate them from the playoffs. Luckily there was good news in New York this week as Mike White looks set to start after missing two games due to the painful rib injury he suffered against Buffalo.

Last Thursday night in Jacksonville provided many with the confirmation that New York is moving on at the quarterback position. Zach Wilson has likely played the team out of the playoffs.

3. Can the Carolina Panthers win the NFC South?

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Carolina travels to Tampa Bay on Sunday knowing that a win puts them in control of the NFC South. In doing so, they could become the first team since Washington in 2020 to make the playoffs with a losing record.

They’ve found new life under interim head coach Steve Wilks, particularly on offense. Sam Darnold has led them to two wins in their last three games, aided by a strong defense and a difficult-to-stop run game.

As for the current division leaders, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they should win the division if the Panthers do not score 17 points. The opponent has not scored more than 16 points in any of the Bucs’ seven victories this season.

4. Will the Green Bay Packers win again?

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Green Bay could actually make the playoffs! We discussed this scenario a few weeks ago, but we never imagined it would become a reality. A win over Minnesota on Sunday will put them on path, heading into a big game at home to Detroit.

Matt La Fleur and Aaron Rodgers’ offense is really starting to flow now that the new guys are getting a feel of the scheme. It’s helped them win three in a row, averaging 25.6 points in their past five games.

Last week against the Giants, the Vikings won their 11th one-score game of the season, demonstrating their incredible ability to win close games. That will be very useful in January.

5. Joe Burrow and Josh Allen on MNF!

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A win on Monday night would make it likely that the Buffalo Bills would secure the number one seed in the AFC. With a win and a Baltimore loss to Pittsburgh, their opponents, the Cincinnati Bengals, would clinch the AFC North.

Due to ESPN’s inability to flex games until the 2023 season, MNF has been rather dull in recent weeks. Fortunately, they have the best game of the week.

The matchup between Joe Burrow and Josh Allen on Monday is the first ESPN game featuring two teams without a losing record since Week 10, and only the fourth all season. I’ve been starting to think Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are being wasted.

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5 things to look out for on Christmas Eve

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As the year draws to a close, the main slate of games is shifted to Christmas Eve with many having major playoff implications. Here are five things to look out for on a festive NFL Saturday.

1. Will the Patriots shock the Bengals to stay right in the playoff hunt?

The New England Patriots are one of many teams on the outside of the playoffs looking in. Unfortunately, they have the league’s joint toughest schedule through the final three weeks, as Joe Burrow and the Bengals come to town.

After the Jets lost on Thursday night, it’s looking a tiny bit better for Bill Belichick’s Patriots, but that final very un-Belichickian play in Las Vegas may be costly when it comes to who gets the final AFC wildcard spot.

Who would’ve thought Zac Taylor’s Bengals would have secured a second straight playoff berth at the beginning of last season? A win today will be nice, putting them in control of the race for the division with Buffalo and Baltimore coming up.

2. Might the Houston Texans hurt their division rival?

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Under Love Smith’s leadership, the Houston Texans have caused problems for both Dallas and Kansas City these past two weeks, but can they hamper the Tennessee Titans?

A loss for Mike Vrabel’s men will make a fourth straight playoff berth increasingly unlikely, giving the Jacksonville Jaguars the lead of the AFC South.

Trevor Lawrence’s rise to stardom paired with the Titans’ four-game losing streak has put pressure on a team that looked like a shoo-in for the playoffs a month ago.

3. Can the Seahawks come away from Arrowhead still in wildcard contention?

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Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks are in need of a win in Kansas City today to keep their season alive. The Hawks currently sit at a 31% chance of making the postseason, that number will be way bigger if they are to pull off the shock.

Their opponents, Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs were crowned AFC West Champions for the seventh time in a row. Focus now turns toward getting the one seed from the Buffalo Bills.

Reid’s men will need the Bills to lose one, the most likely being the next MNF against the Bengals, but also need to be wary of a slip-up themselves. It got super close in Houston last week.

4. The New York Giants can potentially clinch a playoff spot with a win

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Fresh from the hold-on SNF win over their division rival Washington Commanders, the New York Giants can clinch a playoff spot this week with a win and a loss from two of Washington, Seattle, and Detroit.

Sunday night’s win was mega, putting them in the driving seat for a first postseason berth since 2016, a big achievement for Brian Daboll in his first season as head coach.

In their way are the Minnesota Vikings, who will be hoping to be on the boil for the whole game this week. Last Saturday’s first half in Indianapolis was abysmal, needing a record-breaking comeback to secure their eventual victory. 

5. Could Gardner Minshew secure the #1 seed for the Philadelphia Eagles?

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Gardner Minshew will start for the Philadelphia Eagles in Dallas tonight as Jalen Hurts is out with a shoulder injury. Can he win them the NFC East?

A win would not only wrap up the division but also the number one seed, giving some key Eagles players potentially a few weeks of rest, ready to begin again deep into January.

The Cowboys are very unlikely to win the division, and already have secured a spot in next month’s playoffs, but a win over their bitter rivals will still be sought after. 

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5 things to look out for on Thanksgiving

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Is the 2022 Thanksgiving slate one of the best ever? Five out of six teams have winning records

1. Bills looking to put pressure on the Dolphins in AFC East race

Sean McDermott’s Buffalo Bills are in a need of a win to get their push for the AFC East and a chance to host a playoff game back on track.

A win for the Bills puts pressure on the Miami Dolphins who currently lead the division and hold the tie-breaker over Buffalo until they meet again in Week 15.

It’ll be tough as they’re without two more key defensive players, with Tremaine Edmunds and Greg Rousseau both out with groin and leg injuries respectively

2. Can the Lions finally win on Thanksgiving?

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As is Thanksgiving tradition, the Lions are back on the early game again but haven’t won in five on Turkey Day, the last one coming against the Vikings in 2016.

In fact, the Lions have only won four in their last eighteen Thanksgiving games, and are 6-15 since the turn of the century

Dan Campbell’s Lions could change that today, coming into the game in hot form having won their last three, and turning their season around from what looked like a mess just a few weeks ago.

3. Things are looking good in Dallas

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Sunday’s dominant win over the Minnesota Vikings was one of the most impressive Cowboys’ victories in years, beating a team that took down Buffalo just seven days earlier by 37 points.

Their offense has come alive since the return of Dak Prescott in Week 7, scoring over 40 points in two of the four games and winning three times.

Micah Parsons has been phenomenal in his second season, he however is hurt currently and questionable heading into this one, the star outside linebacker will be crucial in a crunch playoff match.

4. After losing two of their last three, have the Giants fallen off?

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The 7-3 New York Giants are the 7-3 Cowboys’ opponents as the two historic franchises fight it out for the lead in the hunt for the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles.

Brian Daboll’s team’s form is dipping just as Dallas is getting hot, losing two of their last three and conceding more points than normal, a win to stop the rot here would be big.

Giants games have always been close and low scoring this season, eight of their ten games have been within one score, whilst opposing offenses have only scored more than 30 points twice.

5. Are either of the Patriots or Vikings actually good?

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10 games into the season the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings have 13 wins between them, but are either of them real?

Both Minnesota losses were bad and came against good opponents just a week after well-worked wins as an underdog.

Bill Belichick has his New England defense playing lights out right now, allowing just 26 points in their past three games, winning all of them amidst a quarterback controversy. 

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5 things to look out for in Week 11

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Week 11 sees the NFL return to Mexico, a key AFC East battle, and a few crucial players potentially return from injury

1. Can Jeff Saturday go 2-0 as the Colts welcome the 8-1 Eagles to Indianapolis?

The Philadelphia Eagles’ hopes for an unbeaten season were ended on Monday night after a 32-21 loss at home to the Washington Commanders.

Colts Interim HC Jeff Saturday won his first-ever game as an NFL coach on Sunday, against the Raiders in a game that featured a rare Matt Ryan 40-yard run, only days after being an analyst for ESPN.

What makes Saturday’s achievement even more spectacular than your average new interim coach bounce is the fact that he has no play-calling experience whatsoever and has only previously operated at high school level.

2. Will the New England Patriots catapult themselves into contention for the AFC East with a win vs the New York Jets?

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Every team in the AFC East not only has a winning record but also would be in the playoffs if they started today.

After upsetting the Bills 20-17 two weeks ago, the Jets are back from a bye, refreshed and travel to New England for a must-win game to help their playoff push.

New England were victorious 22-17 as the away team in their Week 8 meeting, a win for Bill Belichick’s team puts them within a chance of being unexpectedly right in the mix late in the year.

3. Who’s better, the 6-3 Cowboys or 8-1 Vikings?

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The Dallas Cowboys are 6-3, they have however had one of the easiest schedules in the league this season, that changes on Sunday as they face the 8-1 Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota, like Dallas, had many questioning their legitimacy but came away from Buffalo with a win in dramatic fashion, silencing their doubters.

Kevin O’Connell’s team are able to grind out wins, every victory in their current seven-game streak is by one score, they’ll be a real challenge for the Cowboys.

4. Will SNF see the Los Angeles Chargers get their playoff push back on track with a win at home to the Kansas City Chiefs?

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Justin Herbert may get the added boost of having Mike Williams and Keenan Allen back to help him go toe to toe with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.

Allen’s hamstring injury initially occurred in Week 1, before suffering a setback on his return in week 7, the same game that Williams went down with a high ankle sprain.

Kansas City have only scored less than 20 points once all year, but are without Mecole Hardman and Juju Smith-Schuster going into this one.

5. Will Kyler Murray be back for the fifth and final international game of 2022?

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Mexico City hosts two NFC West teams as the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers go head-to-head at Estadio Azteca on MNF.

Kyler Murray could be back for Arizona, but if he’s not, their backup QB Colt McCoy is coming off a big game in Los Angeles, where the Cards came away 27-17 winners over the Rams.

A win for San Francisco will see them overtake Seattle for the lead of the division, and in the driving seat for a home playoff game. 

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5 things to look out for in Week 8

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Week 8 sees Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers meet on SNF, and the Jacksonville Jaguars return to London

1. Russell Wilson will start for the Broncos against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley

Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson is good to go on Sunday in London, after missing last week’s home game against the New York Jets with a hamstring injury.

Both the Broncos and the Jaguars are 2-5 but aren’t out of the playoff hunt just yet, one win may be the catapult needed to make a late push.

The Wilson-less Broncos were second-best in Sunday’s loss, whilst Jacksonville fell short in a close game at home to the Giants.

2. The New York Jets – New England Patriots rivalry is back!

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For the first time in years, the Jets-Patriots rivalry is meaningful, 2022 is the first time since 2001 that the Jets have had more wins than their rivals over in Boston at this point in the season.

New England has got a QB competition on its hands after Bailey Zappe’s impressive play whilst Mac Jones was injured, the latter is expected to start again, but don’t be surprised to see the former when things are going south, like on Monday night.

All signs are pointing towards a tight, low-scoring affair, exactly as the in-form Jets like it, their defense has been one of the best in the league so far this season.

3. Reigning Super Bowl Champions looking to get right against a division rival

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Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams come back from their bye at 3-3 but are in desperate need of a win against the 49ers if they want to be crowned NFC West champions, for the second season running.

The 49ers currently hold the tie-breaker over the Rams having already beaten them this season back in Week 4, if they drop another loss in this one it may come back to bite them in a tight division race.

Kyle Shanahan has beaten McVay’s Rams in eight of the twelve meetings since both became head coaches in 2017, last year the Rams were swept by the Niners, but won in the NFC Championship game.

4. Will Geno continue his outstanding season against the 6-1 Giants?

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Every single New York Giants game has finished within one score this year, expect that to continue as they visit the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Both Geno Smith (SEA), and Daniel Jones (NYG), have been impressive so far this season, especially when helped out by both teams’ efficient rushing attacks, being two of the best teams to watch in the NFC.

Two top 10 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft will collide in this game as Kayvon Thibodeaux and Charles Cross battle in the trenches.

5. Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers meet on SNF

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Sunday Night Football sees the 3-4 Green Bay Packers travel to Orchard Park to play the 5-1 Buffalo Bills.

It’s not looking pretty in Green Bay now that the Packers have lost three straight for the first time since 2018.

Buffalo are fresh and were on a three-game win streak before their bye, the most impressive victory was their last, beating the Chiefs at Arrowhead.

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Week 6: Rookie Standouts

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With this week marking the beginning of the bye weeks ruining many a fantasy football lineup, the NFL landscape remained unchanged as the low and close-scoring games continued. In week 6, these were the rookies that stood out.

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Bailey Zappe, Quarterback – New England Patriots

Bailey Zappe might well be starting to cause Bill Belichick a headache. In his two starts thus far for the Patriots, the 23-year-old rookie has looked impressive, which could put Mac Jones under pressure to ensure he performs when he returns from injury.

Zappe had a great day on Sunday, demonstrating his ability to go through his reads promptly and show good poise in the pocket, but most importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over. Although the young quarterback didn’t have a perfect day, he did become the first rookie in the Super Bowl era to win and record a QB rating of over 100 in each of his first two starts after finishing with 24 completions from 34 attempts for 309 yards and two touchdowns and an impressive 118.4 passer rating. It’ll be interesting to see who suits up next Monday against the Bears.

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Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge – New York Giants

After missing out on the Giants’ first two games of the season, Thibodeaux has started to increase the pressure on opposing quarterbacks as his snap count has increased, and after multiple close calls last week against reigning MVP Aaron Rogers, this was the game where he was finally rewarded, and ironically, it’s the quarterback he revealed on Reddit in the preseason he most wanted to sack.

With the Giants having just taken the lead, the expectation was that Lamar Jackson would get one more drive to prevent the Ravens from blowing another 4th quarter lead, but Kayvon had other ideas. After blowing past tackle Patrick Mekari, he batted the ball out of Jackson’s hand to record his first sack and forced fumble. It meant a lot to the former duck, as shown by his emotional post-game video.

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Tariq Woolen, Cornerback – Seattle Seahawks

After making it into the honourable mentions list last week, it only felt right that Woolen made it onto this week’s, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the defensive rookie of the year conversations started. Fifth-rounder selections are normally a work in progress for a few seasons, and he was even labelled as a project pick, but Woolen is bucking that trend with dominant performances.

In this week’s outing against the Arizona Cardinals, he had five tackles, one stop, allowed four receptions on seven targets, snagged his fourth interception in his fourth straight game, and is now tied for the NFL lead with the Buffalo Bills’ Jordan Poyer. He also recovered a fumble after fellow rookie (and honourable mention) Coby Bryant stripped a scrambling Kyler Murray of the football in the redzone. Are we starting to see the emergence of a legion of boom 2.0? Time will tell.

Honourable Mentions

Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall (both New York Jets), Coby Bryant (Seattle Seahawks), Daniel Bellinger (New York Giants), and Arnold Ebiketie (Atlanta Falcons)

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Week 5: Rookie Standouts

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As we now move into the second quarter of the season, we’re starting to see some rookies start to cement their place in the standings for Defensive and Offensive Rookie of the Year. In week 5, these were the rookies that stood out.

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Dameon Pierce, Running Back – Houston Texans

My first returning player to these rankings, and he’s done it back to back! After last week’s amazing effort against the Los Angeles Chargers, Pierce took a deserved spot on this list despite being on the losing side. This time, however, he drove the Texans to their first win of the season after a low-scoring close affair against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Not only did Pierce punch in the go-ahead touchdown that gave the Texans their first win of the season, but he also had 3 receptions for 16 yards and 26 carries for 99 yards. These are not amazing numbers if you just look at the basic stats, but when you take into account that 97 of those yards were after contact, it’s just ridiculous. In fact, just watch this angry run below.

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Sauce Gardner, Cornerback – New York Jets

Sauce has been unlucky to not appear in these rankings yet, but there was no way I could ignore him as he helped the Jets defence dominate the Miami Dolphins from their very first play from scrimmage.

Teddy Bridgewater, who was playing in the place of the injured Tua Tagovailoa, lined up to take his first snap of the game and an unblocked Sauce unloaded on him, driving him to the dirt and forcing an intentional grounding penalty and subsequent safety as Bridgewater threw the ball in the endzone.

Sauce finished the game with 5 tackles, 1 pass defended, and his first career interception. He also finished with an allowed passer rating of 34.2, which is worse than if the Dolphins QB had just spiked it every play.

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Breece Hall, Running Back – New York Jets

So not only do I have my first returning player, but I also have two players from the same team for the first time this year. If Sauce helped the Jets dominate the Dolphins defensively, then Hall was the standout on offence as he displayed why he could be the next dual-threat running back weapon.

In what can be considered his breakout game, Hall had a monstrous day, picking up an incredible 100 yards on a measly 2 receptions, as well as having 18 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown, his first in the NFL. The twenty-one-year-old Hall, who was drafted in the second round by the Jets, is now leading all rookies in scrimmage yards and is on the verge of breaking into the top ten among all NFL players.

Honorable Mentions

For the first time this season, I wanted to give a couple of honorable mentions to a trio of cornerbacks who just missed out on a spot. Those are Tariq Woolen (Seattle Seahawks), Jack Jones (New England Patriots), and Derek Stingley (Houston Texans).

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Week 4: Rookie Standouts

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With the injury bug taking hold across multiple teams, there is a plethora of rookies making significant contributions to their teams. Let’s take a look at three that shone this week, including a couple that did so on their first ever starts

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Jamaree Salyer, Tackle – Los Angeles Chargers

The pressure on Salyer must have been immense as he was thrust into his first NFL game to protect Justin Herbert’s blindside due to All-Pro Rashawn Slaters’ injury. Salyer had predominantly been transitioning to guard in the offseason, but despite only having a week to reacquaint himself with his position at Georgia, he dominated on his side.

During the game, the sixth-round pick had a pass block grade of 90.4 and allowed 0 sacks, 0 pressures, and 0 hurries across 41 pass blocking snaps. The Chargers will likely have to rely on Salyer for the foreseeable future as the current timeline for Slaters’ return isn’t until late 2022 at the earliest.

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Dameon Pierce, Running Back – Houston Texans

Despite ending up on the losing side of the game against the aforementioned Salyer’s Chargers, Pierce himself also had a career day after sparking the fast fading Texans into life halfway through the second quarter.

With the Chargers up 21-0, the Texans looked down and out, but Pierce had other ideas. He took the handoff from Davis Mills and breezed past the Chargers’ defensive front for a 75-yard touchdown, and hauled them back into the game. The 113 rushing yards from the game took his total for the season to 313, enough to crack the top 10 above players like Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook.

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Jack Jones, Cornerback – New England Patriots

Jack Jones had been eyeing up a pick all season on underneath passes, and finally his aggressive nature paid off. With the team down 3-7 just before the half, Jones jumped in front of Aaron Rogers’ pass intended for Allen Lazard and took it the 40 yards for the pick-six. Amazingly, this is only the second pick-6 Rogers has ever thrown at Lambeau Field.

Jones, who was starting due to a hamstring injury suffered by Jalen Mills, also caused a forced fumble and recovery earlier in the game as he punched the ball out of fellow rookie Romeo Dobbs’ hands.