Every week dozens of players stand out and perform exemplary. Today I am going to be highlighting the top 5 players or units that stood out. Also if two players on the same offense or defense both have career games, only one will get top five as they worked off of each other. (The other can still be an honorable mention)
Honorable Mention: Keenan Allen
Keenan Allen has struggled for most of the year with recurring hamstring injuries. In the first ten weeks of the season he didn’t finish a single game healthy and missed seven entire games. Since returning from his injury, he has been on and off with his production. After averaging only 72.2 yards per game and having only two touchdowns all year, he had the best game of his season. Allen finished with eight catches for 102 yards and doubled his seasons’ touchdown total with two more. The Chargers did fall to the Denver Broncos 28-31 but with the playoffs coming up next week, they need Allen to be at his best. Coming off his best game of the year so far, so a good sign for a young Chargers team looking to make a run in Justin Herbert’s first playoff appearance.
#5 Brock Purdy
The 49ers just cruised by an outmatched Cardinals team beating them 38-13. Brock Purdy had just about a perfect game going 15-20 for 178 yards and three touchdowns with a phenomenal 141.3 passer rating. That passer rating is the sixth highest single game passer rating of any quarterback this year (20 attempts min). I feel like it is prudent to remind everyone that he is a rookie who was drafted 262nd overall, the literal last pick of the draft, and this is his fifth game started in his career! Unbelievable stuff! Now he checks in as the fifth best performance of the week due to surrounding circumstances. Specifically, he wasn’t asked to do too much against the Cardinals as the 49ers leaned on the rushing attack, running the ball 37 times. But when he was asked to throw he was highly efficient and accurate running Kyle Shannahan’s offense. If he plays like this through the playoffs, he might have a chance to be the first rookie quarterback to start in a Super Bowl.
#4 Cameron Hayward
Cameron Hayward and the Steelers were facing a must win if they wanted even a chance at making the playoffs. Facing a rival Browns team who had just knocked the Commanders out of the playoffs the previous week, it wasn’t just going to be given to them. Hayward, the staunch 12 year defensive tackle veteran, led the way in the Steelers old school strategy to win the game; get after the quarterback. Hayward finished the game with two sacks, a season high four quarterback hits and a pass deflection. His disruption in the middle of the offensive line led to more room and less attention for blitzing linebacker Alex Highsmith who picked up 2.5 of his own sacks. In the game the Steeler took down Deshaun Watson seven times, and they piled up 10 quarterback hits. The statistic that shows how disruptive Hayward was is that he was a part of eight different tackles, while he only had two solo tackles, but when the defensive tackle is a part of that many plays that means he is consistently wrecking the interior offensive line. The Steelers won their must win game 28-14 over the Browns, but due to the Dolphins beating the Jets they were still eliminated from the playoffs. Cameron Hayward finished his season with 10.5 sacks, the second most he has had in a single season, he is still playing at a very high level.
#3 Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey did his best to knock the Seattle Seahawks out of the playoffs but the Seahawks were able to do just enough to escape with the win over the Rams 19-16. The five time pro bowler and three time first team All Pro, made an immediate impact on the game when he undercut a route to intercepted Geno Smith on the first play of the game and returned the ball 28 yards to set the Rams up on Seattle’s 11 yard line. He later intercepted Smith again on an errant throw in the third quarter to stop another potential lead changing drive as the Rams were barely holding onto a 16-13 advantage. Ramsey’s best work came when he was defending star wide receiver DK Metcalf, who throughout the game was only able to catch three passes for 40 yards. Metcalf was targeted 8 times throughout the game and his 37.5 catch percentage was the second lowest of any game this year for him, when he received more than five targets. While the Rams ended up falling to the Seahawks in overtime 19-16, Ramsey’s play not only kept them in the game but gave the offense extra possessions. This loss can be blamed on many different players but Jalen Ramsey played at a high level.
#2 Russell Wilson
Where was this Wilson the first 12 weeks of the season when we actually had a chance? Is the question I am sure every Denver Broncos fan is asking. The Broncos infamously would have started 10-2 if the offense had scored just 18 points in the regulation every game, instead the offense was so bad the team went 3-9. But if week 18 is any sign for things to come, the Broncos and specifically their quarterback, might have a much better season next year. Russell Wilson had by far his best game of the season, it was the second most yards he had in a game, by far the highest yards per attempt, tied for his most touchdowns in a game, and easily his highest single game passer rating. He finished the game going 13-24 for 283 yards, with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions, for a passer rating of 118.6. To top off his best statistical game, the Broncos held on to beat the Chargers 31-28. Wilson was finally able to get the deep passes going, completing three passes of 50 yards or longer, the first time he has done that this year. Even though the season is over, Wilson has played his best football this year after the firing of Nathaniel Hackett, nearly beating the Chiefs last week and beating the Chargers this week, with Wilson’s best game of the season. Broncos fans might not be as excited for next season as they were entering this year, but this last week does make them feel a little better about the 5 year 245 million dollar extension they gave Wilson last offseason, at least there is now hope that it might not be a terrible decision.
#1 Chris Jones
Usually when we’re talking about the Chiefs, Mr. Mahomes gobbles up all the spotlight. Sometimes Travis Kelce or in the old days, Tyreek Hill might get some shine but when it’s the Chiefs it’s always about the offense. What often goes under the radar is the fact that they have one of the best defenders in the NFL, Chris Jones. This last week against the Raiders, Jones consistently beat the offensive line over and over, by the end of the game he had compiled 5 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an absurd six quarterback hits. His six quarterback hits are tied for the most of any player this year with Maxx Crosby and the second most in his seven year 107 game career. Of course, all of that disruption helped limit an explosive Raiders offense, who was scoring 26.2 points per game over the last 6 weeks, to only 3 points in the first half as the Chiefs took a huge lead, and 13 points in the game. With the Raider offense struggling, the Chiefs won handily 31-13. For the season, Chris Jones finished with 15.5 sacks, the fourth most of any player in the NFL and the most by any defensive tackle. The second closest defensive tackle is Quinnen Williams who finished 3.5 sacks behind at 12. If the Chiefs are hoping to make another run at the Super Bowl, Chris Jones playing at this level would go a long way to making that happen.