| SUNDAY SALUTES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarterbacks | Pass-Rush | TD |
| Lamar Jackson | 266 – 120 | 3 |
| Justin Herbert | 356 – 14 | 3 |
| Matt Ryan | 343 – 8 | 3 |
| Josh Johnson | 317 – 18 | 3 |
| Carson Wentz | 272 – 16 | 3 |
| Running Backs | Yards | TD |
| James Conner | 21-96 rush 5-77 catch |
3 |
| Jonathan Taylor | 19-172 rush 2-28 catch |
2 |
| Nick Chubb | 14-137 rush 2-26 catch |
2 |
| Joe Mixon | 13-64 rush 5-46 catch |
2 |
| Nyheim Hines | 6-74 rush 4-34 catch |
1 |
| Wide Receivers | Yards | TD |
| Elijah Moore | 7-84 | 2 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | 3-58 | 2 |
| DeVonta Smith | 5-116 | 1 |
| Malik Turner | 5-33 | 2 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | 6-89 | 1 |
| Tight Ends | Yards | TD |
| George Kittle | 6-101 | 1 |
| Travis Kelce | 5-68 | 1 |
| Stephen Anderson | 4-39 | 1 |
| Donald Parham | 3-39 | 1 |
| Darren Waller | 7-92 | 0 |
| Placekickers | XP | FG |
| Brandon McManus | 1 | 3 |
| Chase McLaughlin | 5 | 2 |
| Graham Gano | 2 | 3 |
| Matt Gay | 1 | 3 |
| Justin Tucker | 4 | 2 |
| Defense | Sack – TO | TD |
| Patriots | 1 – 3 | 1 |
| Browns | 5 – 3 | 1 |
| Titans | 5 – 2 | 1 |
| Texans | 4 – 5 | 0 |
| Dolphins | 5 – 4 | 0 |
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
RB Ezekiel Elliott – Knee (returned)
RB Rhamondre Stevenson – Head
RB Damien Harris – Head
RB Zack Moss – Concussion
RB Devontae Booker – Hip
RB Chase Edmonds – Ankle
TE Jonnu Smith – Shoulder
TE Albert Okwuegbunam – Knee
Chasing Ambulances
RB Rhamondre Stevenson (NE)
RB Damien Harris (NE) – Both New England backs suffered head injuries which entailed laying on the ground for a bit (not on the same play). The Patriots are rarely forthcoming about injuries but both could end up in the concussion protocol. If either back is out for Week 10 against the Browns, Brandon Bolden becomes much more than the third-down back.
RB Zack Moss (BUF) – Left in the third quarter of the loss to the Jaguars, Moss is believed to have been concussed. That makes Devin Singletary the clear primary back if Moss it out. While the Bills are not a run-heavy offense, they face the Jets and their terrible run defense this week.
RB Devontae Booker (NYG) – Was knocked out of the win over the Raiders with a hip injury but was X-rayed and said he was fine and wanted to return to the game. The Giants are on bye this week and by Week 11, assumedly Saquon Barkley is back anyway.
RB Chase Edmonds (ARI) – The Cardinals back only lasted for one play when he injured his ankle and left the win over the 49ers. In his absence, James Conner turned in a career day with 173 total yards and three touchdowns. Eno Benjamin used nine carries to gain 39 yards and a score during the mop-up portion of the game. Benjamin would be a bit player next week if Edmonds remains out, but Conner would again shoulder a large workload.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
RB Christian McCaffrey (CAR) – Was reported to be on a pitch count in his first game since Week 3, but he was just as busy as before. McCaffrey was the leading rusher (14-52) and the leading receiver (4-54). Chuba Hubbard was left with only three carries for three yards and one catch. Until he is hurt again, Christian “The Franchise” McCaffrey is back in business.
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (CLE) – The Browns had little need to pass, but DPJ made the most of his two catches. He scored a 60-yard touchdown in the second quarter and added a 26-yard catch later in the game. He’s the favorite to replace Odell Beckham and already led the Cleveland receivers in his first start.
RB Javonte Williams (DEN) – After his first seven games rarely topped 50 rushing yards, the rookie turned in his first 100-yard effort when the Broncos beat the Cowboys in Dallas. Williams ran for 111 yards on 17 carries but failed to catch any passes for the first time as well. Melvin Gordon still took the rushing touchdown on his 21 runs for 80 yards, but Williams is at least setting the stage for 2022 if the Broncos elect to let Gordon leave in free agency.
QB Matt Ryan (ATL) – With Calvin Ridley gone for an indeterminate amount of time, Ryan was held to a season-worst 146 passing yards and one score with two interceptions in Week 8 against the Panthers. Just when it seemed he’d taken a downward turn, Ryan turned in one of his best games of the year. He passed for 343 yards and two scores in the win over the Saints and even rushed in a touchdown. Cordarrelle Patterson (6-126) was his top receiver but both Russell Gage (7-64) and Kyle Pitts (3-62) helped out.
TE Darren Waller (LV) – The Raiders’ star tight end was stuck at 50-yard efforts this year and only scored once since Week 1. In the first game without Henry Ruggs, Waller returned as the primary receiver with seven catches for 92 yards. This week against the Chiefs should be an even more bountiful matchup.
RB Jordan Howard (PHI) – Two games since Miles Sanders left and Howard’s scored in each matchup. He ran 17 times for 71 yards and the touchdown in the Week 9 loss to the Chargers one week after rushing 12 times for 57 yards and two scores in the win over the Lions. Boston Scott (10-40) remains involved, but Howard is productive as the new lead back.
WR DeVonta Smith (PHI) – So much didn’t make sense this week. The Eagles’ rookie wideout hadn’t scored since the season opener and only managed one catch for 15 yards in Week 8 at the Lions. He faced the No. 2 defense against wideouts on Sunday against the Chargers. Naturally, he logged his best game of the year with five catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.
QB Jordan Love (GB) – The first start for the rookie could have gone better. Facing the No. 28 defense against quarterbacks, Love was held to 190 yards and one score with one interception. He threw 14 passes at Davante Adams but only completed six for 42 yards. A score in the final five minutes salvaged his day.
QB Patrick Mahomes (KC) – At home against the No. 24 defense, Mahomes passed for 166 yards and one score. I’m just going to leave that right there and walk away.
WR Brandon Aiyuk (SF) – The former first-round pick was a star as a rookie but then flopped this year while Deebo Samuel sponged up nearly every pass. He caught four passes for 45 yards in Chicago in Week 8 as a season-best. And he had a meeting with Kyle Shanahan where “words were exchanged,” and Aiyuk came away with a new dedication to practice. That translated into Week 9 where he again turned in a season-high six catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.
TE George Kittle (SF) – Returned after spending four weeks on injured reserve and posted six catches for 101 yards and a score in his first game back. He led the 49ers’ receivers but the game was almost entirely passing since the 49ers trailed throughout the loss to the Cardinals.
RB Jeff Wilson (SF) – He was active for the first time this year but did not have a carry. But realize, the next time you start Elijah Mitchell and really need him, Wilson will probably pick that week to get some work.
Titans backfield – The first game without Derrick Henry and the Titans opted for a three-man committee. D’Onta Foreman (5-29), Jeremy McNichols (7-24), and Adrian Peterson (10-21, TD) all shared in the workload and McNichols added three catches for 11 yards. Both Foreman and Peterson are new to the team, so the distribution is likely to shift. But, there is no free agent equivalent to Derrick Henry waiting to be picked up by a team. The No. 2 defense against running backs of the Saints is up next.
QB Josh Johnson (NYJ) – 1.02 pick of Zach Wilson hasn’t thrown for more than two scores or over 300 yards in any game as a rookie. He’s been replaced for the last two games by Mike White (405 pass yards, 3 TD) and once White was hurt in Week 9, Josh Johnson (317 pass yards, 3 TD) also played better than the rookie has. Maybe Wilson should get some seasoning on the bench for the rest of the year because his backups are turning in Top-10 performances each week.
WR Elijah Moore (NYJ) – Playing with Zach Wilson meant that the rookie wideout topped out at four catches for 47 yards and only totaled nine receptions on the year. With Mike White in Week 8, Moore caught six passes for 67 yards. With Josh Johnson in Week 9, he caught seven passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson has to go through his learning curve, but Moore’s production has spiked without him.
Huddle player of the week
RB James Conner (ARI) – The Cardinals backfield committee lost Chase Edmonds on the first play of the game and Conner never looked back. He rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, plus caught five passes for 77 yards and a third score. He already logged three games with two touchdowns, and now has his first three-score game.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
| Comedy | Yards | TDs | Tragedy | Yards | TDs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Josh Jonson | 335 | 3 | QB | Patrick Mahomes | 166 | 1 |
| RB | Nyheim Hines | 108 | 1 | RB | Aaron Jones | 53 | 0 |
| RB | Devonta Freeman | 83 | 1 | RB | Zack Moss | 24 | 0 |
| WR | Olamide Zaccheaus | 58 | 2 | WR | Davante Adams | 42 | 0 |
| WR | Malik Turner | 33 | 2 | WR | CeeDee Lamb | 23 | 0 |
| WR | D. Peoples-Jones | 86 | 1 | WR | Tyreek Hill | 28 | 0 |
| TE | Donald Parham | 39 | 1 | TE | Mark Andrews | 44 | 0 |
| PK | Brandon McManus | 1 XP 3 FG | PK | Greg Zuerlein | nope | ||
| Huddle Fantasy Points = 129 | Huddle Fantasy Points = 33 | ||||||
Now get back to work…