Rams’ Matthew Stafford is the Colossus of Week 8

The Los Angeles quarterback prevailed over the rest of the league as the best player on the day

Halloween brought us a strange day in the NFL Week 8.

Some teams that reached their respective commitments with the absolute favorites tag, suffered more than necessary before an inferior competition; and others inexplicably fell.

These strange situations were also reflected in the individual category. Quarterbacks, in general, had pedestrian numbers as a group and running backs were ghosts.

Names we don’t usually see in this weekly section made their debut, although an old acquaintance managed to take top honors.

Okay, the Texans aren’t the most demanding synodal in the NFL. However, a win is a win, and Stafford knew how to lead the Rams to one more win to stay among the best of the best in the National Conference, especially in a week when the Cardinals lost undefeated, and the Bucs too. fell.

If there was an award for the season’s roster move, it would have to be the Rams’ award of Stafford, via a trade that also included Jared Goff and multiple first-round picks for the Lions. Against Houston, Stafford hit 21 of 32 for 305 yards with three touchdowns without interceptions.

Los Angeles is firmly positioned among the NL’s contending teams, and with a bit of luck, they could become the second team to win a Super Bowl in their own home stadium in consecutive years, after no one has ever done it before Tampa Bay. for the 2020 campaign.

There is still a long way to go, yes, for the Rams, and it is premature to make any statement about it. What can’t be denied is that Stafford has the Rams playing better on offense than they did that season in 2018, which culminated in a ticket to Super Bowl LIII. The Los Angeles attack has a verticality that it did not know before, and the key is the man at the trigger. Week 8 was just one more demonstration.

Honorable mentions

Josh Allen, quarterback, Buffalo Bills. The Bills suffered more than expected against Miami, but Allen looked pretty good, still, considering the 60 minutes in total. He completed 29 of 42 pass attempts for 249 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions, adding 55 yards and a rushing touchdown on eight carries to his Sunday as Buffalo’s leading running back. On a somewhat gray day in terms of stellar performances, it didn’t take much more to make our list.

AJ Brown, wide receiver, Tennessee Titans. Health hasn’t been on his side in a season in which he was expected to explode playing Julio Jones – also hurt frequently in 2021 – but when plugged in, Brown is virtually unstoppable. Against Indy, he dispatched with 10 receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown, and although he couldn’t complete it, he attempted a pass.

Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback, San Francisco 49ers. Okay, Garoppolo didn’t throw a touchdown pass this Sunday, but his numbers weren’t negligible. He managed to connect on 17 of his 28 pass attempts for 322 yards, adding to that five carries for 4 yards, but two of them for touchdowns. Perhaps what was most striking is that Garoppolo pitched consistently longer than he has accustomed us throughout his time in San Francisco.

Chris Godwin, wide receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tough day for the Bucs at the Superdome, but Godwin was one of the few bright pieces on the reigning champs roster. Godwin was left with eight of the 12 passes sent in his direction, with 140 yards and a touchdown as revenue. Yes, he could possibly have run the route of Tom Brady’s last interception in the game better, but overall it was a very positive individual performance for Godwin.

Tyler Lockett, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. With 12 receptions of 13 passes sent in his direction, 142 yards and a touchdown, Lockett took over the Jaguars defenders, burning them left and right. One of the finest road running backs in the NFL, Lockett remains a fairly underrated wide receiver despite consistent great games.

Elijah Mitchell, running back, 49ers. Earlier in the season, Trey Sermon was the buzzword among the Niners’ rookie running backs, but Mitchell has stolen all the limelight. He ran the ball 18 times for 137 yards with a touchdown, leading the charge against Chicago.

Geno Smith, quarterback, Seahawks. Much credit to Smith in getting up as he did after a really poor performance the previous day. Now, against Jacksonville, he was fine, with 20 of 24 completions for 195 yards with two touchdowns and two carries for 8 yards, including a touchdown. He’s not Russell Wilson yet, but Seattle couldn’t afford to lose, least of all against Jacksonville.

Xavier Woods, safety, Minnesota Vikings. “So that the wedge tightens …”, they say. Woods made the Cowboys pay for not keeping him offseason, reminding them of what he knew how to do as a defensive back. Against his team, he generated two ball deliveries: one in interception and the second in capture, forced fumble. Yes, Dallas’ new and rebuilt defense is much better than before, but Woods made it clear that his departure is not simply “water under the bridge.” Minny couldn’t win, but Woods gave them at least one chance.