10 Unsung Heroes Across the NFL for Week 3

Sure, Jalen Hurts‘ second-half resurgence against the Rams, where he connected for 17 out of 24 passes for 209 yards with three touchdowns for a comeback win, deserved a place in the headlines. So did Tyquan Thornton, who was a pleasant surprise for the Chiefs in the absence of fellow wide receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. But while these players became the talk of NFL town, there were others as well whose contributions in Week 3 seemed to have flown under the radar.

Let’s take a look at some of them.

​Tyrod Taylor—Jets QB vs. Buccaneers

Tyrod Taylor had a productive game stepping in for the concussed Justin Fields, who had an impressive Week 1 against the Steelers. His presence was felt early as he led the Jets to two field goals in as many possessions. In fact, he almost took the Jets over the line with the two scoring drives he led in the fourth quarter, connecting on 12 of 15 for 117 yards and a 138.8 passer rating.

​Zyon McCollum—Buccaneers CB vs. Jets

Zyon McCollum was a consistent presence for the Buccaneers during their close 29-27 win over the Jets on Sunday, with nine total tackles—all solo. He finished second on the team in tackles behind Lavonte David (11). McCollum already has 24 stops in three games, demonstrating he’s off to a good start as he tries to beat his career-high of 82 tackles in 17 games last year. He anchored Tampa Bay’s defense, keeping the Jets under 200 passing yards.

​Josh Jobe–Seahawks CB vs Saints

Participating in 92% of the Seahawks‘ defensive snaps, Josh Jobe had 11 tackles, nine solo, in the 44-13 win over the Saints on Sunday. It was a new career-high for the cornerback in what was the Seahawks’ second consecutive win by double-digit margins. Josh has now recorded 17 tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception over three games.

Quinshon Judkins—Browns RB vs Packers

Quinshon Judkins was the key factor in the Brown’s offense despite a slow start. The Packers restricted them to 26 rushing yards in the first half, out of which 24 came from Judkins. In the fourth quarter, with under 10 minutes left on the clock, he had a 14-yard run on a 1st-and-10 followed by a 38-yard burst that eventually led to the Andre Smzyt field goal that opened the scoring for the Browns. He also rushed for the Browns’ lone touchdown of the game with 3:01 left on the clock—the first rushing touchdown of his career.

Pete Werner–Saints LB vs. Seahawks

Despite the Saints’ loss, Pete Werner shone as he posted 13 tackles, out of which seven were solo. Demario Davis and Werner had 24 tackles between them in an otherwise poor defensive display from the Saints, where no other defender could register more than five tackles. Even though the defense did yield 44 points, Werner’s plays kept it from being a complete blowout.

Chau Smith-Wade—Panthers CB vs. Falcons

​Carolina Panthers cornerback Chau Smith-Wade intercepted QB Michael Penix Jr.’s pass intended for RB Bijan Robinson at the Atlanta 11-yard line and ran for the lead-extending third-quarter touchdown. It was one of the two interceptions made by the Panthers, who also forced three turnovers and limited the Falcons to 5 of 16 conversions on third-and-fourth-down attempts, ultimately sealing their first shutout win in five years.

Rico Dowdle–Panthers RB vs. Falcons

The same blowout game saw Rico Dowdle register his first touchdown as a Panther via a 1-yard carry in the final quarter. Moreover, his short but largely consistent gains in the 2nd quarter of the game contributed to the Panthers coming within field goal range—an opportunity that Ryan Fitzgerald capitalized on to take the score to 10-0.

Ivan Pace Jr.—Vikings LB vs. Bengals

In Week 3, Ivan Pace Jr. spearheaded the Minnesota Vikings to a 48-10 victory over the Bengals, posting 12 total tackles, nine of which were solo stops. It was his most one-game tackles since Week 8 of last season. Pace has already registered 26 stops (18 solo) in the first three games of the year and is becoming a big-time contributor to the Minnesota defensive line.

Jack Stoll—Saints TE vs Seahawks

​Besides Pete Werner and Demario Davis, Jack Stoll was the other silver lining for the Saints in their loss to the Seahawks, demonstrating why he’s making waves as a breakout player. The 27-year-old tight end hauled in two for 21 yards, including his first career NFL touchdown on a well-placed pass from Spencer Rattler. Stoll also stood out with a team-leading 90.4 receiving grade from Pro Football Focus. After four years with the Eagles as a blocking specialist, Stoll is now showing that he can be a productive receiving threat.

Anthony Gould—Colts kick returner vs. Titans

Anthony Gould returned three kicks for 104 yards, a return average of 34.7 yards. Two of them—a 32-yard return in the third quarter and a 39-yard one in the fourth eventually led to touchdowns.

Who are the players that you think went under the radar during an eventful Week 3? Let us know in the comments.