3) Derrick Henry and the Ravens
One week after he was inexplicably not on the field with the game against the Patriots on the line, Derrick Henry reminded everybody exactly how idiotic that personnel deployment was. He ran around and through the Packers defense, going for 216 yards and four touchdowns, taking the pressure off backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, and the microscope off the absent Lamar Jackson, and kept the Ravens alive for the winner-take-all game next week against the Steelers. This is one of the most physical rivalries in football and whether Jackson can play next week or not, Henry reminded with each of his 36 touches that the offense with the season on the line should include a very heavy dose of an all-time great running back.
4) Breece Hall
It’s been an utterly miserable, lost season for the New York Jets, but on Sunday, Breece Hall got to 1,000 yards rushing, the first time a Jets player has done that since 2015. Hall’s accomplishment is especially impressive, because the Jets’ passing game has posed no threat this season, allowing defenses to focus on Hall. After the game, Hall said he felt like he should have gotten to 1,000 several weeks ago “but there’s just been a lot going on,” which neatly sums up this season. Why didn’t the Jets feed him all along? That’s the question for another day, but in the meantime, it’s clear Hall, a free agent this offseason, deserves a lucrative contract.
5) Tyler Shough
He has been a revelation for the Saints and should have answered the question about whether they have their quarterback of the future. The Saints have won the last four in a row, including against the two teams that will vie for the NFC South title next weekend. Shough has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of the last two weeks, and on Sunday, he torched the Titans for 333 passing yards on 22-of-27 passing, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. The Saints don’t have much around him except for Chris Olave, so they need a massive infusion of talent, but Shough has been smart, can throw the deep ball and can avoid pressure as he did Sunday. That is plenty to build on.
