Top performers from Week 13
A threesome stood out above all others yesterday.
Another chaotic Sunday has come and gone in the NFL. Like every other before it, there was upsets, blowouts and of course, nail-biting finishes. With just four weeks remaining, the consequences from 60 minutes of football grow immeasurably.
Without further ado here are just some of the men who dragged their team toward victory. In most cases they walked away with a W, but there were a select few stars who fought valiantly in the face of defeat.
TOM BRADY
Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady led the Bucs to a thrilling 33-27 overtime win vs. Buffalo, passing for 363 yards and two touchdowns. Crucially, the seven-time Super Bowl winner threw no interceptions, amassing a 105.6 rating. In a rare feat, Brady added a rushing touchdown in as the Bucs soared to 10-3.
Brady — already the league's all-time leader in passing yards (83,338) and passing touchdowns (617) — surpassed Drew Brees (7,142) for the most completions in NFL history, adding another record to a list longer than St. Nicholas’
TB12 has 4,134 passing yards through 13 weeks, his 13th career season with at least 4,000 passing yards, surpassing Brees (12 seasons) and Philip Rivers (12) for the second-most 4,000-yardage seasons all-time.
PATRICK MAHOMES
Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes shone brightly in Kansas City’s 48-9 demolition of AFC West rival Las Vegas. The Raiders never stood a chance as Mahomes completed 20 of 24 pass attempts — 83.3% completion rate — for 258 yards and two touchdowns. Mahomes’ zero turnovers will please Andy Reid to no end, as the Chiefs claimed their sixth win in a row.
Kansas City is the first defense since Seattle’s 2014 legion of boom to allow fewer than 10 points four times across a five-game stretch. Including yesterday’s victory, the Chiefs have held their opponents to nine points in three straight games (Cowboys, Broncos & Raiders) from Weeks 11-13. Their defensive hot streak began with a blanketing of an Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers back in Week 9.
Mahomes has 10 career games with a passer rating of 130-or-higher (minimum 20 attempts), taking the mantle from former Ram & Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and current quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson for the most during their first five seasons.
JUSTIN HERBERT
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert put on a show during his team’s 37-21 blitzing of the lowly New York Giants. The sophomore passed for 275 yards and three touchdowns for a 133.1 quarterback rating.
The 23-year-old is the fourth-youngest player to reach 8,000 passing yards in NFL history. Only the Saints’ Jameis Winston (22 years, 361 days), Panthers’ Sam Darnold (23 years, 212 days) and former Patriot Drew Bledsoe (23 years, 236 days) reached the mark at a younger age.
The Oregon product is the second-youngest player to reach 60 career touchdown passes in NFL history. Only Hall of Famer Dan Marino (23 years, 78 days) reached the mark at a younger age.
Herbert is the first player ever in the National Football League to throw for 30 touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.
Drew Brees talks Jameis, Taysom & the QB who has caught his eye
Drew Brees believes the quarterback battle down in New Orleans is unlikely to end anytime soon.
Drew Brees believes the quarterback battle down in New Orleans is unlikely to end anytime soon. The Saints GOAT thinks both Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill will spend time under centre in New Orleans’ first season without Brees in 16 years.
“Both guys have such a love for the game … and you can see it in the way they play. Taysom has an infectious love for the game,” Brees told Mike Tirico in Football Morning in America.
“There is not a guy who is more respected for that and for what he brings to the team. Jameis was such a joy to be around. He also loves the game and loves to work at it. You can tell that football consumes his thoughts.
“He wants to be a great player and continue to improve. Whatever happens, in terms of whoever is the starter, I do think there is a scenario where both of them are playing. If Jameis is the starter I think Taysom is seeing a lot of action at quarterback, maybe even more-so than he did with me.”
As for withdrawals from his time in the New Orleans spotlight, Brees hasn’t come across any yet.
“I have been preparing for the next chapter, I’m excited about it. There is a feeling of gratitude and appreciation for all that the game gave me,” he said.
“I still have a chance (at NBC) to be connected with the game and stay involved, but I am excited to be able to pursue some other passions that I haven’t been able to up to this point.”
Brees is preparing to play a large part in NBC’s football coverage this season, signing on as a studio analyst for Football Night in America. A guy you’ll hear him speak about and this season is Justin Herbert; the Chargers quarterback who has caught his eye more than any other youngster in the league.
“I don’t think I’ve seen an athlete quite like him. We played them last year, and I was impressed,” Brees revealed.
“Then I saw him at mini-camp in OTAs and was amazed at how big and strong he is. His forearms and hands look like he has been digging fence-post holes his entire life. He is good, smart and has those leadership qualities. You talk about building an offense around a guy, he can be a 15-year franchise guy.”
Brees will also be instrumental in NBC’s coverage of Notre Dame, in addition to the Olympics and of course, Super Bowl LVI.