Brandin Cooks, WR, Patriots
As mentioned, Cooks was the recipient of Brady’s game-winning touchdown pass, a 25-yard strike with 23 seconds left to give New England a big comeback win. It was hardly the only contribution Cooks made on Sunday, however — it was his second touchdown catch of the day to cap off an afternoon that saw him reel in 131 yards on five catches. In his first year with the Patriots, Cooks had a fairly quiet start to the season. His Week 3 showing was just the sort of breakout performance that he needed and will endear him to Brady.
Jake Elliott, K, Eagles
It’s hard to make a 61-yard field goal in the NFL. It’s even harder to do it when you’re a rookie. It’s harder still to accomplish when the kick is for the win. That, however, is exactly what Philadelphia’s Jake Elliott did, setting an Eagles franchise record and an NFL rookie record in the process. Even better, it was against a division rival in the New York Giants. It’s probably the fastest possible way to endear yourself to Philly fans, and Elliott did it.
T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts
Hilton has been poor in 2017 as the Colts’ quarterback situation has been deeply unsettled. At least for Sunday, he managed to find a connection with Jacoby Brissett, and the numbers he put up were much more reminiscent of his heyday. Hilton pulled in nine catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, including a 61-yard catch. His presence was a big help for Brissett, and if the connection they forged can continue to work, perhaps the Colts won’t be in dire shape until Andrew Luck returns.
Jordan Howard, RB, Bears
Things did not look good for Howard a week ago. He only had seven rushing yards, his arm was in a sling, and rookie Tarik Cohen looked like a very real threat to steal his job. Howard put a lot of those questions to rest on Sunday, though, running all over the Steelers to the tune of 138 yards and two touchdowns, including a walk-off winner in overtime to give Chicago the upset win. It was much more reminiscent of the performances he put together as a rookie, and it will make the Bears feel optimistic that he wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
Melvin Ingram, DE, Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith saw far more of Ingram on Sunday than he would have liked. The Chargers linebacker got to Smith for three sacks, bringing his total to 5.5 on the season. He’s up to 13 total tackles as well, and certainly has little to do with the team’s slow start after moving to Los Angeles. If anything, he’s proving himself to be a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate as he continues to disrupt opposing backfields.
Case Keenum, QB, Vikings
Who saw this coming? With Sam Bradford still sidelined due to a knee issue, Keenum turned in an elite quarterback performance. After an underwhelming Week 2 performance, Keenum went 25-for-33 for 369 yards and three touchdowns. The Vikings were looking for a game manager, but they got a career performance as he picked apart the Tampa Bay defense. It remains to be seen how long Bradford will be out, but Keenum has certainly given the team something to think about.
Darius Slay, CB, Lions
Slay was constantly in the right place at the right time on Sunday, sniffing out two tipped balls and turning them into two interceptions — a scenario that his opponent, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, certainly is not accustomed to. It wasn’t the Lions’ best day defensively, but with Slay up against Julio Jones, he did about as well as he reasonably could have expected to with five tackles and three passes defended — plus two huge plays to force turnovers.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins
Oohhhh weeee! Now this is the Kirk Cousins Washington was expecting to see when they franchise-tagged him. Cousins looked fantastic as Washington hammered Oakland on Sunday Night Football. He was sharp, going 25 of 30 for 365 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He played turnover-free football and got some help from his receivers, who came up with big catches in single coverage, like Josh Doctson’s TD. The 83.3 completion percentage marked the second-highest mark of Cousins’ career.
