Week 7 of the NFL season featured the second straight 200+ yard game from Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi and the Philadelphia Eagles winning a defensive battle against the Minnesota Vikings.
Those weren’t the only surprises, though, here is a closer look at the biggest ones.
RB Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins
Both 200+ yard rushing games of the 2016 NFL season belong to Ajayi, who joined Earl Campbell, O.J. Simpson and Ricky Williams as the only players in league history to rush for over 200 yards in back-to-back games. He carried 29 times for a career-high 214 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, helping the Dolphins extend their winning streak to two games with a victory over the Bills.
Keep in mind, Ajayi went into last week with 304 rushing yards in 13 career games. He’s rushed for 408 in his last two games combined. Campbell, Simpson and Williams were all established stars when they went for 200 in back-to-back games. Ajayi’s two-game explosion came out of nowhere.
WR Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
A receiver finally stepped up for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Forced to throw 56 times against the Bears on Thursday night, Rodgers needed the help—and he got it from Adams.
The third-year receiver caught a career-high 13 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the only player in Lambeau Field history to catch at least 10 passes for over 100 yards and two scores. On his first score, Adams made a difficult catch on third-and-goal. Later, he sprung wide open on a slant in the end zone. A desperate holding penalty prevented what would have been a third touchdown.
Philadelphia Eagles defense
The Eagles defense stole the show in a 21-10 win over Mike Zimmer and the previously undefeated Vikings. Philadelphia made life miserable for former teammate Sam Bradford, who took six sacks and fumbled four times in a disastrous return to Lincoln Financial Field.
Overall, the Eagles forced four turnovers against a Vikings team that came into the game with just one giveaway in the first five games. Minnesota’s sloppiness on offense was largely due to Philadelphia’s unrelenting pressure, which resulted in 12 total hits on Bradford. Credit Jim Schwartz’s defense for creating a huge win by hammering the Vikings’ biggest weakness.
QB Kevin Hogan, Cleveland Browns
The Browns lost again to fall to 0-7, but at least Hogan—Cleveland’s sixth quarterback of the 2016 season—made things interesting. The rookie from Stanford rushed for 104 yards, and his 28-yard touchdown run—the longest from a quarterback in Browns history—made the score 21-17 early in the second half.
Hogan went on to throw two interceptions, and the Browns lost to the Bengals for the fifth time in six games. But Hogan—a fifth-round rookie already playing on his second team—may end the season as the most unlikely player to rush for over 100 yards in a game in 2016.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets
Benched in favor of Geno Smith, Fitzpatrick once again found himself under center for the Jets when Smith left Sunday’s game against the Ravens with a knee injury. He was strong in relief duty, leading the Jets to three scoring drives and a 24-16 win over Baltimore.
New York scored 17 of the game’s final 20 points after Fitzpatrick entered the game, including seven on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick to running back Matt Forte to finish off his first drive. The Jets are just 2-5, but maybe Fitzpatrick’s resurgence can light a fire on a seemingly lost season. Or maybe the $12 million man simply proved he’s nothing more than a good backup.
LB Denzel Perryman, San Diego Chargers
San Diego really needed a game like Sunday’s. Losers of four games in which they held a late lead, the Chargers reversed the heartbreak in Atlanta—where two huge plays from Perryman helped San Diego complete its comeback over the Falcons.
Perryman first intercepted Matt Ryan with 3:23 left, setting up San Diego’s game-tying field goal. In overtime, Falcons running back Devonta Freeman was cut down for a loss by Perryman on fourth down, allowing San Diego to go just 19 yards and kick the game-winning field goal. There’s no 17-point comeback without Perryman’s late-game heroics.
Honorable mentions
OT Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans: The Titans scored their first touchdown on Sunday on a designed screen pass to Lewan, who made the catch and rumbled 10 yards for the score. It was Tennessee’s first touchdown reception from an offensive lineman since 1997.
RB LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots: Tom Brady is back, but don’t sleep on the Patriots’ big running back. Blount, who rushed for 124 yards and two scores against Pittsburgh, is now on pace for almost 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns.
QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions: Stafford threw a late touchdown pass to lead the Lions to a 20-17 win over Washington. It was his 24th career come-from-behind win in his 100th career game. Detroit has now won three straight.
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