NFL Week 3 Superlatives: Bears' Marcus Cooper gets Leon Lett off the hook
We’re unveiling a new feature this season – weekly NFL superlatives. It’s meant to be a lighthearted look at Sunday’s games, as we highlight best dressed, class bully and best leg(s). Here are the picks for Week 3:
Most Likely to Lose a Winning Lottery Ticket: Marcus Cooper, Chicago
Leon Lett, you are officially off the hook! Cooper had a clear path to the end zone after scooping up a blocked field goal against Pittsburgh, but started celebrating around 10 yards too early and had the ball swatted out of his hand. The Bears ended up getting a field goal once the officials sorted out what had happened, but Cooper cost his team in a close game – and now goes down in infamy.
Class Bully: Richard Sherman, Seattle
Not only did Sherman hit Titans’ quarterback Marcus Mariota out of bounds and helmet-to-helmet in the second quarter on Sunday, he hit teammate Bobby Wagner in the process, seemingly harder than he hit Mariota. Titans tackle Taylor Lewan was immediately in Sherman’s face to protect his quarterback, but according to Sherman, Mariota said it was a good hit.
Best Dressed: Cam Newton, Carolina
Really, it might be best to name this one in Newton’s honor. No one gets ready for game days like Newton, and while he sometimes makes us shake our heads with his sartorial choices, he’s still making you look. On Sunday against the Saints, Newton went with a black-white-gray combo, with a hat and Matrix-worthy sunglasses.
Most Improved: Blake Bortles, Jacksonville
Is it the tea? Does he eat haggis? Whatever happens to or for Bortles when the Jaguars are in London, the team needs to replicate it every day. Bortles was stellar against the Ravens on Sunday, with a 64.5 completion percentage and four touchdowns; in the Jaguars’ last three games at Wembley Stadium, Bortles has eight touchdowns and just one interception.
Best Dancer: Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis
In leading the Colts to their first win of the season, Brissett had two rushing touchdowns, the second featuring a spin move worthy of Fred Astaire. Brissett threw for 259 yards, ran for 14, and had a hand in three of the Colts’ four touchdowns. Not bad for a guy who showed up to the facility less than a month ago.
Best Leg(s): Jake Elliott, Philadelphia
The rookie showed nerves of steel against the Eagles hated rivals, the Giants, on Sunday, nailing a 46-yard field goal with under a minute to play in regulation to tie the game, and then squeaking a 61-yard field goal inside the right upright with no time left on the clock to win the game. The 61-yard kick was the longest in Philadelphia history and longest-ever by a rookie.
Drama King: Tom Brady, New England
The Patriots were down 33-28 to the Texans with 2:24 to play with one timeout plus the 2-minute warning and needed to go 75 yards to win and avoid watching Houston’s Deshaun Watson make some history: no rookie quarterback has won in Foxboro in Bill Belichick’s 18 years as coach. Brady completed a third-and-12 to Rob Gronkowski and third-and-18 to Danny Amendola before a 25-yard game-winning sideline touchdown to Brandin Cooks. It was his 50th career fourth-quarter comeback.
Most Outspoken: Josh Norman, Washington
A lot of players gave emotional responses to President Trump’s profane comments on NFL players over the weekend, but Norman at minimum said the most. After his team’s big win over Oakland on Sunday night, he spoke passionately to NBC’s Michelle Tafoya (he said Washington linked arms on the sideline to combat the “tyranny we face behind” Trump), and in the locker room, he spoke for over 20 more minutes just about the president.
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• 97-year-old WWII vet takes a knee for NFL players
• Pat Forde: Why haven’t we seen anthem protests in college football?
