The NFL has put its fans through a few brutal weeks during the 2015 season, but Week 8 did not fall into that category. This slate had everything, ranging from a 52-49 (!) game to an unlikely result in Atlanta, and the football consumer was sure to be pleased by the offerings.
With that as the backdrop, let’s take a glance at the players who stood out in a big way this week, beginning with the best performances from first-year players.
Offensive Rookie of the Week
Todd Gurley, RB St. Louis Rams
From now until the end of the 2015 NFL season, it will be an upset if Todd Gurley does not “win” this award. Gurley led all rookies in rushing in Week 8 by a healthy margin, with 133 yards on 20 carries (6.7 yards per attempt) and a touchdown. In short, he was the best player on the field during a 27-6 victory for the Rams.
For additional context, Gurley became the first rookie in the history of the NFL to rush for 125 yards or more in four consecutive games and, well, he’s pretty good right now. That is all.
Runner-up: La’el Collins, OG Dallas Cowboys
Defensive Rookie of the Week
Kwon Alexander, LB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It was an unspeakably difficult week for Kwon Alexander, as his 17-year-old brother was the victim of a shooting that cost him his life less than 48 hours before Tampa Bay took on Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. The fact that Alexander was even on the field was impressive in and of itself, but the fourth-round pick from LSU stood with high-end play that helped the Bucs to an upset victory.
Alexander forced a fumble (after running down Julio Jones), and he pulled down an interception during the win. He also led all rookie tacklers with 11. On the whole, Tampa Bay’s defense was quite stellar in slowing down Atlanta’s offense, but Alexander was arguably the best player on the field for the Bucs. Given the circumstance, it was an incredible story to boot.
Runner-up: Danielle Hunter, DL Minnesota Vikings
Next: Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week