Chris Simms' All-22 Team for NFL Week 6
The Hall of Famer would wait patiently until my offense broke its huddle. He’d quickly scan our formation from flanker to split end. Then he’d start spewing spoilers like he was watching a Game of Thrones finale:
“Watch the tailback in the flat!”
“Receiver’s running a slant!”
“Don’t fall for the pump fake!”
Here’s the thing: Derrick Brooks was rarely wrong. If I’m being conservative, I’d guess he knew about 80 percent of my plays before I ran them in practice. He was more of a field general in Tampa Bay than I was.
I thought of No. 55 when I watched film from last week. Brooks’ breed of linebacker is an endangered one in today’s NFL, but their on-field importance has never been greater. A team with a playmaker or two on the second level of the defense still owns a huge advantage.
This week’s All-22 team reflects that reality. More linebackers are on this list than any other position. My reasoning? I couldn’t exclude any more impact guys. You win, Brooks.
QB: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
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Disclaimer: What I’m about to say might get a little sacrilegious to any Cheesehead readers.
Stafford is playing a brand of quarterback this year that’s Brett Favre-esque. He’s yapping with officials and celebrating with teammates—it all looks like No. 4 is back out there again. And, like Favre, no fourth-quarter deficit feels too much for Stafford to erase.
Consider that all of Detroit’s three wins came on a late Stafford-led comeback. He was perfect on his latest masterpiece: a time-draining fourth-quarter drive against the Rams that set up Matt Prater’s game-winning kick.
Stafford is no stranger to passing the stat sheet. He’s one of five quarterbacks to throw for 5,000 yards in a season. But the fact he’s doing all this without longtime companion Calvin Johnson—and looks even better than he did during the Megatron era—earned him a spot on this list.
RB: Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins
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Of course, this is the week Adam Lefkoe praises my eye for running back talent.
The cat is already out of the bag in Miami. Jay Ajayi is a workhorse who now demands 20-25 carries per game. The football-watching world knows it after he stomped over the Steelers for 204 yards.
Ajayi always had the power and strength to get to this level. But Lefkoe and all our podcast followers know I questioned his speed from the get-go. I didn’t think he’d run away from defenders like he ditched them at Boise State.
This 62-yard run put my questions to rest and iced Pittsburgh’s comeback hopes at the same time. It’s a power run to start; Ajayi breaks through one arm tackle to get to the sidelines. From that point on, it’s straight speed.
The Dolphins have found a back who can do both.
RB: Lamar Miller, Houston Texans
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Not eight. Not nine.
By my count, Lamar Miller slipped 10 would-be tacklers en route to a fourth-quarter touchdown. His Madden avatar would have a tough time pulling off a more spectacular play.
Miller doesn’t specialize in dodging defenders, either. I’ve always viewed him as a track back—someone who would rather run by defenders than put a move on them. That’s why he’s come so close to the end zone as a Texan but never broke through.
That changed on Sunday Night Football. Houston’s line gave Miller (149 yards on 24 carries) plenty of chances to hit his top gear. But the line didn’t throw a single block when he juked basically the entire Colts defense for a receiving touchdown.
Miller made elite plays out of OK blocking. Houston’s offense might not look so pass-happy ever again.
RB: LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills
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Enjoy LeSean McCoy’s resurgence in the moment.
He’s the closest thing we have to Barry Sanders. And like Sanders, we’ll miss all those daring jump cuts and ridiculous field reversals when they’re gone.
Only the 49ers defense might be happy to see Shady hang ‘em up. The 140-yard hurting he just put on San Francisco should sting for some time. Buffalo didn’t do anything radically different—just lined up in the pistol, gave McCoy a fullback and pulled either center Eric Wood or guard Richie Incognito.
We’ve seen those concepts in the NFL since leather helmets were banned. What McCoy is accomplishing is totally new to me, though.
WR: Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
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I’ve watched every NFL receiver on film this season.
Only one of them is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball. His name? Odell Beckham Jr. Maybe you’ve heard of him.
OBJ made a statement in Week 6—and also made his first All-22 team roster. It was one hell of a debut: 222 yards on only eight catches and two titanic touchdowns. Imagine what he’d be able to accomplish with an offense line like Pittsburgh’s.
In terms of route running, he’s saddled in Ben McAdoo’s system. Beckham runs only four or five patterns. He’s just transcendent enough to turn a five-yard slant into a 66-yard score. No defender in football possesses his kind of speed.
WR: Golden Tate, Detroit Lions
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Golden Tate was in a dark place when this season kicked off.
He’s seen the light now. Tate figured out he can thrive as a second option in Jim Bob Cooter’s wide-open passing game.
Thrive he did against an off-balance Rams secondary. Tate had one touchdown in Week 6, but he could have had three. And his pom-pom celebration shows me he’s having fun playing football again.
Tate (165 yards on eight catches) didn’t carve up the Rams in his usual way. The former Seahawk is known for his jump-ball ability; Cooter used him more in his deep-screen playbook last Sunday. He lined up in the backfield more and more against the Rams too.
Tate demands touches and targets to get rolling. They didn’t come in Week 2 when he was benched, but they’re coming now.
WR: Kenny Britt, Los Angeles Rams
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Remember when I dropped Kenny Britt’s name as my all-time favorite receiver to throw to?
This is why. My former Titans teammate used every available limb to carve the Lions secondary up in Week 6—even his legs. The end result was 136 receiving yards on seven catches and one bizarre but beautiful touchdown (two touchdowns total).
Britt wasn’t open on many of those seven grabs. In fact, Darius Slay was neck-and-neck with him. Yet the best part of his game is its duplicity; Britt runs like Jeremy Maclin and boxes defenders out like Brandon Marshall. Slay couldn’t win any 50-50 ball.
Britt is on track to double almost every career mark he’s held. More importantly, he is finally putting all that God-given talent together in one healthy season.
TE: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
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He’s Rob Gronkowski. Other tight ends aren’t. So I’ll keep this entry short.
We all know how indefensible this guy can be when he’s healthy. That hamstring looked plenty healed up when Gronk rumbled around the Bengals secondary for 162 yards. In short: He’s baaaaaaack.
He’s also an amazing route-runner. You wouldn’t expect it from a big, lumbering guy such as Gronk, but he gets open with his feet and not his brute strength.
Of course, there are those times where he’ll post up a linebacker and flash his numbers. He’s pretty good in that category too.
OL: Parker Ehinger, Kansas City Chiefs
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Andy Reid’s ability to unearth blocking gems from the NFL draft is amazing.
His latest project? A fourth-round guard out of Cincinnati who loves to get out in front of a toss or trap play.
Parker Ehinger is no ordinary rookie. His technique is solid, and his hands are strong. But his biggest asset is his legs, and they were churning to lead Spencer Ware on at least two signature runs from a dominant Week 6.
He led the blocking charge on the left side when Ware took a toss for big yardage. He was there again as a trapping guard, slamming into the opposite tackle to get Ware his touchdown.
OL: Laremy Tunsil, Miami Dolphins
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Let’s talk about Laremy Tunsil in strictly a football sense, and not the gas mask and draft-day slide sense. He’s going to enter the echelon of elite offensive linemen soon. From what I saw in Week 6, it's only a matter of time.
Tunsil’s blocking ability is obvious. In Week 6, he roughed up any defensive linemen who lined up on his left side. That group includes a playmaking strongman named Stephon Tuitt and fellow rookie Javon Hargrave.
His quick feet scream tackle. His strength and pulling ability lean guard. I’m willing to bet Tunsil will be a multiple-time Pro Bowler at either position.
OL: Brandon Scherff, Washington Redskins
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Someone ask Scot McCloughan what the winning Powerball numbers will be.
The Redskins general manager can see the future, and it looks an awful lot like Brandon Scherff roughhousing defenders for 60 minutes.
Almost all of Matt Jones’ big runs came behind this big blocker. Scherff did it all; he pulled, he played zone, he even moved to the second level to seal off linebackers such as Nigel Bradham and Jordan Hicks.
It’s the first whistle-to-whistle game I’ve seen Scherff play. Boy, was it impressive.
DL: Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans
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Jadeveon Clowney is what the Incredible Hulk would look like in an NFL uniform.
He’s big. He’s mean. He’s strong. And he leaves a trail of destruction everywhere he goes. You can try to run, but he’ll catch you.
Think about it: Clowney decimated the Colts line at every opportunity. I saw Clowney throw a tackle six feet in the backfield before he got out of his stance. Those who do engage him are subject to similar displays of power.
For all I care, Clowney’s stat line could go blank all season. He’d still be one of the best defensive linemen in football if you asked me.
DL: Danny Shelton, Cleveland Browns
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Consider this nominee a make-up call for all the weeks I’ve omitted him.
Danny Shelton’s season has been nothing short of spectacular. He’s a force in the middle of Cleveland’s defense, and he showed why in Week 6.
DeMarco Murray entered as one of the NFL’s hottest ball-carriers. He exited with only 65 yards on 21 carries. That’s par for the course, according to Pro Football Focus, where the 2015 first-rounder led all Browns defenders against the run.
Let’s not overlook his pass-rushing ability, either. Shelton is a rare 335-pounder who doesn’t need to come off the field on third down. Marcus Mariota knows that better than most after Shelton broke through the O-line for a major sack.
DL: Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks
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The Atlanta Falcons are lucky No. 72 had to leave early.
Michael Bennett was single-handedly owning their offensive line before his injury. Jake Matthews, Ryan Schraeder—it didn’t matter who lined up against him in Week 6. Everyone took their lumps.
That includes Alex Mack. Bennett lined up at nose tackle and beat Atlanta’s star center soundly on a few snaps. On another, he drove past Chris Chester and nearly took Mack’s snap before Matt Ryan could.
Bennett’s five-tackle stat line doesn’t do him justice. He’s the best player on the Seahawks defense.
LB: Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots
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Is Dont’a Hightower human?
I have to ask after the week he just had. Let’s sum it up: another game-changing safety, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback pressures and 13 tackles.
Those numbers are great, but they still don’t depict the kind of game Hightower had against Cincinnati. He helped set the edge in Jamie Collins’ absence. He ran one-on-one with Giovani Bernard and Brandon LaFell. He even lined up at de facto nose tackle seven times.
According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, he played 63 snaps in Week 6 with a slightly torn meniscus. So no, Hightower probably isn’t human.
LB: Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
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Bobby Wagner played like a heat-seeking missile in Week 6.
The Seahawks sent him to blow up what the Falcons do best: use their running backs. He was a direct hit.
Atlanta couldn’t get its outside zone game going Sunday. Why? Because Wagner’s lateral quickness allowed him to play down the line of scrimmage and string out long-developing runs. Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman were held to less than three yards per carry combined.
Wagner held that duo to low totals in the air too. Freeman (10 yards on three catches) and Coleman (seven yards on one catch) couldn’t provide their usual catch-and-dash heroics with one of the league’s top coverage linebackers on them.
LB: LaRoy Reynolds, Atlanta Falcons
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Here’s a deep cut for all you water-cooler know-it-alls.
Career journeyman LaRoy Reynolds played the game of his life in Week 6. He was one of the best linebackers to suit up at CenturyLink Field, and that’s saying a lot. Go ahead and drop his name.
All of Reynolds' Week 6 praise is well-deserved. He played a starring role in holding Seattle's running attack in check all afternoon (seven tackles). He also jumped an underneath throw or two.
Reynolds might be a career backup from this week on, but even career backups deserve love on the All-22 team.
LB: Willie Young, Chicago Bears
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Willie Young pretends he’s fishing every time he gets to a quarterback.
He has cast plenty of lines in 2016. Young has six sacks and acts as a one-man pressure package for Chicago.
Young merits more offensive attention than the amount he received in Week 6. For example, Julius Thomas tried to block him one-on-one in the second quarter. End result? Another line cast by the veteran defender.
When will opposing offenses learn?
LB: Jatavis Brown, San Diego Chargers
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Did you see that blue and yellow blur?
Neither did the Denver Broncos. Jatavis Brown knifed his way past their protections and shut down any hopes of moving the football. It looked too easy for the rookie linebacker in the second half.
Brown was too fast for a slow-developing run play such as Gary Kubiak’s prized outside zone. He trailed C.J. Anderson and Devontae Booker down the line and met them with gusto when they cut upfield.
Denver’s passing game entered Brown’s crosshairs next. His fourth-quarter sack stopped an advancing Trevor Siemian cold. Then Brown sealed the game with a forced Demaryius Thomas fumble. Keep your eye on this kid.
DB: Ron Parker, Kansas City Chiefs
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People crown Eric Berry as the best safety in the Fountain City.
They’re dead wrong. Defensive coordinator Bob Sutton asks so much from the versatile Ron Parker that it’s almost laughable. Each time, the lynchpin of Kansas City’s secondary delivers.
On one play, Parker jetted up in the box to shut down a Raiders run. On another, he sniffed out a screen. And in the final minutes, he walked out to the perimeter and played man coverage on Michael Crabtree.
Parker is an incredible asset. He’ll reappear on this list in the weeks to come.
DB: Malcolm Butler, New England Patriots
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I’ve criticized Cincinnati’s offense for failing to find a second option in its passing game.
That’s easier said than done, particularly against Malcolm Butler in coverage. Every pass-catcher opposite A.J. Green has his hands full trying to escape his clutches.
Butler was primarily responsible for shutting Brandon LaFell down. His old teammate got the best of him on a thread-the-needle touchdown pass but other than that? Only one other catch allowed and a diving pass breakup that could have been picked.
Butler did it on his own too. He plays as much press man coverage as any cornerback in football. From there, he’s able to play the perimeter run as well as anyone.
DB: Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals
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A Honey Badger with five gears is better than most guys with six.
That’s the lesson I learned while watching Tyrann Mathieu ball out Monday night. It’s clear he hasn’t fully recovered yet from his torn ACL last season, but he’s skilled enough to make a big impact.
Case in point: his nickel blitz against Ryan Fitzpatrick. That’s not a play Arizona would call if it had any doubts about his long-term well-being. Mathieu still got there quicker than any Cardinals blitzer.
Mathieu also tacked on an impressive, arms-outstretched interception once Geno Smith got in the game. He doesn't care who plays quarterback for the Jets.
Full All-22 Team for Week 6
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QB: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
RB: Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins
RB: Lamar Miller, Houston Texans
RB: LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills
WR: Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
WR: Golden Tate, Detroit Lions
WR: Kenny Britt, Los Angeles Rams
TE: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
OL: Parker Ehinger, Kansas City Chiefs
OL: Laremy Tunsil, Miami Dolphins
OL: Brandon Scherff, Washington Redskins
DL: Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans
DL: Danny Shelton, Cleveland Browns
DL: Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks
LB: Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots
LB: Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
LB: LaRoy Reynolds, Atlanta Falcons
LB: Willie Young, Chicago Bears
LB: Jatavis Brown, San Diego Chargers
DB: Ron Parker, Kansas City Chiefs
DB: Malcolm Butler, New England Patriots
DB: Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals
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