Chris Simms' All-22 Team for NFL Week 3
Imagine Fletcher Cox—the best defensive lineman in football—on the best defense in football.
It nearly happened back in 2012. I was a Patriots scout, and our department held the kid out of Mississippi State in high regard. Philadelphia grabbed him nine spots ahead of us.
Another team would have. Or another. Because when you have a chance to draft someone worthy of placement on my weekly All-22 list, you take him with no questions asked.
I scoured the Week 3 game film in search of the most impactful 22 players I could find. Cox and a few other starters ought to sound familiar. Others might not ring a bell…yet. I promise you'll know them a little better after checking out my notes.
In short: Keep an eye on each of these names. I have a good feeling they could turn some heads in Week 4 and beyond.
QB: Trevor Siemian, Denver Broncos
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John Elway probably knows a thing or two about quarterbacks. The Broncos general manager chose the possibility of a Trevor Siemian-led team over that of a Brock Osweiler-led one. All the film I've seen indicates he chose wisely.
Siemian's critics doubted his ability to carry an offense in the week preceding his third career start. Where are they now that he ripped up the Bengals defense for four touchdown tosses? All I hear are crickets.
The Northwestern product is only getting better with time. After he gains more experience, maybe he'll be the one worth a $72 million investment.
RB: LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills
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While I was impressed by LeSean McCoy’s straight-line speed, I was blown away by his lateral quickness. It was like the Bills built a time machine, traveled back to 2011 and plugged an Eagles-era Shady right into their backfield.
No Cardinals defender could contain him. When he wasn't bursting straight through holes, he was bouncing runs to the outside. That often involved a Madden-like jump cut.
I'm not sure if McCoy is in the middle of a renaissance or if this was a one-time deal. Either way, it was fun to watch.
RB: DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans
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Tennessee's last 100-yard running back?
It was Chris Johnson back in 2013…until DeMarco Murray snapped that drought last Sunday. He needed only 16 carries to get his 114 yards too. Very impressive.
I've called Mike Mularkey a running game genius in the past. He didn't need rocket science to get the ex-rushing champ going in Week 3, though—just plenty of straight-line runs.
Murray is the best at pressing a hole, making one guy miss and lowering his shoulder. It was a callback to his Dallas days, and the Raiders couldn't stop him.
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WR: Terrelle Pryor, Cleveland Browns
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I was way off-base with my summer Terrelle Pryor prediction, you guys.
I called him a bona fide No. 1 receiver for the Browns. I just didn't know he'd be their No. 1 quarterback and star rushing option too. That's on me, I guess.
But it's on defenses to stop this man. Miami tried and failed; Pryor tallied 144 receiving yards despite being his team's only major source of offense. He also completed three passes and took a few runs from the Wildcat.
I can't wait to see what he can do when Josh Gordon arrives. It's going to be a fireworks show.
WR: Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos
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There should be no more doubt who the No. 1 receiver on this Broncos team is.
It's Emmanuel Sanders, hands down. No other option—not Demaryius Thomas, not Cody Latimer, not anyone—comes close to matching this man's playmaking ability.
Sanders finally got in sync with Trevor Siemian to the tune of two big touchdowns versus Cincinnati. He set up a third by wiggling upfield on a swing screen and making several disciplined Bengals defenders miss.
WR: Marvin Jones, Detroit Lions
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Kneel before the new Sideline Route King.
Marvin Jones can stretch a defense like Calvin Johnson once did. His 205-yard day came with the kind of fancy footwork Megatron rarely needed.
His prettiest play? It wasn't either long touchdown grab. It was a fourth-quarter "sluggo" route where he fooled an outside leverage corner and a safety. Jones tapped both feet in bounds at the end of his 19-yard pickup like it was nothing.
Jones tests the space between the hash marks/numbers and the boundary. And coverages are failing that test.
TE: Jimmy Graham, Seattle Seahawks
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Jimmy Graham doesn't look 100 percent healthy on tape.
His 90 percent is better than any tight end in football, though. Seattle is finally seeing shades of the guy it traded so much for two offseasons ago.
Graham hit 100 receiving yards with ease against San Francisco. He's the perfect security blanket for Russell Wilson rollouts and an ideal jump-ball receiver at the same time. Who else brings that to the table?
OL: Bradley Sowell, Seattle Seahawks
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Put me down for two Seahawks on offense.
Seattle basically asked Bradley Sowell to lead-block the entire afternoon. He did that and then some; Christine Michael's biggest runs came right behind big No. 78.
Sowell hasn't shown this kind of strength and push before. It's a welcome sight on a line that needs more of it.
OL: Brandon Brooks, Philadelphia Eagles
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Let's give some love to the former Houston Texan who's won his matchup in all three weeks. Brandon Brooks is the total package and is playing at a Pro Bowl level.
His latest outing was his best one. Stephon Tuitt and Cam Heyward rarely heard their names called. Brooks battled them to a stalemate; that's a win against this Steelers defense.
He might have been the Eagles' wisest non-Carson Wentz offseason move. That's saying something.
OL: Joe Thuney, New England Patriots
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Leave it to Bill Belichick to find a future All-Pro in the third round.
Thuney looks like a Logan Mankins clone. He's not the biggest or strongest guy, but he's just plain nasty. And he's not afraid to pull around the line and smack a star defender like Jadeveon Clowney in the teeth.
That's what he did on LeGarrette Blount's game-sealing touchdown scamper. He'll do it again if he's asked. What a Patriot.
OL: Justin Pugh, New York Giants
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Funny but true—301-pound Justin Pugh is deadly in the open field.
Pugh is the Giants' Thuney. He's pulling left and right, coming around the edge and seeking the nearest opening. When he gets there, he has an uncanny ability to hold one block while seeking out another.
Few are better at throwing the one extra shove needed to spring a run. That's Pugh's specialty.
DL: Everson Griffen, Minnesota Vikings
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Pick a Vikings D-lineman, any Vikings D-lineman.
I went with Everson Griffen, the purest mother-bleeping 4-3 end you'll find in football. The guy was a fly in Cam Newton's ear all afternoon last Sunday. He scraped and clawed and forced Newton to throw off his back foot.
It was a pass-rushing clinic. Kids could learn from Griffen or six other purple-clad freaks who get after passers.
DL: Damon Harrison, New York Giants
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"Snacks" isn't the best possible nickname for this guy. I like "Great Wall" a lot better.
Damon Harrison is going to sit down in the middle of the Giants D-line, and no one is going to move him for a thousand years. You can probably see him from space too.
Bonus skill: Harrison is unmatched when he comes to throwing his body around. He'll stick an arm or shoulder into a hole and freeze a running back because he's so huge.
DL: Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles
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This is Cox's debut on the weekly All-22 team. It won't be his last appearance, though.
He's the best defensive lineman in football in my book. No one should be that big and that powerful and that athletic all at once. No wonder Bill Belichick wanted him so badly.
He probably just gave David DeCastro the worst ass-whupping of his football career. That's a Pro Bowl guard Cox tossed around for 60 minutes.
DL: Jabaal Sheard, New England Patriots
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Everyone was up in arms when New England dealt a player with 12.5 sacks last offseason.
Relax. The defense is just fine without Chandler Jones because the Patriots have a better version of him in Jabaal Sheard.
It's mind-blowing that the Cleveland Browns just let this guy walk. He lines up in every technique a defensive lineman can play. More importantly, the guy generates pressure from every spot.
Sheard got to Brock Osweiler twice in Week 3. By the end of the game, you could almost see the QB bracing for No. 93 to smack him around.
LB: Shane Ray, Denver Broncos
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It's not like Shane Ray's three sacks came against scrubs in Week 3.
Those were the tough Cincinnati Bengals. Ray made them twist and bend and break down.
Only Von Miller owns a quicker first step in football—and even then it's close. Take Ray's first sack of Week 3: Cincy brought in an extra lineman for a max protect-style play. Ray beat him after two steps and just bull-rushed him back into Andy Dalton's lap.
DeMarcus Ware can take his time nursing that forearm back to health. Ray has this.
LB: Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
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Gotta give some Longhorns love to my former college teammate!
Derrick Johnson didn't give me a choice. The ageless wonder is in his 12th year but never ceases to amaze in run support or pass coverage.
He made his mark in both areas Sunday. Johnson notched 11 tackles and defended a pass. Am I missing something?
Oh yeah! He ran a late Ryan Fitzpatrick throw all the way back for a pick-six. Hook 'em.
LB: Todd Davis, Denver Broncos
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I didn't see Gio Bernard getting much love out of the Bengals backfield. And I know who stopped him.
Plain and simple: Todd Davis is a little ass-kicker. Denver's defense was lucky to have him waiting in the wings.
He's physical at the point of attack. He rarely takes bad angles. And like his predecessor Danny Trevathan, he doesn't need to come off the field on third down.
Bernard couldn't factor into the game plan much with Davis trailing him. That makes the Sacramento State product a huge asset going forward.
DB: Corey Graham, Buffalo Bills
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You can tell Corey Graham is a career Rex Ryan player.
He knows this system inside and out. And he'll meet a ball-carrier anywhere on the field to defend a pass or wrap up a tackle.
Just ask Arizona—he posted four tackles, three passes defensed and one interception. He also eliminated plenty of the deep and crossing routes Bruce Arians loves to run.
How did Ryan reward his disciple? By sending him on a safety blitz for a sack, of course.
DB: Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs
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There's Deion Sanders. There's Marcus Peters. And then there's everyone else.
The second-year Chief is fooling quarterbacks at a rate not seen since Prime Time. He had another two-pick game, confusing Ryan Fitzpatrick and grabbing one of his end-zone throws.
That makes 12 career INTs for Peters. Five other defensive backs did it faster, and two are Hall of Famers.
DB: Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia Eagles
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The Eagles don't exactly play two traditional safeties.
That gives Malcolm Jenkins more freedom to roam with immunity. More often than not, he breaks on a ball faster than everyone else does and makes a play.
His job against the Steelers made so much sense. Jenkins was responsible for jumping Ben Roethlisberger's short throws, so he was active at the line.
He also took his turn shutting down Antonio Brown and nearly had a pick right in front of him. Nice job, Malcolm.
DB: Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings
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Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to Minnesota's front seven.
No one realizes it's really a front eight. Harrison Smith looks like a purple blur when he flies from so far back to join a scrum up close.
Mike Zimmer used him for much more than run support in Week 3. No. 22 flew through the Panthers line to sack Cam Newton on one play. He also lined up in coverage a handful of times and surrendered two receiving yards, according to Pro Football Focus. Two.
Smith is the total package. He's the best player on that scary defense right now.
Full Week 3 All-22 Team
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QB: Trevor Siemian
RB: LeSean McCoy
RB: DeMarco Murray
WR: Terrelle Pryor
WR: Emmanuel Sanders
WR: Marvin Jones
TE: Jimmy Graham
OL: Bradley Sowell
OL: Brandon Brooks
OL: Joe Thuney
OL: Justin Pugh
DL: Everson Griffen
DL: Damon Harrison
DL: Fletcher Cox
DL: Jabaal Sheard
LB: Shane Ray
LB: Derrick Johnson
LB: Todd Davis
DB: Corey Graham
DB: Marcus Peters
DB: Malcolm Jenkins
DB: Harrison Smith
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