Chris Simms' Superstars of NFL Week 7

Evaluating college quarterbacks is an odd process. NFL teams are always looking at where a guy went and what kind of competition he played against when really they should be paying attention to how he looks and performs on the field.

I remember when Ben Roethlisberger was coming out of Miami University back in 2004. I was a young quarterback in the NFL—drafted a year earlier—and I had watched him the few times he played on national television. The guy was incredible. He was big, he moved well in the pocket, and he was an excellent thrower of the football. I didn't care if he was playing in the MAC, the SWAC or wherever the hell, I knew Roethlisberger was NFL material.

This is how I felt about Carson Wentz of North Dakota State heading into last year's draft. Much like Roethlisberger, Wentz had size, mobility and an NFL arm—and I knew it right away. The knock on him, also much like Roethlisberger, was his level of competition.

Almost the opposite was true when I watched Blake Bortles of Central Florida. He got the predraft hype because he did play against some big-time competition—he helped upset Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl—but I didn't see a passer who was NFL-ready.

I'm talking about this because the paths of Wentz and Bortles have been so different. Wentz is in his second year and is already one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Bortles is in his fourth and is just now showing signs of being an NFL winner. One thing they have in common, though, is that they both shined in Week 7 and are worthy of some recognition—so I'm going to give it to them.

I'm also going to give recognition to some guys you might be less familiar with. There will be some obvious entries on this list, sure, but I also want to point out some players who don't always get the time in the spotlight they deserve. These are my superstars of Week 7.

Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders

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Finding Amari Cooper on the field has been like playing a game of Where's Waldo? for most of the 2017 season. The Oakland Raiders wideout simply wasn't performing like the No. 1 receiver he was supposed to be.

All that changed Thursday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Physical ability has never been the issue with Cooper. He's as athletic as they come, and he's fast as hell. The issue was that Cooper was struggling to get open and had a problem with drops. This caused him to lose the trust of quarterback Derek Carr and offensive coordinator Todd Downing. Well, those guys put their trust in Cooper against the Chiefs, and Cooper went off.

Both of Cooper's touchdown receptions were impressive. The second, which came on a deep crossing route, was particularly special. He came flying across the field, caught the ball about 15 yards past the line of scrimmage and then hit another gear. The Chiefs thought they had an angle on him, but they didn't—and it's not like it's a slow, unathletic group in the Kansas City secondary.

It was good to see Cooper get the proverbial monkey off his back and perform like everyone knows he can. This is the player the Raiders need moving forward if they're going to keep pushing for another playoff berth.

Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

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Putting Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott on this list might seem like an easy decision, but I'm doing it because this is the best Elliott has looked all season. If you've read anything I've written this year, you know I previously felt we weren't seeing the Elliott we saw last year.

Of course, Elliott has been fighting a suspension off the field. On the field, it hasn't helped that the offensive line hasn't been playing up to last year's level either. I don't think it's a coincidence, though, that Elliott was granted a preliminary injunction last week. Now he's a little more free of mind, and his body is where it needs to be.

Regardless of the reason, we saw the Elliott of 2016 on the field against the San Francisco 49ers. He showed the speed to hit holes other running backs might not hit. The power is always off the charts, and that was there too.

Elliott's standout play, though, was the 72-yard screen pass he took to the house. Elliott caught the ball in the flat at almost a stop, sped past defenders, then cut back across the field.

Because Elliott seems to be back, the Cowboys offense has its mojo back. Watch out.

Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

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Right now, it's Wentz or Tom Brady for MVP—and I'd give my vote to the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback.

Wentz isn't doing what he's doing with some mind-blowing system or with unbelievable receivers on the outside. The Eagles offense is successful and the Eagles are 6-1 for one reason: Wentz's ability to make plays.

When Wentz gets big plays, they're often touchdowns. It's not like he's dissecting defenses or dinking and dunking down the field. He's striking deep, and that's what makes him so dangerous. He's taking a middle-of-the-road offense and making it dangerous with his physical abilities.

Those abilities were on full display against the Washington Redskins. He was charging down the field, breaking tackles in the pocket, throwing touchdown passes with defenders hanging off him. Wentz only completed 17 passes, but he produced more than 330 yards of offense by himself.

The guy is a natural. I'm pointing him out because I want people to realize how special Wentz is and how much they should appreciate watching him play. This is a better version of Andrew Luck or a more athletic Roethlisberger. The nation got to see how awesome Wentz is Monday night, but he's been doing this all year.

Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

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I've been highly critical of Bortles' throwing throughout his career. I've been right to be critical of the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback, but that doesn't mean I'm not rooting for the guy. I know what kind of person he is and what kind of competitor he is, and I hope he shoves the criticism back in my face.

This is the first time I've said this in the Bortles era. The Jaguars came out throwing, and they won the game because of the right arm of Bortles. I want to give Bortles the credit he deserves.

Bortles made some incredible throws against the Indianapolis Colts—be it the 52-yard post to Keelan Cole or the throw on a corner route to Allen Hurns down the sideline. The Jaguars didn't try to over-manage Bortles or hide him in this game. They cut him loose a little bit, and he rewarded Jacksonville for showing some confidence in him.

Kudos to Bortles for an outstanding performance and for carrying his team to a victory with Leonard Fournette on the sideline.

Andrus Peat, New Orleans Saints

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If you're wondering why the New Orleans Saints ran the ball so well against the Green Bay Packers, I'm here to tell you it was because of left guard Andrus Peat.

A lot of the big runs in that game came on the left side, behind Peat's blocks. Also, a big reason why you didn't hear Mike Daniels' name often was Peat. Daniels has gained a reputation in the last year-and-a-half for wrecking offensive game plans. Peat never lost a battle with him.

The Saints didn't run at Daniels, obviously, but Peat moved other guys around too.

Not only did he spring some big runs on the left side, he sprung some on the right side while pulling. Peat is one of the best pulling guards in the NFL, and the Saints finally have him playing in the right spot.

A lot of people have been critical of Peat in the past and have tried labeling him a bust. Hopefully now they'll start recognizing what kind of player he can be.

Eddie Jackson, Chicago Bears

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Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson might be another obvious choice, but how can I not include him? I try to avoid the obvious when possible, but when you make two huge defensive plays that win a football game, you're a Simms Superstar.

The Bears have a phenomenal defense, and I could put a guy like Akiem Hicks on this list every week. In Week 7, Jackson was the guy who stood out.

I raved about him in the preseason. He's a great football player who can do multiple things for a defense. If you remember when Vic Fangio was the defensive coordinator of the 49ers, he used Dashon Goldson to lock down the back end of his unit. That is the role Jackson is playing.

Jackson is a ball-hawking safety who can play free or strong. He understands coverage, and that's where he thrives. He also understands how to make plays on the fly. To pick up a fumble and return it 75 yards for a touchdown is incredible.

That recovery was the play of the game because it gave Chicago an early lead. That changed the dynamic of the contest. When this Bears defense is playing with a lead, it's dangerous.

Jackson also had an interception off a tipped pass that he took back 76 yards for another touchdown. Usually, guys play safety because they can't catch. That's not Jackson.

The Bears probably don't win in Week 7 without Jackson's two big plays.

William Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals

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I don't like to pick guys from losing teams, but I have to give a shout-out to cornerback William Jackson of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Jackson has popped on film over the last couple weeks, particularly against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The stat line doesn't show anything special, because Jackson only logged one tackle. However, his ability to be on an island against players like Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant is special. He made Roethlisberger nervous to throw the ball in his direction. With those receivers, that's rare.

When Jackson was manned up with Brown or Bryant, he was phenomenal. There was one deep throw into the end zone when Jackson was matched up with Brown. Those two were all by themselves, and Jackson had the speed to catch up to Brown and make the play.

Jackson's acceleration rate is incredible. He can get up to almost full speed in two steps. He also does an unbelievable job of playing the ball. He has a lot of ability that other pass defenders don't have. Jackson is on his way to being one of the best cornerbacks in the game.

Kevin Byard, Tennessee Titans

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Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard might seem like another obvious selection because he had three interceptions against the Cleveland Browns. Well, the Titans probably don't win that game if Byard doesn't make them, so he deserves the recognition.

It's not like the interceptions were dropped in Byard's pocket, either. All three of them were impressive. One was especially impressive. It was a high throw into the red zone by DeShone Kizer. Byard did a great job of going up and grabbing the ball with two hands. Byard can also do some things after the catch, as evidenced by his 28-yard return.

On another interception, Byard flashed his awareness. Kizer rolled to his right with Byard covering the running back. Byard read Kizer's eyes, dropped off his man and jumped into the throwing lane in front of the receiver behind him to make the pick.

In a game that was all field goals, Byard's interceptions were huge.

Byard has stood out to me almost every week. This game finally gave me the chance to recognize him. He's a second-year player out of Middle Tennessee State who doesn't find himself in the spotlight often. He does a good job with his role in a complicated Dick LeBeau system. He's asked to do a lot of things, and Byard delivers.

Eric Kendricks, Minnesota Vikings

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Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks has to be in the conversation for the best middle linebacker in football. He and Anthony Barr are also in the conversation for the best middle linebacker duo in football. These guys are on the Luke Kuechly-Thomas Davis level.

Kendricks is a rare guy. He's explosive, he's fast, and he closes quickly. His sideline-to-sideline range is the best in football of anyone not named Ryan Shazier—and he's not far behind Shazier either.

Versus the Baltimore Ravens, Kendricks was disruptive against both the run and the pass because of his range. On one play, Joe Flacco swung a pass out to Javorius Allen, and Kendricks swooped in and tackled him seamlessly in space.

Kendricks is also a thumper, which is one area in which he has an advantage over a guy like Shazier. He will take on guards and fullbacks and will stop them in their tracks. He used all his skills to halt the Ravens offense, racking up 10 solo tackles and 13 total stops.

Kendricks is one of the most complete linebackers in the game, but he doesn't always get the credit he deserves.

Chris McCain, Los Angeles Chargers

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Look, I could probably put Los Angeles Chargers defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram on my list almost every week. This week, though, I'm going with Chargers defensive end Chris McCain. He's another one of those guys who is playing really well but people don't get to hear about.

McCain is an interesting athlete. He played for the Miami Dolphins in 2014-15 as a linebacker-end hybrid-type player and for the Saints last season. He's 6'5" and almost 240 pounds, and he's explosive. Perhaps he's learning some things from Bosa and Ingram, because McCain has popped on film the last few weeks.

And he definitely popped against the Denver Broncos. He got two sacks and two sack-fumbles. The first one came as the Broncos were driving and in field-goal range. It was still a 14-0 game at the time. McCain came around the edge, won with a little hand fighting and made the sack-fumble.

Late in the fourth quarter, McCain put the nail in the coffin with a sack in the red zone. He had unbelievable get-off, dipped his shoulder past the tackle and forced a 4th-and-long.

Bosa and Ingram get the attention on the L.A. defense, but McCain has five sacks of his own and deserves recognition for his contributions to the pass rush.