Will Levis, Bucky Irving amongst Secret Superstars for Week 10

As any NFL season progresses, there will probably be extra unheralded gamers who stand up from humble beginnings to grow to be components, and guys whose careers have gone sideways who by some means discover the street again to relevance.

We prefer to have a good time these gamers each week in “Secret Superstars.” This week, we’ve got a 38-year-old man who regarded half his age, a quarterback who confirmed a ton below duress, and each Defensive Gamers of the Week.

Will Levis, QB, Tennessee Titans

The Titans chosen Will Levis within the second spherical of the 2023 draft out of Kentucky with the hope that he may very well be the group’s subsequent true franchise quarterback. By means of Levis’ first 1.5 seasons, it hasn’t fairly labored that manner. Between his required improvement as a thrower and field-reader, and his penchant for YOLO performs that deliver reckless quarterbacks from Brett Favre to Jameis Winston to thoughts, Levis has not ascended to the place folks would love him to be. When Levis suffered a shoulder harm in Week 5 towards the Indianapolis Colts and missed the following three video games, that might solely additional hamper his development, proper?

Possibly not. Towards the Los Angeles Chargers’ multi-faceted protection in his Week 10 return, Levis regarded like a distinct man. He was much less liable to bail when he didn’t must, he had extra authority as a passer navigating protection ideas, and when he did take off on designed runs, there was extra logic to it, versus the same old shipwreck stuff.

Levis couldn’t pull his group to a win – the Titans had been on the mistaken finish of a 27-17 rating – however he accomplished 18 of 23 passes for 175 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, a passer score of 127.4, and a passing EPA of +2.6. The stats gained’t blow you away, however if you watch Levis’ tape right here, he put some issues collectively he hadn’t earlier than.

Levis was sacked seven occasions on this sport, and he does nonetheless must learn to get out of hazard greater than he does… nevertheless it’s additionally true that Tennessee’s offensive line shouldn’t be usually good for quarterback well being.

Nonetheless, this looks as if one thing Levis can construct on.

Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 2023, solely Derrick Henry had extra carries within the common season (280) than Rachaad White’s 272. So, when the Buccaneers switched offensive coordinators from Dave Canales to Liam Coen as soon as Canales turned the Carolina Panthers’ head coach, one may very well be forgiven for considering that White would as soon as once more carry a lot of the mail in Tampa Bay’s run sport.

Not so quick. The Bucs chosen Oregon operating again Bucky Irving within the fourth spherical of the 2024 draft, and Irving has turned White’s certainty as Tampa Bay’s main rusher right into a critical query. Irving has 96 carries this season for 492 yards (5.1 yards per carry), and 4 touchdowns. 363 of his dashing yards have come after contact, and he has seven runs of 15 or extra yards. White’s 80 carries for 306 yards (3.8 YPC), one landing, 238 yards after contact, and three runs of 15 or extra yards? Effectively, that is why it’s a dialogue.

Primarily based on his 5’10, 195-pound body, and his penchant for velocity exterior the tackles, some may need pegged Irving as a scatback with restricted juice in energy conditions. The tape tells a distinct story. Irving is a tenacious runner for his measurement, and his 30 pressured missed tackles this season (tied for ninth-most within the league with Chuba Hubbard, David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Saquon Barkley) inform the reality.

Coen and the Bucs don’t must make Irving their main man; they’ve a pleasant rotation with him, White, and Sean Tucker. However one of the best man is ultimately going to get essentially the most work on any sensible group, and based mostly on Irving’s physique of labor thus far, he’s trending in the appropriate course.

Kobie Turner, DI, Los Angeles Rams

I beloved Wake Forest defensive deal with Kobie Turner’s tape, and when he totaled 11 sacks and 48 complete pressures in his rookie season after the Rams took him within the third spherical of the 2023 draft, I voted for him to obtain the Related Press Defensive Rookie of the 12 months award. Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans gained it, and well-deserved there, however Turner’s tape was singularly ferocious.

Now, Turner is completely proving that he was no one-year marvel. He already has 5 sacks and 34 complete pressures this season on a Rams line of defense that has grow to be a large drawback for opposing quarterbacks and ballcarriers with the additions of Florida State rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. As spectacular because the first-year guys have been, there are occasions when Turner simply hits one other gear, and he turns into the drive multiplier in Los Angeles’ ever-improving squad below defensive coordinator Chris Shula and line of defense coach Giff Smith.

That was the case in Week 9 towards the Seattle Seahawks’ terrible offensive line, when Turner had a sack and 7 complete pressures, and it was simply as a lot the case towards the Miami Dolphins on Monday night time, regardless of the Rams’ 23-15 loss. Turner had a sack (almost three or 4), three complete pressures, and 6 stops. Whether or not addressing the run or the go sport, Turner was an agent of destruction, and it’s been that manner all through his temporary profession. Don’t anticipate that to alter anytime quickly.

Calais Campbell, DL, Miami Dolphins

Calais Campbell performed his first regular-season sport on September 7, 2008 after the Arizona Cardinals chosen him within the second spherical of the 2008 draft out of Miami. 17 seasons later, and at age 38, Campbell continues to be bringing it. Now with the Dolphins on a one-year, $2 million contract, Campbell continues to be taking part in at a beginning degree when most (ex-)gamers his age are effectively into their broadcasting, evaluation, or podcasting careers.

Towards the Los Angeles Rams final Monday night time in an important 23-15 Dolphins win, Campbell had a sack, two quarterback hurries, two passes batted on the line of scrimmage, and two stops. Mainly, he was demolishing blockers everywhere in the line, and he turned Matthew Stafford’s worst nightmare.

“Effectively, it’s monumental for me to have these teammates the place you’ll be able to lean on these guys to know what must be executed and to assist,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel mentioned postgame of Campbell’s efforts – and the presence of cornerback Jalen Ramsey as effectively. “The most effective management that exists is inside the locker room. So, the standard of gamers, the place the issues they’ve executed and proceed to do of their careers, the teammates can’t assist however hear and comply with go well with in order that if you speak about the usual of the way you go right into a sport the place your report, it’s possible you’ll really feel as if it doesn’t point out the standard of the group. It’s so vital for the group to have the ability to execute and present that, in the event that they really feel that manner. You actually need veteran gamers to actually information you thru the adversity of the NFL season, and I believe that’s paramount. I believe that was on show tonight for us.”

It could be too late for the 3-6 Dolphins to make noise within the postseason, but when it isn’t, don’t be shocked if Calais Campbell continues his exceptional profession by main the group again to posterity.

Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles

Generally all you want is that one coach who sees you for who you actually are as a participant. If that coach can then amplify your attributes in the appropriate conditions, it’s possible you’ll certainly grow to be a Secret Famous person over time. That’s what has occurred to Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. The New Orleans Saints chosen Baun within the third spherical of the 2020 draft out of Wisconsin, and he was largely a bit participant for 4 seasons. Then, the Eagles signed him to a one-year, $3.5 million deal this offseason with a really particular objective in thoughts.

It was a objective that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wished to increase after talking with Eagles Government Vice President/Basic Supervisor Howie Roseman.

“Once I consider gamers, there’s no verify field, stuff you verify off,” Fangio not too long ago mentioned of his course of. “You simply watch the tape, watch the motion patterns, watch the participant play.

Howie introduced him as much as me first, however he had a imaginative and prescient for him as a backup exterior linebacker/particular groups demon. And after I watched it, I mentioned no, I believe he’s an inside linebacker. Fortunately, it hit.”

It actually did. Baun has performed on the line and as an outdoor linebacker to a degree, however his knack for making performs has been precisely what Fangio envisioned.

Not that the Eagles wanted Baun’s efforts to beat the daylights out of the Dallas Cowboys 34-6 final Sunday, however Baun was his ordinary demonic self with a number of massive tackles, and two pressured fumbles. He’s the primary NFL participant since Week 14, 2021 (Mike Hughes for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs) with eight tackles, two pressured fumbles and a fumble restoration in a sport. For his efforts, Baun was named NFC Defensive Participant of the Week, so perhaps the key is out.

One good participant + one coach’s imaginative and prescient = one nice participant. Go determine!

Taron Johnson, CB, Buffalo Payments

Baun isn’t the one Secret Famous person on this checklist to win his convention’s Defensive Participant of the Week award. Payments cornerback Taron Johnson did the identical within the AFC based mostly on his efficiency in Buffalo’s 30-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts final Sunday.

Johnson had a sack and a 23-yard interception-return landing in Buffalo’s 30-20 Week 10 win at Indianapolis, which makes him the one participant this season to have two passes defensed, an interception-return landing and a sack in a sport.

Johnson’s pick-six got here on Indy’s first offensive play of the sport, which makes you assume he was prepared to leap on one thing.

That was precisely the case.

It’s potential that the play Johnson referred to was Tyreek Hill’s 19-yard catch towards Johnson and the Payments in Week 9. Johnson drove down as a substitute of dropping into intermediate protection, and that gave Hill the straightforward catch with no beneath defender.

As one may anticipate, head coach Sean McDermott was impressed with the turnaround.

“He’s one in all our leaders,” McDermott mentioned of Johnson postgame. “Whenever you lead by instance – everybody goes to make errors, however when you’ll be able to be taught from it, that is fairly truthfully a copycat league the place folks strive the identical performs generally week-to-week. And instantly, the primary play was a kind of performs, and he picked it.”

That wasn’t all he did, however Johnson did a ton to stack wins on his well-deserved fame as one of many NFL’s most dynamic slot defenders on this sport.