Apparently, rolling up 600 yards of total offense and scoring seven touchdowns in a game is becoming standard fare in today's NFL.
We have seen it a lot in recent weeks. And yet, there's a team in Carolina that has allowed nine touchdowns in nine games. And the Kansas City Chiefs have given up 11 touchdowns during their 9-0 start. Obviously, they are two of the best defensive teams in a league geared toward offense. And speaking of "the best," here’s a bunch of men who got the job done in Week 10.
Marshawn Lynch, Drew Brees And Gus Bradley Headline The NFL's Week 10 Honor Roll Slideshow
QB Drew Brees
Talk about bouncing back? The Saints were humbled a bit last week by the New York Jets, and Brees and company opted to take it out on the visiting Cowboys on Sunday night at the Superdome. The prolific passer completed 34-of-41 throws for 392 yards and four touchdowns in the team's 49-17 rout. It was a game in which Sean Payton's team rolled up an astounding 625 total yards, including an NFL record 40 first downs. Brees (349) also moved back ahead of Tom Brady (347) for fourth place on the NFL's all-time touchdown pass list.
RB Marshawn Lynch
Last season, the hard-charging running back skittled his way through opposing defenses for 100 or more yards rushing in 11 of his 18 appearances, including playoffs. On Sunday at the Georgia Dome, Lynch ran through the porous Atlanta Falcons' defense for a season-high 145 yards and a touchdown on the ground as Pete Carroll's club won its fifth straight games, 33-10. In his past two games, the Seahawks' workhorse has run for a combined 270 yards and a score on 45 carries.
WR Tavon Austin
Talk about better late than never. It took 10 games for the Rams to finally see the eighth overall pick in April's draft live up to the lofty expectations. In a shocking 38-8 blowout win over the Colts at Indianapolis, Austin caught touchdown passes of 57 and 81 yards and also returned a punt 98 yards for a score. All told, the rookie wideout touched the ball eight times on runs, receptions and returns and totaled 314 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s 30-point victory.
TE John Carlson
The first of two Vikings on this list this week, Carlson came up big with Kyle Rudolph shelved for the week. The former Seahawks was targeted seven times by Christian Ponder and Matt Cassel, and came up with all seven grabs, good for 98 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota's 34-27 win over the visiting Redskins. Carlson totaled receptions of 16, 17, 21 and 28 yards on the evening.
Offensive Line: Buccaneers
Let's give some kudos to Greg Schiano's team, which got its first win of the season by beating the Miami Dolphins, 22-19. And while the discussions will continue about the Dolphins’ offensive line mess and how that will all play out, the Buccaneers front did a terrific job in the three-point victory. Despite a pair of holding penalties in the contest, Tampa's blockers paved the way for 140 yards rushing on 37 attempts and allowed only two sacks against Miami's potent pass rush. And for good measure, starting left tackle Donald Penn caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Glennon.
DT Kevin Williams
It was just the second win of the season for Leslie Frazier's team as the Purple Gang rallied from a 27-14 third-quarter deficit courtesy of 20 unanswered points. Minnesota's 34-27 victory over Washington featured a terrific performance by Williams, who totaled seven tackles and 2.5 sacks and made life miserable for Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Vikings snapped a four-game losing streak with the win.
LB DeMeco Ryans
Carolina's Luke Kuechly and San Francisco's Ahmad Brooks would be nice choices here as well but the nod goes to Ryans as he and the Eagles put the wraps on Packers rookie running back Eddie Lacy. Yes, Green Bay was without quarterback Aaron Rodgers and eventually, Seneca Wallace. But Ryan totaled 13 tackles (11 solo) knocked down a pass and picked off a pass in Philadelphia’s 27-13 victory.
FS Mike Mitchell
Carolina defense has its share of standouts, but here's a nod for the one-time second-round pick of the Raiders, who has been a solid addition to Ron Rivera's team. In the Panthers’ 10-9 impressive win at San Francisco, Mitchell totaled four tackles, half-a-sack and knocked down a pass. The Niners' longest pass play of the afternoon was 14 yards and tight end Vernon Davis was limited to one catch for two yards.
Special Teams: Damontre Moore, New York Giants
There has been nothing special about Tom Coughlin's special teams in recent weeks. And Sunday's game against the Raiders got off to a shaky start when the Giants fumbled the opening kickoff and set up the Raiders' first touchdown. But a few minutes later Moore, a third-round pick in April, blocked an Oakland punt and fellow rookie Cooper Taylor returned the ball 21 yards for a score. Moore also added a special team tackle in New York's 24-20 win, the team's third straight following a 0-6 start.
Coach: Gus Bradley
Both of the league's remaining winless team, the Jaguars and the Buccaneers, got their first wins of 2013. But Bradley got the first victory of his NFL head coaching career courtesy of a 29-27 surprise of the Titans at Nashville. Jacksonville also ended a 13-game losing streak that dated back to last season and also halted a 10-game road losing skid. And Bradley’s defense allowed only 83 yards rushing in the win, by far the best performance by the Jaguars’ defense this season.
-- Read more of Russell S. Baxter at ProFootballGuru.com. Follow him on Twitter @BaxFootballGuru.
