It is another week and hence another round of accolades for the best of the best in the NFL. So here is a look at what NFL players stood out at their respective positions in Week 6.
And just to show you that we are paying attention, our special teams’ selection is back for a second appearance this season. How ‘bout that? OK, we’ve done enough stalling. Let’s see who bested the best.
Vernon Davis, Cam Newton And Jamaal Charles Headline The NFL's Week 6 Honor Roll Slideshow
QB Cam Newton
Both Newton and Nick Foles of the Eagles had very similar numbers but we will lean to the Carolina quarterback. Newton hit on 20-of-26 passes for 242 yards and three scores plus ran nine times for 30 yards and a touchdown in the team's 35-10 win at Minnesota. Ron Rivera's team has won two of its past three games after a 0-2 start and this week host the equally-intriguing St. Louis Rams.
RB Jamaal Charles
It is certainly no surprise that Charles leads the team in rushing yards. It will certainly surprise many that the workhorse runner also leads the club in receptions. And that's exactly what Charles did on Sunday in the team’s 24-7 win over the Oakland Raiders, totaling 22 carries for 78 yards and two scores and grabbing five passes for 50 yards in the divisional victory. The Chiefs and Denver Broncos are now the only two 6-0 teams in the league this season. So which team is better?
WR Justin Blackmon
Granted Gus Bradley’s team is still winless, but the Jaguars have been much more competitive in recent weeks in losses to the St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos. There are no moral victories in any competitive game, much less the NFL, but Blackmon's return to the lineup after his four-game suspension has made Jacksonville more viable. The second-year wideout caught 14 passes for 190 yards Sunday in the team's 35-19 setback against Denver. Still, a loss is a loss and the Jaguars are now at 11 straight setbacks ... and counting?
TE Vernon Davis
Lions rookie Joseph Fauria caught three touchdowns passes in a win over the Cleveland Browns, and Steelers veteran Heath Miller came up big as well. But Davis was a monster in the Niners' 32-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick completed 16 passes and half of those went to Davis, who accounted for 180 of his quarterback's 252 yards and both scores as San Francisco won its third straight game.
Offensive Line: Rams
The Houston Texans; defense has yet to give up 300 yards of total offense in any game this season and does know how to get after the quarterback. But the Rams' offensive front, granted only on the field for 41 plays, held J.J. Watt and company without a sack in the team’s 38-13 win. St. Louis ran for only 99 yards on the afternoon but did average 4.0 yards per carry, with running back Zac Stacy gaining 79 yards on 18 carries.
DT Jason Hatcher
With the rest of the Cowboys defensive front dropping like flies, Hatcher stood tall and kept dropping Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III. In Dallas' 31-16 Sunday night victory, the aggressive defender totaled six tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble as the Cowboys evened their record at 3-3. Hatcher will need to really come up big with teammate DeMarcus Ware reportedly out for a few weeks.
LB A.J. Hawk
Minus perennial Pro Bowler Clay Matthews, the Green Bay defense still managed to sack Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco five times in the Packers' 19-17 win. And this battle of bird man vs. bird team went to Hawk, who totaled 10 tackles and three sacks in his team's victory over the defending Super Bowl champions. The Pack has scored a combined two touchdowns the last two weeks and still managed to beat the Lions and Ravens.
CB Tim Jennings
Last Thursday night in the Windy City, Giants quarterback Eli Manning continued to be the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to opposing defenses. The Bears picked off Manning three times and Jennings had two of them, returning one 48 yards for a touchdown as Chicago held on for a 27-21 victory. The league’s interception leader with nine picks in 2012 totaled one tackle and knocked down four passes in the prime time win.
KR Dwayne Harris
For the second time this season, Harris makes the list. Along with his one special teams tackle, all he did was return a punt 86 yards for a score and also took back a kickoff 90 yards for the Cowboys. By night’s end, he had touched the ball four times for 222 yards and a touchdown as Dallas held off the Redskins, 31-16. This week, the Cowboys fly north to the City of Brotherly Love in a battle of 3-3 first-place teams in the struggling NFC East.
Coach: Mike McCoy
Want to cool off a hot team and a hot quarterback? Keep him off the field. And that's exactly what the McCoy's Chargers did on Monday night to an Indianapolis Colts' team that had beaten the 49ers and Seahawks the previous two weeks. San Diego's 19-9 win saw the Bolts hold the ball for 38:31 of the game's 60 minutes. And give a nod to Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano, the younger brother Colts head coach Chuck Pagano. The San Diego defense held Andrew Luck and company to 2-of-10 on third-down conversions.
-- Read more of Russell S. Baxter at ProFootballGuru.com. Follow him on Twitter @BaxFootballGuru.
