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USA Today Sports Media Group
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Robert Zeglinski

NFL Week 8 Awards: Brock Purdy is showing his haters they were all absolutely right

Brock Purdy NFL Will Levis 49ers CBS Titans AJ BROWN JC Jackson Jim Nantz Joe Burrow

Just a few weeks ago, the San Francisco 49ers were on top of the world. They systematically dismantled the Dallas Cowboys on national television. They were undefeated and looked destined for a Super Bowl berth. Better yet, the critics who said Brock Purdy was a system quarterback propped up by a roster of All-Pros and Kyle Shanahan, the NFL’s premier offensive coach, looked incredibly incorrect about their assessment.

Well, about that.

Ever since that Dallas beatdown, San Francisco has lost three straight games. The latest was a humbling 31-17 outclassing at the hands of Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. In the process, San Francisco’s stacked defense has looked anything but vaunted, and as a team, they don’t appear to have an answer for this tailspin. More importantly, Purdy, the same man many decried as an overrated system player, finally looks the part after throwing five picks in three weeks. He resembles the player incapable of leading a contending offense.

In other words, Purdy is proving all of his critics’ concerns were wholly correct.

I don’t know where the 49ers go from here beyond hoping their other actual star players get healthy soon. It’s abundantly clear this squad misses Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams — two important and difference-making cogs for one of the NFC’s finest teams. When those two return, it’s likely the 49ers will be world-beaters again. They’re simply too good on paper.

But that doesn’t help Purdy’s case.

Again, the drawback about him that many rightfully believed was that he can’t elevate an offense if he’s not in an ideal situation. It was never that he couldn’t play in the NFL. He can. It was that he needed every single puzzle piece — from supporting cast to coach — to be in place to succeed at the level the elite 49ers needed. I don’t see how anyone can argue he’s not a glorified caretaker after the last few weeks. (Whispers) Special quarterbacks don’t need everything perfect to excel, folks.

This is where a beautiful irony about Purdy comes into the picture. People who believe (believed?) he was an elite player wanted to erroneously utilize the 49ers’ overall team success as evidence of his being special. OK. Sure. Let’s put on the shoe on the other foot, then. If Purdy was so great when the front-running 49ers were at the top of the NFL’s standings, most of the blame should now lie at his feet, with them scoring 51 total points in a three-game losing streak. He is, in fact, letting the 49ers down and regressing back to the mean. Hard. Because that’s how that works, right?

Purdy’s critics, yours truly included, should feel vindicated. Next time, let’s wait before we anoint the Next Big Thing at quarterback, huh?

Elsewhere in Week 8 in the NFL, an actual difference-making signal caller enjoyed his coming-out party in Nashville. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers probably have a legitimate gripe about awful officiating after their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Let’s dive into this week’s awards and check in on a truly wacky slate of games.

Worst broadcasts a lot of people rely on: YouTube TV, after significant buffering issues on Sunday

YouTube TV holds exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket on its platform. After significant issues with buffering and loading games on Sunday, it looks like it’s not entirely ready for that massive responsibility to pro football fans.

Here’s For The Win’s Andrew Joseph:

And through the first seven weeks of the season, YouTube TV had exceeded expectations. Streaming delays were minimized, the video quality had been great and fans enjoyed the multiview feature. But on Week 8, we saw that the service isn’t perfect, and that was bad news for NFL fans.

Worst penalty on a player using proper technique: Keanu Neal on this roughing-the-passer against Trevor Lawrence

The Steelers weren’t happy with the officiating in Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Jaguars, and they might have a point. This roughing-the-passer penalty on Keanu Neal for making a perfect form hit on Trevor Lawrence was erroneous.

There is literally nothing Neal could’ve changed or done differently:

Best one-handed catch that looked routine: A.J. Brown on this back-shoulder fade against the Commanders

A.J. Brown is built differently. We know this. The Philadelphia Eagles superstar is the first NFL player ever with at least 125 receiving yards in six straight games. That shouldn’t be surprising when he can make absurd catches like this one against the Washington Commanders:

Worst second chance at beating a team: J.C. Jackson, after facing the Dolphins on a new team

To start the season, the Miami Dolphins used J.C. Jackson like a punching bag for their receivers when he was a member of the Los Angeles Chargers. At midseason, with Jackson now part of the New England Patriots, they victimized him mercilessly. Again.

Best stand-in for Taylor Swift at the Chiefs game: This adorable Corgi

Taylor Swift did not attend Sunday’s Chiefs loss to the Denver Broncos to support Travis Kelce. But this Corgi (a.k.a. Ziggy!) dressed like the music superstar.

That is a great consolation prize for all of us:

Worst execution of an unstoppable play: The Eagles after fumbling on a Tush Push at the goal line

There’s been a lot of conversation about whether the NFL should ban the Eagles’ virtually unstoppable “Tush Push” play. Well, for one moment against Washington, at least, the Eagles fumbled the ball and made the play call look silly.

It turns out it’s not THAT unstoppable:

Best display of pride for a loved one: Will Levis's family after his dynamite first NFL start

Will Levis threw four touchdowns in a Tennessee Titans’ win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. This came as a massive surprise to Titans fans and, apparently, Levis’s family, who erupted in adorable joy after his fourth touchdown pass:

Best teammate and leader: Will Levis, after defending Malik Willis against rabid Titans fans

After the Titans’ win, Levis didn’t have to speak up about anyone but himself. That he chose to defend Willis, his backup, against Titans fans booing him speaks volumes.

This is precisely how a leader should respond:

Worst drop in a clutch situation: Van Jefferson, after letting a fourth-down pass through his grasp

Despite Levis’s heroics, the Falcons still had a chance to win on Sunday. But Van Jefferson did not have his head in the game on a game-losing drop on fourth down. This was so brutal:

Worst decision to turtle on a vital fourth down: Brian Daboll, in an epic Giants' loss

The New York Giants were forced to try and win a game with third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito on Sunday. Daboll did them no favors by electing to kick a field goal instead of going for it on a fourth-and-short. The New York Jets would get the ball back after the kick was missed and wasted no time, sending this one to overtime, where they eventually won:

Best sign of being fully healthy: Joe Burrow, on this absurd scramble pass against the 49ers

For weeks, Joe Burrow’s ailing calf had clearly dogged him and the Cincinnati Bengals’ explosive potential on offense. The superstar quarterback took two weeks of rest thanks to a bye. He demonstrated he was finally back to full strength on this ridiculous scramble where he made multiple San Francisco 49ers defenders look foolish:

Best save after a mislabelled graphic: Jim Nantz, after CBS showed Sam Darnold instead of Brock Purdy

It’s Halloween week. This is common knowledge, which Jim Nantz used exquisitely after CBS showed off Sam Darnold instead of Brock Purdy in a tale of the tape graphic. I’m still in awe of the broadcaster’s smooth transition:

Best callback to recent NFL history: DeAndre Hopkins, while channelling Geno Smith

DeAndre Hopkins scored three touchdowns for the Titans on Sunday. This after noticing the criticism about him perhaps losing a step. He acknowledged his critics by referencing Geno Smith’s famous quote about not writing the haters back. What a sublime call back:

Best sigh of relief: Bryce Young after getting his first career win by C.J. Stroud head to head

There’s been a lot of talk about Bryce Young being a bust in the early goings. It didn’t help that C.J. Stroud, the quarterback drafted right after him in April, looked like a superstar. That’s probably what made Young outdueling Stroud’s Houston Texans to help the Carolina Panthers finally get a win so satisfying for the young quarterback:

Best troll job of a rival: The Broncos' stadium staff by playing Taylor Swift music after beating the Chiefs

The Denver Broncos had lost 16 straight games to the Kansas City Chiefs — the undisputed kings of the football world. This was more a regularly scheduled beating than AFC West rivalry of late. With Travis Kelce dating Taylor Swift, the Broncos utilized that knowledge to brilliantly troll Kelce and Co. when they finally upset the Chiefs:

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