It was a topsy-turvy week around the league as road teams ruled. Away clubs went 9-3 on Sunday and won four games by at least two touchdowns. The 1-7 Lions and 2-6 Jaguars stole wins from Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks, while Tom Brady and the Patriots made up for Super Bowl losses to the Giants in 2008 and 2012 -- not really, but it felt like it. Though there were few dominant performances from road players this week -- most of the wins were brought about by balanced play -- four players in particular put the team on their back and earned recognition.
Greatness on the Road winner
Jeremy Langford
Three weeks ago, Langford was languishing on the Bears' bench, just a rookie biding his time and averaging three carries a game. Now, he's not only Chicago's starting tailback, but he's carrying the team back into playoff contention.
Since taking over for the injured Matt Forte in Week 8, Langford has ran past opposing front sevens, found success as a dual-threat back and developed into Adam Gase's go-to target. The Michigan State rookie continued his great run of play with a thorough beatdown of a stout Rams defense on Sunday.
Langford torched St. Louis for 212 total yards -- only 73 of which were rushing -- and tallied two touchdowns. The highlight of the game, and maybe the day, was the rookie's 83-yard touchdown scamper off of a screen pass. Langford went untouched as he burst through the middle of the Edward James Olmos Dome turf, giving the Bears a two-touchdown lead late in the first half. At the end of the day, it was Langford -- not heralded Rams back Todd Gurley -- who posted the best overall rookie rushing performance in St. Louis.
Langford's emergence in Chicago's offense may be short-lived as Forte looks set to return to the fold this week. However, it's unlikely Langford will be relegated back to benchwarming doldrums. If anything, he has developed into a speedier, healthier Forte, cutting turf on the ground and through the air. John Fox and company would be foolish to let this talent slip past them; after all, he's been slipping through defenses at will.
Runners-up
Adrian Peterson
Ho-hum, another 200-yard performance for the Vikings running back/future Hall of Famer/destroyer of worlds. Peterson's 203-yard rushing performance in Minnesota's win over the Raiders was the sixth of his career, tying him with O.J. Simpson for the most of all time. On a day when Teddy Bridgewater was not at his best, Peterson was happy to carry the load and gash the Raiders' defense by averaging 7.8 yards per carry. He finished his historic day off and topped 200 with an astounding turf-burning 80-yard gallop late in the fourth quarter, closing out the 30-14 win and sending the Vikings into first place in the NFC North.
Michael Floyd
In a crucial NFC West divisonal matchup, Floyd had himself a game. The Cardinals' best receiver not named Larry Fitzgerald made sure the vaunted Legion of Boom knew his name Sunday night. First, Floyd burned Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor on a pretty streak down the right sideline and toe-tapped in the corner for his first score of the night. Then he left Cary Williams in the CenturyLink rubber-pellet dust on a streak down the left sideline, hauled in a perfect Palmer heave and walked a tight rope into the end zone. Floyd compiled seven catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with a hamstring injury.