The play leading Week 8's Top 10 "Performance Moments of the Week" presented by Bridgestone is certainly deserving in most weeks. But its placement was not without controversy due to another moment of singular brilliance on Sunday.
John Brown's bosses have heaped tons of praise on the diminutive Cardinals rookie's shoulders. But he repaid them and then some with under 90 ticks of the clock left against the Eagles. Down three on third-and-5, quarterback Carson Palmer dropped back and saw the streaking wideout. The 24-year-old left defensive backs Nate Allen and Cary Williams in his wake to put Arizona ahead for good 24-17, placing the Bird Gang as the NFC's top team.
However, another rookie was coming for that No. 1 spot. The Minnesota Vikings were taken to overtime by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 13-13. But Anthony Barr wanted to leave Florida with a win. On the very first play of the extra frame, the linebacker forced a fumble on fellow first-year player Austin Seferian-Jenkins. The UCLA product scooped the pigskin off the turf and ran along the left sideline to end the game just 16 seconds into OT. Talk about putting the team on his back. Barr ended up at No. 4 on the list.
Also making the countdown: After throwing a defensive back to the ground with a vicious stiff arm and reeling off a 46-yard score, it's safe to say Rob Gronkowski feels healthy. ... On the other side of the field, Bears tight end Martellus Bennett's falling down didn't stop him from getting six. ... Antonio Brown continued his season-long bid as the league's best receiver with a slick one-handed 8-yard TD grab.
