Unheralded RBs Rico Dowdle, Ty Johnson supplied large outcomes for his or her groups in Week 15

As any NFL season progresses, there will likely be extra unheralded gamers who stand up from humble beginnings to turn into elements, and guys whose careers have gone sideways who someway discover the street again to relevance.

We wish to have a good time these gamers each week in “Secret Superstars.” This week, now we have two undrafted free brokers from the crew which will lead the NFL in worth from such gamers, a dual-treat operating again for the Payments, the Buccaneers’ latest key offensive participant, and a defensive lineman who could have received an important division recreation single-handedly.

Cooper Rush, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Say what you need about Jerry Jones’ attendant weirdness (squirrel brains?), and all of us have. However by no means let it’s stated that the Dallas Cowboys are unable to judge expertise underneath the radar. A number of undrafted free brokers have accomplished some good issues for the crew this season, and two of them are on this week’s Secret Superstars. That is extra about vice chairman of participant personnel Will McClay than anyone with the final identify “Jones,” and it’s one in all many causes McClay ought to be capable of name his shot ought to he ever wish to be a common supervisor.

Let’s start with quarterback Cooper Rush, now together with his sixth straight recreation as a starter in reduction of Dak Prescott, whose 2024 season was lower quick by a significant hamstring damage. Rush, a 2017 UDFA out of Central Michigan, has been within the group for years. Common at finest in earlier alternatives, Rush has had a few video games wherein he’s appeared like knowledgeable quarterback. One was Dallas’ 34-26 win over the Washington Commanders, when Rush accomplished 24 of 32 passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer ranking of 117.6 in November, for which he made… Secret Superstars.

Now, Rush is again once more after the Cowboys’ 30-14 Sunday win over the Carolina Panthers. On this recreation, Rush was fairly dynamic when requested to maneuver within the pocket, when he needed to roll out in boot conditions, and when underneath stress. Rush accomplished 18 of 29 passes for 214 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer ranking of 119.0.

“I believe the constant vitality and edge that he performs with,” Mike McCarthy stated of his backup. ”I believe the best way that he goes about his work. He clearly has acquired nice arms. I believe he’s quite a bit twitchier in his decrease half than individuals give him credit score for. I believed it was nice for him to have the ability to make two vital performs with these sacks however he’s made a bunch of different performs which have actually accomplished an important job. He’s actually main the best way. It’s his preparation, it’s his work ethic after which he’s been blessed with nice means. I believe he’s the epitome of a man that has that development mindset, constantly improves, and constantly impacts and influences constructive change together with his teammates. I’d say these are a few the issues that stand out to me.”

If there’s one factor that would hold Rush from succeeding at one other stage within the NFL, it’s the butterfingers, and we aren’t speaking in regards to the sweet bar. He has 9 fumbles on the season, and there’s a Three Stooges facet to a number of them.

So perhaps Rush isn’t the following Kurt Warner, however he offers the Cowboys greater than most backup quarterbacks do.

Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys

One other Cowboys UDFA and latest Famous person. Dowdle, the 2020 South Carolina alum who has accomplished quite a bit to ascertain what had been a non-existent operating recreation earlier than he turned the principle man, is now doing his factor at historic ranges. Together with his 25-carry, 149-yard efficiency towards the Panthers on Sunday, Dowdle turned the primary undrafted free agent operating again since Arian Foster of the Houston Texans in 2014 to realize over 100 yards in three straight video games. Since Week 13, Dowdle has the NFL’s most dashing yards with 392, and it’s not shut. (Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons ranks second at 319.)

Maybe Dowdle’s most superb latest statistic? Not a type of 25 carries towards the Panthers turned a adverse run. He additionally pressured six missed tackles, and had 5 carries of 10 or extra yards.

Clearly, Mike McCarthy is impressed – one would possibly even say grateful, given what the pre-Dowdle run recreation appeared like.

“Simply the mix of his operating model and the run blocking unit,” McCarthy stated after the win. “I believe we’re undoubtedly in sync, and I simply suppose, like several good run recreation, you want the makes an attempt. Our guys have gotten into rhythm. We’ve had a lot of line-up modifications all through the season. Simply once more as we speak with the variety of guys that went down. He’s doing a very good job, breaks tackles. He has a violent run model. His programs and his decision-making have been glorious.”

Dowdle is on a one-year, $1,04 million contract with the Cowboys – his fifth with the crew. May he be capable of parlay that into one thing larger elsewhere? It’s a dynamite draft class for operating backs, however Dowdle has already confirmed what the incoming prospects haven’t.

Ty Johnson, RB/WR, Buffalo Payments

Talking of operating backs making a reputation for themselves lately, there’s Ty Johnson, who has turn into a part of the Payments’ three-headed backfield monster consisting of James Prepare dinner, Ray Davis, and Johnson. That’s four-headed if we wish to add Josh Allen as a runner, which we most likely ought to.

Allen is his personal alien. Prepare dinner is the mainstay, Davis is the ability man, and Johnson has turn into a extremely useful two-way menace. He can run the ball simply tremendous, however he’s additionally a drive within the passing recreation, and it’s not simply with easy screens and swing passes. Johnson has a highly-developed route acumen that extends to the intermediate and deep ranges of the sphere.

This was notably true in Buffalo’s 48-42 win over the Detroit Lions. Johnson, the 2019 sixth-round choose of the Lions (ouch) out of Maryland, was the Payments’ most efficient receiver, with 5 catches on 5 targets for 114 yards. He had two catches of 10-19 yards, and two extra of greater than 20 yards. That wouldn’t be unhealthy for a high receiver, a lot much less a operating again.

And this has been happening for some time.

“He’s actually sensible,” Allen stated of Johnson. “I believe he’s the perfect third-down again within the recreation. The best way that we talk, the best way that he sees protections, it’s quarterback-like. He simply performs the sport the fitting means.”

And he performs the sport in a really particular means that advantages the Payments exponentially.

Romeo Doubs, WR, Inexperienced Bay Packers

It’s been a little bit of a rocky season for Doubs, the Packers’ 2022 fourth-round select of Nevada. In early October, he was suspended one recreation for conduct detrimental to the crew, lacking the Packers’ Week 5 recreation towards the Los Angeles Rams. Doubs then got here off a two-game inactive stint on account of concussion points simply in time for Inexperienced Bay’s Sunday evening win over the Seattle Seahawks. In that 30-13 win, Doubs caught three passes on 5 targets for 40 yards. Not a giant stat line, however once you add in his two touchdowns, the truth that each had been of spotlight high quality, and that he was close to a 3rd landing on the day, that’s fairly spectacular.

Curiously sufficient, Doubs has 4 landing catches on the season – the 2 towards Seattle, and the 2 he bagged towards the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6 as soon as his suspension was up. Possibly he ought to take extra day without work!

“Yeah, how about that catch, that second landing catch?”, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur stated of Doubs after the Seahawks recreation. “That was a big-time play. I really like how Rome works. He’s been fairly constant for us when given alternatives. He comes by way of. So it was cool to have him again on the market. It’s onerous to get all the blokes the quantity of touches you’d wish to when you might have a room that you simply really feel is fairly stacked. You bought a number of guys that you simply wish to get entangled, whether or not it’s our operating backs. Actually [tight end] Tucker Kraft made some big-time performs. However that’s an excellent downside to have.”

It’s an excellent downside that has turned the Packers’ passing recreation into one of many NFL’s most harmful. In reality, Inexperienced Bay ranks first within the league in Passing DVOA since Week 10.

Luke Goedeke, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If you understand something in regards to the Buccaneers, you understand that left sort out Tristian Wirfs could be one of many NFL’s most dominant gamers at his place. However one of the vital nice surprises about Tampa Bay’s offense in 2024 is what proper sort out Luke Goedeke has turn into in his third NFL season. The 2022 second-rounder from Central Michigan had a little bit of a tough go early on in his skilled profession – final season, he allowed six sacks and 43 whole pressures.

However in 2024? It’s been a distinct story. In 411 pass-blocking snaps, Goedeke has allowed one sack and 11 whole pressures. Furthermore, he’s been an actual asset within the run recreation, and this was very true in Tampa Bay’s 40-17 Sunday win over the Los Angeles Chargers’ top-ranked protection. The Bucs ran the ball 39 instances for 223 yards, and when Baker Mayfield dropped again to cross, finishing 22 of 27 throws for 288 yards and 4 touchdowns, it was usually Goedeke who allowed Mayfield to push the ball downfield the place he wished it to go. Whether or not he was coping with Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, or Tuli Tuipulotu, Goedeke allowed no sacks, no quarterback hits, and only one quarterback hurry.

As Bucs head coach Todd Bowles stated Monday, it’s fairly good to have two excellent offensive tackles.

“They’ve been doing an excellent job the previous couple of weeks, particularly Tristan. Luke’s been doing an important job all 12 months. Ever since he’s come again from his damage, he’s been very stout for us on the fitting aspect of the road. It looks like Tristan performs higher if he’s not wholesome than he’s when he’s wholesome [laughs]. Not that he’s performed unhealthy when he was wholesome, however his focus, his focus, his understanding of what’s on the brink of occur and what he has to do for his job. These two guys have accomplished a heck of a job for us.”

These two guys are large causes that Tampa Bay’s Liam Coen-led offense has turn into one the remainder of the NFL would slightly not take care of.

Kobie Turner, DI, Los Angeles Rams

As a defensive lineman, it’s nice in the event you can rack up a bunch of sacks and pressures. That’s the secret, however not all quarterback disruptions are created equal. Contemplate the case of the late, nice Corridor of Famer Derrick Thomas, who owns professional soccer’s single-game sack document with seven in a November 11, 1990 recreation towards the Seattle Seahawks that the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs misplaced, 20-19, regardless of Thomas’ whole dominance.

More often than not, you want a couple of man killing enemy quarterbacks to get a win. And there are different instances when that one man can truly flip the tide of a recreation time and again till it has turn into his. That’s what Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner did in his crew’s 12-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers’ final Thursday evening.

It’s not simply that the 2023 third-rounder from Wake Forest had two sacks and 5 whole pressures on the evening; it’s when these issues occurred, what they did to the 49ers, and what they did for the Rams. Each of Turner’s sacks and two of his pressures got here on third-and-6 or longer to finish drives, and his closing stress of the sport with 5:20 left led to Brock Purdy’s deep interception to cornerback Darious Williams.

When you might have that many field-tilting performs in a single recreation, it issues fairly a bit greater than twice the quantity in conditions that permit the opponent to maintain doing its factor. Right here, Turner – who has performed at an All-Professional stage all season – did as a lot or extra to resolve the end result as anyone.

“I believe the constant vitality and edge that he performs with,” Sean McVay stated Monday, when requested what makes Turner such a disruptive drive. “I believe the best way that he goes about his work. He clearly has acquired nice arms. I believe he’s quite a bit twitchier in his decrease half than individuals give him credit score for. I believed it was nice for him to have the ability to make two vital performs with these sacks, however he’s made a bunch of different performs which have actually accomplished an important job. He’s actually main the best way. It’s his preparation, it’s his work ethic after which he’s been blessed with nice means. I believe he’s the epitome of a man that has that development mindset, constantly improves, and constantly impacts and influences constructive change together with his teammates. I’d say these are a few the issues that stand out to me.”

One factor that stood out to us at Secret Superstars HQ was a defensive lineman who got here into Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and nearly eradicated the 49ers from the postseason, whereas placing the Rams in place to steer the NFC West – which, after the aforementioned Seahawks loss to the Packers, is strictly how issues stand.