Cooper Rush, Tershawn Wharton, Josh Butler amongst NFL Week 12 Secret Superstars

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

We prefer to rejoice these gamers each week in “Secret Superstars.” This week, we’ve got two Dallas Cowboys who weren’t anticipated to be nearly as good as they had been, the NFL’s latest nuclear deep menace, and a defensive deal with who saved a child from a nasty fall after he iced his crew’s win with an important quarterback stress.

Cooper Rush, QB, Dallas Cowboys

The 2024 Dallas Cowboys have been a catastrophe in about 47 totally different instructions, and their 4-7 document displays that. Regardless of all of the pointless distractions and shortfalls, there may be nonetheless sufficient expertise on this crew to tug off wins towards higher groups, and that’s what occurred final Sunday when the Cowboys beat the Washington Commanders, 34-26. The principle story of this recreation was the scoring close to the top (5 touchdowns within the final 5:16), and the particular groups miscues largely led by Commanders kicker Austin Seibert, who could have had the worst stretch of time for any kicker in NFL historical past

A pleasant sub-story was the efficiency of Dallas quarterback Cooper Rush. The Cowboys promoted Rush to starter over Trey Lance following Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring harm in Week 9. Rush, a 2017 undrafted free agent from Central Michigan (go Chippewas), had by no means actually resembled a starter in his NFL profession, largely bouncing from apply squads to energetic rosters.

However on this recreation, with just a few bumbles apart, Rush regarded fairly a bit like a starter. He accomplished 24 of 32 passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. His passer ranking of 117.6 was fifth-highest within the NFL in Week 12, and his EPA per Dropback of +0.20 additionally ranked fifth. And this wasn’t all dink-and-dunk – Rush was making some professional throws on the market.

“I believed Cooper did an important job managing the sport,” head coach Mike McCarthy stated. “I believed the run recreation teed up some completions for him. I believed he was very decisive and was clear with that. We had some performs taken off us within the passing recreation due to penalties, however I believed he did an important job managing the sport, and I feel it was his finest one to date.”

Not that Rush’s efforts will propel the Cowboys to the postseason – there’s nonetheless so much to beat, beginning with the top coach and the primary man up prime — however Rush did give Dallas a quick respite in a season that’s been too excessive on drama, and too low on defining performances on the sphere.

Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers have a three-headed hydra of their backfield with working backs Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, and Bucky Irving, the fourth-round rookie out of Oregon. Whereas White and Tucker are completely serviceable gamers, it’s Irving who has stood out probably the most this season, and pushed probably the most in all the fitting methods for extra taking part in time. Irving has 338 snaps this season, and with that, he’s put up 579 dashing yards and 5 dashing touchdowns on 108 carries, and 32 catches on 33 targets for 252 yards.

Final Sunday’s thorough demolition of the putrid New York Giants was maybe Irving’s apex in versatility to date in his NFL profession. He was nearly inconceivable to cease, gaining a career-high 87 yards on the bottom, and catching six passes for a career-high 64 yards. Whether or not as a rusher or receiver, Irving was blasting by way of Huge Blue’s protection with impunity.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, WR, Tennessee Titans

The three-8 Titans aren’t precisely playoff-ready this season, and quarterback Will Levis remains to be as YOLO as he’s ever been, although the Week 10 Secret Famous person has put just a few extra good issues collectively of late. The advance within the passing recreation has been apparent, although it was a low bar to clear – Tennessee ranked thirtieth in Passing DVOA within the first half of the season by way of Week 9, they usually’ve bumped that as much as twentieth since.

One main cause for that’s the emergence of fifth-year receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as not solely a deep menace, however a ridiculous, “The place the hell did THIS come from?” deep menace. Since Week 8 towards the Detroit Lions, Westbrook-Ikhine has bagged targets on performs of 34 yards vs. Detroit, 99 yards towards the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11, and 38 yards in final Sunday’s 32-27 win over the Houston Texans. Statistically, and particularly from a yards per deep catch perspective, that’s given Westbrook-Ikhine some really insane numbers to brag about.

Westbrook-Ikhine has been a deep receiver to some extent for the Titans in earlier years, so it’s not like this current stretch of vertical stuff got here from outer area. However he’s definitely accelerated his menace stage to defenses, which can be one thing to construct upon because the Titans claw their manner again to relevance in future years. Westbrook-Ikhine re-upped with the crew on a one-year, $2 million deal this offseason; they’d be clever to carry him again for 2025.

Dalvin Tomlinson, IDL, Cleveland Browns

It’s good when an under-the-radar participant you’ve at all times preferred goes off in a particular manner in a recreation. I’ve been a fan of Dalvin Tomlinson’s for the reason that Giants’ 2017 second-round pick of Alabama grew to become a reputable rotation participant in his rookie season, and he’s stood out at occasions by way of his years with the Vikings and Browns, as effectively.

However what occurred towards the Pittsburgh Steelers in final Thursday evening’s snow globe recreation at Cleveland’s Huntington Financial institution Area was one thing altogether else, and this wasn’t concerning the climate. Tomlinson performed at a world-wrecking stage, harassing and displacing nearly each Pittsburgh offensive lineman to the tune of 10 complete pressures – two quarterback hits and eight quarterback hurries.

Spectacular numbers to make sure, however you actually have to look at the tape to see how the 6-foot-3, 325-pound Tomlinson did to the Steelers’ offense in Cleveland’s 24-19 win. The variety of Pittsburgh offensive performs that had been demolished by Tomlinson earlier than they might even start? That was a transformational efficiency, and maybe the perfect of Tomlinson’s profession.

It’s not the primary time this season the veteran has gone off – he had two sacks towards the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9 as he simply wrecked L.A.’s inside offensive line – however this was really particular… particularly once you watch Tomlinson beat opposing linemen up at a comical stage.

Tershawn Wharton, IDL, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs

Sticking with the large guys, Wharton did so much in Kansas Metropolis’s slender 30-27 win over the often woeful (however enhancing) Carolina Panthers. The Chiefs had been attempting to stave off their second straight loss after a 10-0 begin, and the Panthers had been giving all of them sorts of what-for.

With 4:46 left within the recreation, and the Chiefs up 27-19, Wharton peeled off a double crew by middle Cade Mays and left guard Damien Lewis. As Panthers quarterback Bryce Younger moved to the fitting to flee stress, the 6-foot-1, 285-pound Wharton chased Younger all the way in which to the sideline, forcing a third-down incompletion, and a Panthers punt. Carolina got here again to tie the sport with a landing and two-point conversion from working again Chuba Hubbard with lower than two minutes left within the recreation. Patrick Mahomes then did his regular ridiculous stuff to arrange Kansas Metropolis’s game-winning discipline objective as time elapsed, however there’s a reputable argument to be made that with out Wharton’s play, the sport may have gone in a different way.

However that’s not the one cause Wharton made Secret Superstars this week. He additionally made an important and wonderful catch, when a Chiefs fan fell out of the stands, and Wharton grabbed the child earlier than he hit the bottom as Wharton was strolling off the sphere.

Now, there’s a man you need in your crew in necessary moments.

Josh Butler, CB, Dallas Cowboys

Of all of the gamers we’ve profiled in Secret Superstars this season, Butler could have had probably the most circuitous path to the NFL. The Dallas native went to Michigan State, however he was best-known for bringing his canine, Roxy and Remi, onto the sphere for the Spartans’ Senior Night time presentation in 2019. Butler misplaced each of his mother and father throughout his collegiate profession, and he needed to signify along with his canine household.

Any participant who’s pro-dog to that diploma could have 4 legs up with the Secret Superstars employees, however it might be some time earlier than Butler would see the NFL. He began his skilled profession with the Spring League in 2021, graduated to the Michigan Panthers of the USFL in 2023, and at last obtained his NFL shot when the Cowboys signed him later that 12 months. Butler bounced from the apply squad to the energetic roster again and again, however he was lastly elevated to his present function as a defender in Week 10 towards the Philadelphia Eagles.

Final Sunday, within the Cowboys’ aforementioned win over the Commanders, Butler performed as if he ought to have been on the sphere all alongside. He allowed 9 catches on 12 targets, which is smart, as opposing quarterbacks are going to focus on the brand new man. However he wasn’t crushed to a grievous diploma on any of these catches – to not the purpose the place you’d assume that his presence was a mistake – and he allowed simply 87 yards and 19 yards after the catch.

Furthermore, Butler’s three move breakups confirmed some fascinating potential as a cornerback who can match receivers and soar routes in each press and off protection.

“I can’t say sufficient about Josh Butler,” Mike McCarthy stated postgame. “He’s earned it. Needed to wait a very long time, so that you simply adore it when these younger guys get opportuni:es and are rewarded with this kind of win. I’m simply actually completely happy for him.”

As are we. We’re certain that Roxy and Remi are, too.