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The Mariotacoster continues Week 5 — Ducks shine on prime-time.
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Offense
Top Offensive Performers
- Marcus Mariota - Tennessee Titans
Calling Mariota’s season, nay his career, a rollercoaster would be a gross understatement. Following another bounce-back effort against the Falcons, Mariota may have bounced a little too high, coming down for a rather rough landing Week 5. Mariota and the Titans offense struggled ending their night with a net total of 252 yards and a rushing touchdown against a stingy Buffalo Bills defense. The 2014 Heisman threw for 183 yards on 13 of 22 attempts without a touchdown, or interception. He did connect on a touchdown to A.J. Brown that got called back for throwing beyond the line of scrimmage.
Decide for yourself if he did, or not.
Here's an animated look at the play in which Marcus Mariota was ruled to have been beyond the line of scrimmage when he threw the pass to AJ Brown for a would-be TD. #Titans pic.twitter.com/Hk0J5Efhfh
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 6, 2019
According to Pro Football Reference, Mariota finished with a rating of 86.0.
- Royce Freeman - Denver Broncos
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Freeman has gotten off to a fantastic 2019 season and while he’s still playing second fiddle to Phillip Lindsay he’s shown he has what it takes to compete at the highest level. Totaling 67 yards on 15 touches, Freeman ran for 61 yards on 13 attempts. Through five games he has ran for 250 yards on 55 carries, averaging 4.5 YPC.
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Defense
Top Defensive Performers
- DeForest Buckner - San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco’s defensive-line could be the best in football and it’s led by two Ducks. With five first-round picks across their defensive-line, you’d think it’d be tough for some of these boys to eat, not Buckner. DeForest and the trees made Browns’ quarterback, Baker Mayfield’s night a living nightmare. Sacked a total of four time, Buckner reached Mayfield for one of them, forcing a fumble and putting the 49ers right outside scoring position. Buckner finished his night second on the team in tackles with five, adding the sack, a TFL, QB HTS and pass deflection in the 31-3 victory. It was another strong showing for the Pro Bowl hopeful on Monday Night Football.
.@DeForestBuckner knocks it out. @nbsmallerbear recovers! @49ers take over! #GoNiners #MNF
— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2019
: #CLEvsSF on ESPN
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/sST1rDvyeO pic.twitter.com/ODF0CkhTaj
- Arik Armstead - San Francisco 49ers
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While it may have been Bosa’s coming out party on Monday Night, Armstrong wasn’t forgotten about. Matching Buckner in tackles, Armstrong ended his night second on the team with five total. Unfortunately, there just wasn’t enough room at the table this time for Armstead to eat a s(n)ack, but it was a strong showing for the vaunted San Francisco front seven as a whole; or should I say the “Butchers of the Bay”.
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Special Teams
Top Special-teamer
- Ugo Amadi - Seattle Seahawks
Making big plays during prime-time, rookie fourth-round draft pick, Ugo Amadi came up huge on special teams downing a punt at the one yard line. The effort on special teams was key in Seattle’s comeback victory, pinning the Rams against their own goal-line forcing Los Angeles to go three-and-out. Leading to a Seattle touchdown on the ensuing drive. The Seahawks are 4-1 following the division win.
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Honorable Mention
- Kyle Long - Chicago Bears
The three-time Pro-Bowler and one-time second-team All-Pro returned after a hip injury kept him out of Week 4’s action. In his return, Long played all 58/58 snaps falling at home to the Oakland Raiders with starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky out several weeks with a dislocated shoulder and slight labrum tear, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.