Between the Detroit Lions' upset win over the Arizona Cardinals, the Green Bay Packers barely holding off the Tyler Huntley-led Baltimore Ravens and the New Orleans Saints shutting out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home, Sunday's matchups really shook up the NFL playoff picture.
Now that the first run of PFF analysis has been finalized and made available in PFF's Premium Stats, it’s time to highlight Week 15’s top performers. Here, we present PFF’s Team of the Week and player awards from Week 15 of the 2021 NFL season.
(Note: The Team of the Week will be updated following the grade releases of the Monday and Tuesday night games.)
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PFF TEAM OF THE WEEK
Offense
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
RB: D’Onta Foreman, Tennessee Titans
WR: Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
WR: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers
TE: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Flex: Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
LT: Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns
LG: Ezra Cleveland, Minnesota Vikings
C: J.C. Tretter, Cleveland Browns
RG: Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos
RT: Tom Compton, San Francisco 49ers
Defense
DI: David Onyemata, New Orleans Saints
DI: Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears
Edge: Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Edge: Lorenzo Carter, New York Giants
LB: Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LB: Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs
CB: Tyson Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
CB: Byron Jones, Miami Dolphins
S: Malik Hooker, Dallas Cowboys
S: Devin McCourty, New England Patriots
Flex: Thomas Graham Jr., Chicago Bears
Offensive Player of the Week: TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce earned a 94.0 PFF grade in the Chiefs' dramatic win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football — the second-highest single-game grade of his eight-year NFL career and the highest by a tight end in 2021.
The veteran tight end turned three of his 10 receptions into a gain of 25 or more yards and generated 4.44 yards per route for the game. He also racked up a league-leading 104 yards after the catch and broke three tackles in the process.
That after-the-catch prowess showed up when it mattered most in overtime to win the Chiefs the game and catapult them atop of the AFC playoff picture:
FEELS LIKE 2019
pic.twitter.com/RTwXoLUEiY— PFF (@PFF) December 17, 2021
Defensive Player of the Week & Rookie of the Week: CB Tyson Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
Campbell entered Week 15 on a hot streak of sound cornerback play for a rookie, and the 33rd overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft sustained that and then some against the Houston Texans.
The Georgia product took home a 92.4 PFF grade for the game — his second elite-graded performance above 90.0 in the last four weeks. He was targeted six times across 29 coverage snaps and allowed a mere nine yards and no first downs in coverage.
Campbell notably jumped an out route in his zone for an interception. Along with that, Campbell forced two incompletions and recorded a passing stop. He now owns the second-highest coverage grade among qualifying cornerbacks over the last four weeks and has allowed only 83 yards over that span.
.@tysoncampbell_ brings in his second INT of the season!#HOUvsJAX | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/YyIeoHy9Jb
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 19, 2021
Offensive Line of the Week: Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers' offensive line finished top-three in both team pass- and run-blocking grade and the unit wasn’t responsible for a single sack or hit on Justin Herbert. In all, the group allowed only six hurries on 42 pass-block snaps.
What makes that even more impressive is that star rookie tackle Rashawn Slater was out due to COVID-19. L.A. was riding with Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton at tackle and had no issue with the Chiefs defensive front. Norton joined center Corey Linsley in shutting out their opponents, with zero pressures allowed. The Chargers may not have gotten the win, but the big men up front did all they could do.
Secret Superstar of the Week: OT Tom Compton, San Francisco 49ers
About a month ago, the Niners were forced to throw NFL journeyman Tom Compton into the starting right tackle spot to replace Mike McGlinchey. This past week, Compton rose to the occasion and earned the highest PFF grade of the week among all offensive linemen at 95.3.
Compton was clean in pass-protection, with zero losses on 24 snaps. He also earned a 96.2 run-blocking grade as he racked up more positively graded run blocks in this zone rushing attack than anyone else in Week 15.
Play of the Week: Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker Micah Parsons making a veteran play
Parsons has been a rookie sensation in 2021. The 12th overall pick has long been touted s a versatile defensive weapon, seamlessly going from off-ball linebacker to the edge and playing the two positions at a high level.
In Week 15 against the New York Giants, Parsons played a mixture of both but primarily lined up at off-ball linebacker. On one of those plays, Parsons found himself at outside corner as the Giants operated out of empty and set the running back out wide. With the Cowboys playing man coverage, the Giants ran a pick designed to send Kenny Golladay streaking open for a score on a slot wheel. Well, the rookie spoiled their plans by switching off his man onto Golladay for a perfectly executed forced incompletion:
Micah Parsons is playing CB now…
What can’t he do 😳
pic.twitter.com/Mj3AEoa5XI— PFF (@PFF) December 19, 2021
Parsons now owns an 83.3 PFF grade for his rookie campaign. Among all defensive rookies over the last three years, that mark trails only Defensive Rookie of the Year winners Chase Young in 2020 and Nick Bosa in 2019 for the top spot.
Biggest Game-Changing Moment: Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock’s red-zone fumble
ummm… WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?
This is a wild sequence. pic.twitter.com/IbAgdzWClf
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 19, 2021
Cincinnati’s Win Probability Change: +20.9%
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