Welcome to the latest edition of HNGN's NFL Weekend (and Monday and Thursday) Heroes!
Every Monday, our panel of knowledgeable (sorta) experts (really, keep reading) will hand pick the players we thought made the biggest impact for their teams, win or lose.
A big block, a timely tackle - heck, even some interceptions or a touchdown or two; every game is different and every play is important.
Here, we let you know who we thought really brought it.
Week 6
Thomas
-Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers quarterback: The Panthers traveled on the road to Cincinnati without three of their top running backs - DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert. The team also has an inferior receiving corps that is headlined by rookie Kelvin Benjamin (although he's had a great season thus far).
But Newton was the man on Sunday, serving as the team's leading passer and rusher. He was 29-of-46 for 284 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 17 carries for 107 yards and another score. Although the Panthers didn't win, they forced a tie against a talented Bengals squad, which, prior to the past couple of weeks, was thought to have one of the best defenses in the NFL.
The Bengals won their last 11 regular season games at home by an average of 17 points, but Carolina managed to hang in there and avoid the loss. Newton did all he could to give the Panthers an opportunity to win and that's why he's my weekend hero.
Brandon
-T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver: It has to be T.Y. Hilton.
The third-year receiver was the highest non-quarterback scorer in fantasy football this week. 28 fantasy points in standard scoring leagues. Nine receptions for 223 yards and one touchdown. The numbers don't lie, my friends.
Hilton has transformed from a mid-round boom or bust receiver into one of the most consistent and involved pass catchers in the game. He's top five in receiving yards (604) and receptions (40) and sixth in targets (59). What more can you possibly ask of a receiver? I'll answer that for you: nothing.
Hilton is an absolute stud and now the favorite target of Andrew Luck's. Defensive backs beware, Hilton is making reservations.
Jordan
-Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys quarterback: It's got to be Romo.
Not necessarily because of what he did, but because of what he didn't do: commit costly turnovers in the fourth quarter. The Dallas QB has the reputation for choking when it matters most, but he managed the game down the stretch and closed it out - yes, DeMarco Murray technically closed it out, but Romo didn't throw a pick, fumble the ball or make a dumb decision, which is an accomplishment for him in the fourth quarter of a big game.
The 30-23 win against Seattle was huge for Dallas. It not only kept them neck-and-neck with Philadelphia atop the NFC East, it made a statement to the entire league about the potential of this season's roster. A ridiculously talented offensive line, a defense that can play - Dallas looks good. That's five straight wins now, but before Cowboys fans get too excited, remember: It's not December yet.
Cal
-Defense, Philadelphia Eagles: In the wake of the Philadelphia Eagles clobbering of the New York Giants 27-0 on Sunday night, the popular refrain around the country is probably going to be that the offense and LeSean McCoy - who finally got going and ran for almost 150 yards - is back.
But I think you've got to give the game ball to a defense that managed to shutout a Giants team that scored 30, 45 and 30 points in recent weeks. It was the Eagles' first shutout since 1996 against, you guessed it - the very same Giants.
The defense managed to hold running back Andre Williams to 58 yards on 16 carries and sacked quarterback Eli Manning eight times - five in the first half. They had a pair of forced fumbles and Manning completed only 13 of 23 passes for 151 yards.
On a night that the Eagles offense looked closer to the unstoppable product from last year, it was the defense that really made the difference.
