Welcome to the week 8 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 team, 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.
This week's edition brings you lucky readers our very first double up. Thomas and Brandon were both very taken by the performance of a certain redheaded QB in Ohio.
Check out the rest of our picks below!
Week 8
Thomas Follow @TurkeyTom17
-Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback: Andy Dalton is my NFL Weekend Hero. The Cincinnati Bengals' quarterback defeated the Ravens twice in the same season for the first time in his career and ended the team's 0-2-1 skid after their 3-0 start.
Although he had two turnovers (one fumble and one interception), Dalton rebounded and led the Bengals to a late 27-24 victory at home. He was 21-of-28 passing for 266 and no touchdowns, but he rushed for two scores, including the game-winner with 57 seconds remaining. Dalton marched the Bengals' offense down the field on a 10-play 80-yard drive that took 3:02. He hit Mohamed Sanu on a 53-yard pass and then scored on a one-yard touchdown rush, leaving the Ravens with only 57 seconds to work with.
The much-needed victory now has the Bengals in a good position to catch up to Baltimore. They'll face the Jaguars and Browns over the next two weeks before heading to New Orleans to play the Saints and their swiss cheese defense.
Jordan Follow @webb_ej
-TJ Graham, New York Jets wide receiver: There were some big games from quarterbacks this weekend that I liked, but I have to give the nod to Graham. If you don't know who I'm talking about, Graham is the Jets player who proved himself to be the ultimate team player by going along with Rex Ryan's horribly failed special teams "trick" play.
Graham went along with the idea of lying down on his stomach to try camouflaging himself during a kickoff return. In a professional game. The concept was supposed to be that Graham would be "camouflaged" from the incoming Bills' special team players, who would not see him chest-down in the end zone, and he'd then catch a throwback from Percy Harvin and return the kick for a touchdown.
That didn't happen. The only result was Geno Smith having to start a few yards out from his own goal line.
Graham didn't really have any other choice but to go along with the special teams play, but hey, kudos to him for doing it nonetheless.
Brandon Follow @Great_Katzby
-Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback: The Weekend Hero, a perfect opportunity for me to link to this classic 80's song that has been used in countless movies since.
I'm sure most people are going to say Ben Roethlisberger or Tom Brady. Both are exceptionally deserving of this prestigious title. But I'm going to go with Andy Dalton. Every single time I want to write this guy off after a terrible game, he comes back and does just enough to stay in my good graces. This week, he squeaked out a win against the tough Baltimore Ravens without A.J. Green.
It wasn't that Dalton played particularly great in this one - 21 of 28 for 266 yards, one interception, two rushing touchdowns - but he did enough to put his team in a position to win late. I couldn't tell you why, but for some reason I just like the Red Rifle.
Cal Follow @CalSFro
-Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints running back: The passing game has been the focus in New Orleans since the Drew Brees-Sean Payton years began. But it suddenly looks like the running game - and tailback Mark Ingram - is ready to make their mark.
In last night's victory over the Green Bay Packers, Ingram rushed for a career-high of 172 yards on 24 carries. It was only Ingram's second 100-yard performance of his career, but he's now averaging 5.7 yards per carry on the season. The entire Saints offense was rolling last night and Ingram's power, burst and vision were a big part of that.
Despite missing time to a broken hand early in the year, Ingram has looked like a man possessed thus far in the 2014-15 campaign. If he keeps it up, he'll have a new contract and a tighter hold on the starting running back gig in New Orleans going forward.
