Let's not mince words: Sunday had some ugly games, both in how they were played and the end results, with some good teams looking poor and bad teams pulling upsets or somehow playing worse than expected. If Vince Lombardi still roamed sidelines, he would have queried the same query he did at about 1:32 in this video.
While some visiting squads may have been better offstaying at home, that didn't mean we, the football-viewing public, weren't deprived of stellar, electrifying performances by the visitors.
Here are this week's big-time players who excelled away from the friendly confines of home.
Greatest on the Road ...
Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks
With an upset stomach, Marshawn Lynch must have had a Skittles-heavy diet on gameday, sitting out the early part of the NFC West-deciding matchup against the Arizona Cardinals and not getting a rushing attempt until midway through the second quarter. The Legion of Boom swarmed a deer-caught-in-the-headlights Ryan Lindley all game, not requiring the eccentric running back to bring his A-game.
But he did. Ooooh, he did -- at least for one moment.
Lynch had just 10 totes for 113 yards and two scores, but we need to talk about the 79-yard scoring scamper reminiscent of his coming-out party in the 2010 playoffs, affectionately known in the Emerald City as the "Beast Quake," causing analyst Mike Mayock to briefly lose his professionalism.
This run also nearly made an effervescent Cris Collinsworth explode on the mic. At least three Cards defenders got their claws on Lynch, but they were unable to deter the league's most violent runner.
Also considered ...
Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
"Legends of Odell Beckham Jr." continued in a frisky, contentious matchup in St. Louis. He instigated the Rams' secondary, earning a taunting penalty on his first touchdown celebration. Beckham was the catalyst for a scuffle, as linebacker Alec Ogletree hit him late because the defense could not stop the man.
Beckham torched -- which may not be a strong enough word -- defensive backs Sunday, grabbing eight passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns with none prettier than the 80-yard bomb, burning Mark Barron with a double-move that's illegal in seven states (fortunately, Missouri is not one of them).
In his rookie season, the wideout straight out the Bayou Zoo has 79 catches, 1,120 yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games. Eleven! First believed to be on the outside looking in for Offensive Rookie of the Year after missing the Giants' first four contests, it's more or less foregone conclusion that ODB will have a new piece of hardware come January.
Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
OK, at first blush, this is ludicrous. Rivers tossed three interceptions and completed just 61 percent of his passes -- not flashy numbers.
But the Bolts' signal-caller has been playing through a bulging disc in his back the last few weeks. That sounds devoid of fun.
Nevertheless, Rivers led San Diego back from a 21-point deficit (that his poor play helped create, but still), including orchestrating the game-tying touchdown drive that needed the QB to convert two fourth-and-longs, allowing San Diego to upset the Niners in overtime 38-35. His four touchdowns and 356 yards with an annoying pain in one's back is good and gritty enough to be considered for the prestigious award.
