If you're near a scoreboard for Week 3 anytime soon, avert your eyes.
Road teams went 4-11 in Week 3, and they could have easily gone 3-12 had Golden Tate's knee landed on the Ford Field turf a split second later. We still had some stars, though, including a product of a Thursday night shootout in Santa Clara. Yep, we're reaching back to the beginning of Week 3! Here are your greatest players who did their jobs as members of visiting teams.
Greatest on the Road
Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams
We can officially put 2016's disappointment to bed. Todd Gurley is back and better than ever.
The running back has averaged 3.8 yards per carry in three games, but received his largest workload of the season against the 49ers, toting the ball 28 times for 113 yards (4.0 average) and two rushing touchdowns. He did his damage early and often, scoring twice in the first quarter (one rushing, one receiving) and again just before halftime. Gurley broke tackles and churned up yards to provide balance to the Rams' attack, which in turn allowed Jared Goff slightly more time to throw later in the contest against a fierce Niners rush.
Also considered ...
Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
What a start for the rookie. Hunt has already won this honor (Week 1) and he's back in the piece for yet another outstanding day. Go ahead, click on that video.
Hunt's long run of 69 yards salted away the Chiefs' third win of the season, and also boosted his per-carry average to over 10. On 17 attempts, Hunt did more damage with the ball than Melvin Gordon has in three games for the Chargers, who the Chiefs defeated 24-10.
We're saving the best stat for last: Hunt is the first player in NFL history to score a touchdown of 50 yards or longer in each of his first three games. Kansas City hasn't seen a big-play machine like this since the X-Factor, Dante Hall. Roll on, Chiefs.
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans entered Week 3 desperate for a win, and Drew Brees really needed something positive beyond his stat line. Surprisingly, his numbers weren't all that impressive (by his standard), but his three scores were all the Saints needed to finally earn a tally in the win column.
Brees completed 22 of 29 passes (75.9 completion percentage, his best of 2017) for 220 yards, three scores and a sterling passer rating of 131.4. Brees keeps climbing by one score per week; perhaps next week, he'll win this honor with a four-touchdown performance. Until then, the Saints will be happy with three and one road win.
