The NFL season has reached the point where the playoff picture truly starts to take shape.

Many players have proven themselves in an unpredictable 2022 campaign while others have fallen below expectations.

Stats Perform has focused on the former, selecting a pick for every position in Week 11, including the defense/special teams slot, for players that deserve to be in your consideration.

If you have any of these rostered, or they are somehow available on the waiver wire, now is the time to make your move!

Quarterback – Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs Cleveland Browns

Questionable for the entire week leading up to Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings, Allen was not at his best as he threw two interceptions and had a critical late fumble in the fourth quarter, but still racked up the points.

A tally of 29 completions was Allen's highest since Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans (42), with a total of 330 yards his third-highest of the season. Cause for concern, however, is the fact Allen has thrown more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (three) over the past three weeks.

The Browns' defense has struggled to defend the pass, though, conceding 11.91 yards per completion on average, the sixth-worst in the NFL. Look for Allen to bounce back here.

Running back – Saquon Barkley, New York Giants vs Detroit Lions

No player has more rushing yards in the NFL this season than Barkley (931), who had 152 against the Houston Texans in Week 10, his highest return since 164 yards in Week 1 against the Titans.

With rushing touchdowns in seven of his nine games this season, including four in his last five, Barkley is almost guaranteed to yield a strong return of fantasy points – especially against a vulnerable Lions defense.

Only the Texans (1,636) have allowed more rushing yards this season than the Lions (1,448), while an average of 5.34 yards allowed per carry is third worst in the league – both numbers that will encourage Barkley to run riot.

Wide receiver – CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings

The Cowboys' trip to Minnesota is a matchup where elite receivers will be the focus, with Justin Jefferson of the Vikings and the Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb top of the agenda – the latter being our pick for the week.

In the Week 10 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Lamb caught 11 of 15 targets and racked up 150 yards, reaching three figures for the first time this season, with two receiving plays of 25 or more yards.

Opponents against the Vikings have racked up a total of 2,537 yards, giving the Minnesota defense the sixth-worst record in that regard. The Vikings are also allowing 32 plays of at least 20 yards – with only five teams in the NFL conceding more.

Tight end – George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals

Utilised predominantly as a blocker in Week 10, George Kittle should see more of the ball against a Cardinals defense that has allowed a total of 2,619 passing yards this season, behind only the Atlanta Falcons and the Titans, and 17 passing touchdowns, the fourth-most across the NFL.

When targeted, Kittle is a reliable option to get the ball moving downfield, catching 29 of 41 targets and securing a first down on over half of them (15). A total of 340 yards this season has seen 165 yards after catch, illustrating his power when he gets moving.

Kittle boasts a burn rate, which is when a receiver wins his matchup against a defender on a play where he is targeted, of 65.9 per cent – ranking seventh among tight ends who have been targeted at least 30 times.

Defense/Special teams – Philadelphia Eagles @ Indianapolis Colts

Defeat to the Washington Commanders in Week 10 brought an end to the Eagles' eight-game winning streak but the 4-5 Colts should be an easier proposition for the NFC favourites to deal with.

The Eagles defense has allowed just 1,813 passing yards overall, the second-best record behind the Denver Broncos (1,769). Philadelphia's 13 interceptions is the joint-best tally in the NFL along with the Bills – intercepting 4.1 per cent of passing attempts they have faced.

Only three teams have recorded more sacks than the Eagles (29) this season, with opponents losing a total of 214 yards in the process – only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (217) and Cowboys (225) have seen opponents lose more yards on sacks.

Aaron Rodgers urged the Green Bay Packers to embrace their new-found status as underdogs following a fifth loss in a row.

The Packers' troubles deepened in an upset defeat to NFC North rivals the Detroit Lions, who triumphed 15-9 on Sunday.

Green Bay had not lost five on the bounce since 2008 – Rodgers' first year as a starter – but they are a team devoid of confidence at present.

Rodgers' own display summed up the fortunes of his team as he threw three interceptions in a game for only the fifth time in his career and for the first time against NFC North opponents.

Two of those came with the game still scoreless, giving the lowly Lions a foothold they fought hard to protect.

"I had some s***** throws, for sure," said Rodgers. "I played s*****, but I never gave up.

"We moved the ball well in the first half, and I threw a couple picks in the end zone, took points off the board. That, obviously, came back to hurt us down the stretch.

"I've been counted out many times in my life as have many of my team-mates, and I hope we just dig deep and find a way.

"We will truly be underdogs for many games moving forward. Hopefully we can embrace that. We have two games at home. We've got to go win those two games in a week, and then this thing looks a little different."

Packers coach Matt LaFleur conceded the going was tough but wants to see Rodgers and his team-mates channel their frustration more productively.

"I'm sure he's extremely frustrated, as we all are," LaFleur said.

"I don't think we've been in this [situation]. I know in my time here, we haven't been in this situation and I don't think he's been in this situation too many times in his career, obviously.

"It's disappointing and frustrating. But I think that we all probably need to do a little bit better job of controlling that frustration."

Aaron Rodgers lost a fifth straight game for just the second time in his NFL career as the Green Bay Packers were upset again by NFC North rivals the Detroit Lions.

The Packers are enduring a torrid season and fell to 3-6 with this latest 15-9 defeat on Sunday.

Green Bay had not previously lost five in a row since 2008 – Rodgers' first year as a starter – but there is no sign of their misery ending any time soon.

Rodgers, previously so dominant in division matchups, threw three interceptions in a game for only the fifth time in his career and for the first time against NFC North opponents.

Two of those came with the game still scoreless, giving the lowly Lions a foothold they fought hard to protect.

Detroit had traded T.J. Hockenson within the division to the Minnesota Vikings at the deadline, but that void was filled by a pair of career-first touchdown catches from tight ends.

Shane Zylstra – elevated from the practice squad on Saturday alongside wide receiver brother Brandon – got the Lions on the board with his first catch of the year, while rookie James Mitchell's score at the start of the fourth quarter ultimately proved decisive.

Bills loss leaves AFC East in the balance

The fourth of Rodgers' five successive defeats had come against the Buffalo Bills last week, but Josh Allen was also on the end of a shock loss on Sunday as the New York Jets blew the AFC wide open. Despite two rushing TDs, Allen was every bit as hapless as Rodgers through the air as he threw two interceptions in the Jets' tense 20-17 win.

With the Bills 6-2 and the Jets 6-3, the AFC East is among the year's closest fought divisions, with the Miami Dolphins just about improving to 6-3 by fending off the Chicago Bears 35-32. Justin Fields kept the Bears in touch, throwing three TD passes and rushing for 178 yards – a Super Bowl era record among quarterbacks. His stunning 61-yard TD run was the longest of his career.

Mixon makes hay with Bengals' first five-TD game

There was no late drama in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers, which was dominated by running back Joe Mixon. He rushed for four TDs and had five total scores – also catching a Joe Burrow pass. It was just the ninth five-plus-TD game of the Super Bowl era – and the first by a Bengal – and set up a 42-21 victory.

The 2022 trade deadline day proved a historic one for the NFL.

Teams struck 10 deals on Tuesday prior to the 16:00 EST deadline, with a total of 12 players traded, the most ever on deadline day.

None were of the level of the San Francisco 49ers' blockbuster trade for Christian McCaffrey on October 20.

However, there were still several deals that will have significant short and long-term impacts for some of the franchises involved.

So what can we glean from the hive of activity at the deadline? Stats Perform dug into the advanced data around the trades to answer that question.
 

Dolphins crank up pressure on opponents, and Tua

The Miami Dolphins made the headline move of trade deadline day, sending a package that included the 2023 first-round pick they acquired from the 49ers to the Denver Broncos for edge rusher Bradley Chubb.

It is a move aimed at improving the Dolphin defense's ability to better complement an offense that fired on all cylinders in their Week 8 win over the Detroit Lions.

Miami recovered from 14 points down to beat the lowly Lions 31-27, Tua Tagovailoa producing five passing plays of at least 20 yards in a single game for the third time this season.

Yet the Dolphins might not have needed such heroics from their quarterback had the defense been better equipped to keep the Lions at bay in the first two quarters.

The Dolphins are allowing successful plays on 47.7 per cent of passing downs, well above the league average of 41.1, and have tallied just 14 sacks for negative yardage this season, tied for 20th in the NFL.

Chubb's arrival brings the Dolphins a high-ceiling pass rusher who already has 5.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 2022.

His 32 pressures are more than every other Dolphins defender save for Jaelan Phillips, who has racked up 41, the fourth-most in the NFL, in a strong second season.

The hope will be that pairing Phillips and Chubb will greatly improve the defense's capacity to create negative plays and remove some of the onus from a high-powered offense.

That offense has a new name in the backfield for the second half of the season. The Dolphins traded running back Chase Edmonds to the Broncos, before sending a fifth-round pick to the 49ers for Jeff Wilson Jr, who reunites with former team-mate Raheem Mostert in Miami.

Wilson's departure was always a possibility after the 49ers struck their blockbuster trade for McCaffrey, but he should prove an excellent complement to Mostert.

He can excel at both zone and gap-scheme runs and has proven effective at picking up yards with less than ideal blocking. Among backs with at least 50 carries, Wilson is 11th with 3.37 yards per rush on runs where there is a disruption by a defender.

With a strengthened pass rush and an apparent upgrade in the backfield, Tagovailoa's support system looks to be improved following the trade deadline, but that will only heighten the scrutiny on him if he cannot turn a 5-3 start into a playoff berth.
 

Lions have long way to go

If their 1-6 record didn't already make it obvious, Detroit's decision to trade tight end T.J. Hockenson to NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings hammered home the point that the Lions still have a lot of rebuilding to do.

Detroit received a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 third-rounder in exchange for Hockenson, a 2023 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder.

It is a move that sees them part with a tight end that was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2020 and who has been an efficient receiver in 2022.

Hockenson is averaging 15.2 yards per reception, the most among tight ends, with Detroit's willingness to part with him reflective of how much they value acquiring draft capital for a team that appears further away from competing than many thought heading into the season.

While the struggles on the field may put them in position to land their quarterback of the future, the Lions are clearly in need of more resources to improve a defense that has allowed a play success rate of 46.1 per cent, the second worst in the NFL, and continues to struggle to create pressure or cover in the secondary.

The beneficiaries of the Lions' need to amass picks are the 6-1 Vikings, who can work in Hockenson as a replacement for Irv Smith Jr. after he was lost for eight to 10 weeks with an ankle injury.

It was not clear in which direction the Vikings were headed after a sea change in the front office and at head coach after missing the playoffs last season, but the Lions were thought to be on an upward trajectory following an impressive offseason.

That assessment has proven misguided, with these two teams' divergent paths enabling the Vikings to enjoy the advantages of having another offensive weapon as the Lions are left wondering how long it will take for them to be in a position to be buyers at the deadline.
 

Chicago has faith in Fields

The Chicago Bears were also a seller, sending linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday having also dealt pass rusher Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Unlike the Lions, however, the Bears were in the business of adding to their roster, striking a deal that serves as an illustration of their belief in second-year quarterback Justin Fields.

After receiving a second and a fifth-round pick for Smith, the Bears parted with a second to acquire wide receiver Chase Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Claypool's worth was clearly not depreciated by a downturn in his production in terms of scoring from his rookie year. He scored 11 touchdowns (nine receiving, two rushing) in 2020 but has just three from scrimmage since.

Yet Claypool has excelled at winning his matchups with covering defenders this season, with his open percentage against man coverage of 42.42 prior well above the average for wide receivers of 36.32.

That points to the problem in recent years being the Steelers' offense, which has struggled to target him downfield amid its deficiencies at the quarterback position. Claypool's average depth of target of 9.8 yards this season is below the league average of 10.4.

But a partnership with Fields, who has been starved of receiving talent in Chicago, could be one that gets Claypool back on his previous trajectory.

Last week against the Dallas Cowboys, Fields was accurate on 90.9 per cent of his throws while averaging 9.5 air yards per attempt. His season-long average of 9.64 is fourth among quarterbacks with at least 100 passes this season.

If Fields sustains that downfield accuracy, it could see Claypool re-emerge as the deep ball-winner he was in his rookie season.

Though they have traded other assets for picks, the Bears feel Fields has shown enough to be worthy of their faith he can blossom into Chicago's franchise quarterback and are backing him to revitalise Claypool while inspiring further strides for an offense that has made definitive progress in recent games.

The Minnesota Vikings acquired tight end T.J. Hockenson from the NFC North rival the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. 

Minnesota are sending a 2023 second-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round selection to Detroit, and the Vikings will also receive a 2023 fourth-round pick along with a 2024 conditional fourth-round selection. 

The Vikings lead the NFC North with a 6-1 record, while Detroit is in last place at 1-6. 

It is a move which comes hours before the trade deadline after Minnesota lost tight end Irv Smith Jr. to a high ankle sprain in last week's 34-26 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Smith is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks. 

The Lions selected Hockenson with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He has 186 catches for 2,068 yards and 15 touchdowns in 47 career games. 

Hockenson was leading the Lions with 395 receiving yards and had a team high-tying three TD grabs this season.

He is under contract through 2023 after the Lions picked up his fifth-year option.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a career-high four touchdown passes in Sunday's big 35-13 home win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It was also a career day for Hurts' top receiver, A.J. Brown, who caught three touchdown passes for the first time – and he did it all in the first half.

Brown's first score came on a 39-yard deep-ball into the endzone, coming down with it between two Steelers defensive backs in the first quarter. He then added two more scores in the second quarter –  a 27-yard touchdown and a 29-yard touchdown to open up a 21-10 lead.

He finished the game with six catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first Eagles receiver to total at least 150 yards and three touchdowns in a single game since 2007.

Hurts would start the second half with his fourth touchdown pass, this time to Zach Pascal, and a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown for Miles Sanders would complete the rout.

For the Steelers, rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 25 of his 38 passes for 191 yards and one interception, getting sacked six times and fumbling twice.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson collected one of those six sacks for the Eagles, and he also had the game's only interception.

The Eagles have a great chance to move to 8-0 on Thursday when they travel to take on the Houston Texans.

Tagovailoa leads strong Dolphins comeback

The Miami Dolphins had to claw their way out of an early deficit to defeat the Detroit Lions 31-27 in a high-scoring shootout.

Detroit jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after touchdown runs to D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, and after Jaylen Waddle got on the end of a Tua Tagovailoa touchdown pass to trim the margin, Williams ran in his second score of the opening half to make it 21-7.

Tagovailoa then found his rhythm and delivered another touchdown to Waddle, with the talented young receiver going on to finish with eight catches for 106 yards and two scores. He was not alone as teammate Tyreek Hill gave the Lions' secondary headaches all game, catching 12 of his 14 targets for 188 yards.

A one-yard fullback dive from Alec Ingold and an 11-yard touchdown to Mike Gesicki would pull the Dolphins ahead 31-27 late in the third quarter, and their defense would rise to the challenge down the stretch to shut the door.

Cook carries the Vikings to impressive 6-1 start

The Minnesota Vikings are one of the most surprising stories of the season and are likely playoff-bound after moving to 6-1 with a 34-26 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Star running back Dalvin Cook was at his best, shouldering 20 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Kirk Cousins and backup running back Alexander Mattison also collected rushing touchdowns.

Top Cardinals receiver De'Andre Hopkins enjoyed a big performance, catching 12 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown, but it was not enough as the Minnesota defense stepped up and denied Arizona a potential game-tying score on their final three drives. 

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams could make his NFL debut in "at least probably another month," head coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday.

Williams, the 12th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee the former Alabama All-American suffered in the College Football Playoff national championship game in January.

ACL injuries typically involve a recovery process of up to a year.

"I do feel like we're gonna get him before it's all said and done," Campbell said.

The Lions (1-5) were not deterred by the injury as they traded up 20 spots with NFC North rival Minnesota to choose Williams.

The 21-year-old established himself as an elite prospect during his lone season at Alabama, becoming one of college football's most explosive receivers after transferring from Ohio State.

His 15 touchdown receptions in 2021 tied for third in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and he led the Crimson Tide with 1,572 receiving yards on 79 catches.

Nine of Williams' 15 touchdown catches were from 40 or more yards, tops in the FBS last season, while his 11 receptions of 40 or more yards tied for second among major college players.

Dak Prescott made a slow start on his return to the Dallas Cowboys team, but "a win's a win", the quarterback says.

Prescott had been out of action since fracturing his thumb in the Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Cowboys had improved to 4-2 in his absence, led by Cooper Rush, and their fifth win followed in a 24-6 defeat of the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Prescott was back in the team, although he was far from the star of the show.

The Dallas defense produced five sacks and two interceptions, while Ezekiel Elliott ran in for two touchdowns.

Prescott did not throw a TD pass until the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, finishing with 207 yards on 19-of-25 passing.

The QB was never concerned about his own performance, though, suggesting he might have enjoyed overseeing a comfortable victory without contributing with a TD of his own.

"A win's a win," Prescott said. "I really don't care how it gets done; a win's a win.

"I thought it was going to be pretty cool to leave this game without a touchdown, honestly. That's kind of where my head is right now.

"I know how talented this team is. I know what we can be. It's not about me. It's about all of us, and I'm just trying to make sure I play my part and make sure I put this team in the right situation each and every play."

Crucially, he added: "The thumb feels pretty good."

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said of his QB's display: "I thought Dak performed better as the game went on. It's his first time he's been out there in quite some time.

"Start with the command of the huddle, the whole operation, I thought he was really on point there. He handled the adjustments that were going during the course of the game.

"Those are the big things that don't show up in the stat column."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' dismal season plumbed new depths as they remarkably lost 21-3 to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Tom Brady's Bucs had slipped to 3-3 with last week's unexpected defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the team now have a losing record for the first time since the legendary quarterback lost his 2020 debut. Only in 2002, when he missed the playoffs, had Brady previously had a losing record at the end of Week 7.

This reverse was perhaps even more surprising than the Steelers upset, as P.J. Walker, Carolina's third-choice QB, led a Panthers team who had traded away star running back Christian McCaffrey this week.

Following that trade with the San Francisco 49ers, Steve Wilks, the interim head coach since Matt Rhule's October 10 firing, insisted: "There's no such thing as tanking when it comes to myself and the guys in that locker room."

The Panthers backed up that statement by dominating Brady and the Bucs, who were held to three points or fewer for the third time in their three seasons together. A Brady offense had three points or fewer only twice in his entire New England Patriots career.

The Bucs were scoreless through three quarters, in which time Carolina scored two touchdowns – Walker with a 20-yard completion to DJ Moore, before Chuba Hubbard, with just six carries through six weeks alongside McCaffrey, ran in from 17 yards.

Ryan Succop's field goal at the start of the fourth quarter was not to set the stage for a dramatic turnaround, as Walker's 29-yard pass to Tommy Tremble completed the job.

Rodgers also loses once more

Brady's fellow veteran Aaron Rodgers also dropped to 3-4 as the Green Bay Packers lost for the third week running, beaten 23-21 by the Washington Commanders.

The Packers have suffered three straight defeats for the first time since 2018, with Rodgers unable to rally late on after a first half in which he had only 47 passing yards – his second-lowest career mark after 15 or more attempts before halftime.

Dak back but defense dominates

Dak Prescott returned from injury as the Dallas Cowboys beat the Detroit Lions 24-6, although the victory owed more to running back Ezekiel Elliott and the team's defense than their QB. Prescott threw for 207 yards and a TD, as Elliott ran in for a pair of scores while Jared Goff was sacked five times and picked off twice.

Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals' QB, was far more influential as he threw for 481 yards and three TDs in a 35-17 win against the Atlanta Falcons. That yardage ranks third in a regular season Bengals game all-time, although the 525-yard record already belongs to Burrow (v Ravens, 2021).

The Tennessee Titans' Derrick Henry enjoyed a record-setting performance in victory over AFC South rivals the Indianapolis Colts, rushing for 128 yards. He has 1287 career rushing yards versus the Colts, the most of any Titan against any one team.

Christian McCaffrey is expected to make his debut for the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Former All-Pro running back McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers from the Carolina Panthers on Thursday for second, third and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth-rounder in 2024.

The tight turnaround initially made it look unlikely McCaffrey would be overly involved in a rematch of Super Bowl LIV from the 2019 season.

However, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, McCaffrey will play and the 49ers will have a package of plays ready for him.

The Chiefs will have a new lead runner in their backfield, with rookie Isaiah Pacheco set to get the bulk of the carries over 2020 first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Kansas City's closest rivals in the AFC West, the 4-2 Los Angeles Chargers, face NFC West opponents themselves in the form of the Seattle Seahawks.

They had hoped to have wide receiver Keenan Allen back from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Week 1, but his status was still up in the air heading into Sunday.

Star Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett is set to play having been listed as questionable with a hamstring injury of his own.

The Baltimore Ravens, another prospective AFC contender, have been boosted with tight end Mark Andrews (ankle) and Rashod Bateman (knee) both active for their meeting with the Cleveland Browns. 

The Dallas Cowboys will not have to defend D'Andre Swift in Dak Prescott's return to action. Detroit Lions running back Swift is once again inactive because of ankle and shoulder injuries.

Detroit's division rivals the Green Bay Packers are looking to end a two-game losing run and get their offense back on track against the Washington Commanders.

Yet they will be without oft-injured left tackle David Bakhtiari because of a flare-up in his knee. The Packers have remodelled a struggling offensive line, shifting Elgton Jenkins from right tackle to left guard. Yosh Nijman takes over at right tackle, with rookie Zac Tom filling in for Bakhtiari.

Wide receiver Sammy Watkins will return from a knee injury as Aaron Rodgers desperately searches for targets he can trust.

The Dallas Cowboys have not made an official announcement, but according to Dak Prescott he will be back starting at quarterback on Sunday against the visiting Detroit Lions.

When asked during a press conference on Thursday if he would be starting on Sunday, Prescott responded, “I am.”

He then paused briefly and said, “I think.”

Though he tried walk back his slip-up, all signs point to Prescott being under center for the first time since suffering a fracture near his right thumb in the fourth quarter of a 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 11.

He has been medically cleared to practice and got through a full training session on Thursday for the first time since his injury.

''It's about staying where my feet are,'' Prescott said. ''Just thankful I went out there and had a good practice. Just put my mind right where I am, and when I look up I'll be prepared ready to go for Sunday.''

Prescott said he had no issues throwing and joked that he threw 140 passes – his way of saying he has no limitations.

"I did everything. I wasn't limited by any means," Prescott said. "There wasn't a pitch count. I think I threw about 140 balls, something like that. I just made that up, but there was no pitch count. I was full go."

He threw 40 passes during a practice on Wednesday and also threw on the field prior to the Cowboys’ 26-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday.

That marks the only blemish on Dallas’ record since the season opener.

Cooper Rush led the Cowboys to four consecutive wins in place of Prescott, completing 61.9 per cent of his passes for 775 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 97.1 passer rating before completing 47.4 per cent of his 38 attempts for 181 yards with a TD throw and three picks for a 37.3 rating in Week 6.

''He went out there and did everything I expected Cooper to do,'' Prescott said. ''Understand that everybody had to raise their level and everybody is going to continue to raise their level. That is what he has done and what the team has done. Now I can come back and we can keep rolling.''

Prescott, however, also struggled in Week 1, completing 48.3 per cent of his 29 attempts for 134 yards and an average of 4.6 yards per throw with one interception and a 47.2 rating.

Since Dak Prescott was injured in the season opener, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has remained optimistic that his quarterback would return sooner than originally estimated.

He now believes Prescott will be back on the field this Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

"Well, let's just say this: He's determined to [play]," Jones said during an interview with 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday. "I think he's, from my perspective, from what I can know and see, I think he's going to get there. We feel like that physically, he's at a position that the risk/reward justifies him being out there in terms of any reoccurrence of the injury."

Prescott was originally expected to be sidelined between six-and-eight weeks after suffering a fracture near his right thumb in the fourth quarter of a 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 11.

He began throwing again last week and coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that Prescott would be medically cleared to return to practice Wednesday.

"He’s going to be given every opportunity this week to go play," Jones said. "He looks ready to go."

Jones said Prescott had a "very impressive" throwing session prior to Sunday’s 26-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and afterwards said he was planning to return in Week 7.

Sunday’s defeat marked Dallas’ only setback since the season opener.

Cooper Rush led the Cowboys to four consecutive wins in place of Prescott, completing 61.9 per cent of his passes for 775 yards for an average of 7.4 yards per attempt with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 97.1 passer rating.

He looked a bit shaky this past weekend, however, completing 47.4 per cent of his 38 attempts for 181 yards and an average of 4.8 yards per pass with a TD throw and three picks for a 37.3 rating.

Prescott, however, also struggled in Week 1, completing 48.3 per cent of his 29 attempts for 134 yards and an average of 4.6 yards per throw with one interception and a 47.2 rating.

Dan Campbell vowed to "look at everything" after the Detroit Lions' defense produced a miserable performance in a 48-45 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

While few anticipated the Lions to emerge as contenders in Campbell's second season as head coach, there were expectations of a significant upturn after a talent-poor team stayed competitive throughout 2021, a campaign that was followed by a strong offseason.

Yet such expectations look misplaced after a 1-3 start in which the Lions have scored an NFL-high 140 points but conceded 141, also more than any other team in the league. They are the first team in NFL history to have scored and conceded at least 140 points in their opening four games.

The Seahawks and Lions combined for 93 points and 1,075 total yards of offense (Seattle – 555 yards; Detroit – 520 yards). It marked the second game in NFL history in which two teams combined for at least 90 points and 1,075 total yards of offense, joining the Cincinnati Bengals at the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 of the 2007 season. 

The Lions allowed 10.7 yards per pass play and 7.1 yards per rush in a game in which Seattle converted nine of their 12 third downs.

Campbell showed last season he is not afraid to make mid-season coaching changes, taking over play-calling duties from then offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn after an 0-8 start in 2021.

But he defended defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn despite that unit's ineptitude seeing a sensational offensive performance go to waste.

"I just don't feel our swagger," Campbell said. "I mean, we knew if we could get this team in second-and-long that would go a long way and then, we would — you would need to produce because it's been an area where that team has not been as good. And boy, we didn't make the most of it.

"Now look, they got us in a couple of third downs there late, third-and-longs that we have not been exposed to yet. And they gutted us. They got us good. And it was good designs by them, good play designs and in critical moments, they — it was good. It was real good by them.

"I've got a lot of faith in Aaron Glenn," Campbell said. "I've got a ton of faith in those assistants, and I think it's just — I think we sit down and I think we look at everything together.

"Because really, I think more than anything maybe it's time for a deep dive, a real deep dive into it. Players, everything that we're doing, but I also trust what he's doing.

"And there's a reason why I hired him, and so I want to let him do his job. But certainly, I'm going — I mean, I've got to look a lot deeper than I have."

Week 4 of the NFL season promises plenty of excitement following a blistering start to the 2022 season.

The season has so far been defined by close finishes. Through three weeks, there have been 18 games decided by three points or fewer this season, the most such games through the first three weeks of a season in NFL history. 

A packed crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will hope to see another tight game as the NFL returns to London with the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings facing off.

The Washington Commanders travel to face the Dallas Cowboys in a fierce rivalry and the Philadelphia Eagles will look to extend their winning streak against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

With plenty more on the agenda, Stats Perform has used its data to preview this week's games.

Minnesota Vikings (1-2) @ New Orleans Saints (1-2)

A high-scoring affair should be on the cards in London, as the Vikings and Saints have put up 700 points (53.8 per game) over their last 13 regular season matchups dating back to 1995 – more than any other game with at least a dozen meetings.

The Vikings are in very capable hands with Kirk Cousins, who has a career passer rating of 126.7 against the Saints in the regular season, the highest by any QB against a single opponent in the Super Bowl era (minimum 125 attempts).

However, they face a Saints defense that has held opponents to fewer than 250 passing yards and one touchdown pass for nine straight games, a franchise record, while the only team in the last 10 years to enjoy a longer streak was the New England Patriots in 2019.

Chris Olave boasts 268 receiving yards in his first three career games but is yet to score a touchdown, a record which stands as the most since Charlie Wade's 315 yards without a TD in his first three games for the Chicago Bears in 1974.

Washington Commanders (1-2) @ Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

The Cowboys host the Commanders having won both matchups last season, including a 56-14 triumph in Week 14 that stands as the highest margin of victory for either team in the all-time series.

With six sacks in the Week 2 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals and five sacks last weekend against the New York Giants, the Cowboys have recorded five or more sacks in consecutive games for the first time since a four-game streak in November/December 2008.

That will be of particular concern to Carson Wentz, who was sacked a career-high nine times in the Commanders' home loss to the Eagles last week – the most of any QB for the franchise since John Beck was sacked 10 times by the Buffalo Bills in 2011.

Fourth-quarter offense has been a highlight for Washington, though, totalling 455 scrimmage yards (342 passing, 113 rushing) and standing third in the NFL for the most fourth-quarter yards in 2022 behind the Saints (541) and the Indianapolis Colts (456).

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)

The only 3-0 side to play on Sunday, the Eagles have held the Jaguars to under 20 points in the last four matchups between the two sides stretching back to 2006, tied for the second-longest active such run for Philadelphia behind the six-game streak against the Jets.

In the past two weeks, the Eagles have kept their opponents to under 10 points (8 vs Washington, 7 vs Minnesota) and are the only NFL team this season to achieve the feat in consecutive games, while Philadelphia last went three in a row in that regard in 1980.

The Jaguars are 2-1 at the start of the season for the first time since 2018 and have scored 84 points, the third-most by the team in the opening three games of the season in franchise history (98 in 1997 and 89 in 2017).

Both teams rank in the top five in the NFL for total first downs this season, with the Eagles (73) third and the Jaguars (70) fifth.

Elsewhere…

The Los Angeles Chargers travel to face the Houston Texans having being held to just 26 yards on the ground against the Jaguars last week and have 177 rushing yards in the NFL this season, the fewest in three games in team history.

A total of 572 rushing yards this season places the Cleveland Browns as the NFL's best on the ground this season and they visit the Atlanta Falcons having amassed their highest total through their first three games of a campaign since 1963.

The Seattle Seahawks tackle the Lions boasting seven wins in the last eight matchups against Detroit dating back to 2003, the third-best record by an NFC team against a conference opponent over the past 20 seasons.

The Titans have won each of the last three games against the Colts, including a 34-31 win in overtime last season. A victory this weekend would make this Tennessee's outright longest winning streak against Indianapolis (also three straight wins between 1988 and 1992).

The worst game of Joe Burrow's NFL career almost turned into a memorable Week 1 win for the Cincinnati Bengals, who instead blew their chance for an overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Bengals went down 23-20 to the Steelers after missing kicks at the end of regulation and in the additional period that would have secured a winning start.

Instead, Chris Boswell kicked the game-winning field goal for the Steelers in the final seconds of overtime.

Burrow had put the Bengals in position to succeed despite his dismal start, looking nothing like the 2021 Comeback Player of the Year who led Cincinnati to the Super Bowl.

The quarterback had four turnovers before half-time – a career high for an entire game – including a pick-six for Minkah Fitzpatrick from his very first pass.

Burrow finished with four interceptions, a lost fumble and seven sacks, but he also threw two touchdown passes, including one for Ja'Marr Chase that appeared to set up a stunning Bengals win.

However, Fitzpatrick blocked Evan McPherson's PAT, and McPherson missed his target again in overtime.

Boswell similarly squandered a chance to win the game, hitting the left post, but he made amends just as it looked as though the NFL would see two ties in the same week for the first time since Week 2 in 1973, with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts also tied 20-20.

Browns deny Baker's Panthers

The Bengals were the only team not to win in the AFC North – a division that had it all on Sunday. While Lamar Jackson guided the Baltimore Ravens to victory over the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns celebrated their first Week 1 win since 2004 as former QB Baker Mayfield saw his Carolina Panthers beaten 24-23 by a late field goal.

The Miami Dolphins' 20-7 win over AFC East rivals the Patriots was far more straightforward, with Tua Tagovailoa becoming the first QB to remain unbeaten against Bill Belichick in the regular season having started at least four games against New England.

49ers flounder at sodden Soldier Field

Miserable conditions in Chicago hampered the San Francisco 49ers as they suffered a shock 19-10 loss to the Bears, with Trey Lance's miserable 13-of-28 passing including an awful fourth-quarter interception for a quarterback rating of just 50.3.

Elsewhere in the NFC, Jalen Hurts also did not throw a single touchdown pass in the Philadelphia Eagles' 38-35 victory over the Detroit Lions – he contributed one of four rushing scores – but the QB connected with A.J. Brown for 155 yards on 10 catches. Marquee offseason trade signing Brown had 128 receiving yards before half-time, the most in the first half of a team debut by any non-rookie since at least 1991.