David Njoku defied the main criticism of his game - namely that he has not been influential enough for the Cleveland Browns - with a star performance in their win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Njoku is our African Player of the Week for Week 14 in the NFL season. While there were big performances from the likes of Yannick Ngakoue for the Chicago Bears and Greg Joseph for the Minnesota Vikings, Njoku's Africa MVP honor this week was never in doubt.
African Player of the Week: David Njoku (Cleveland Browns)
From the opening drive of the Browns' 31-27 win over the Jaguars, which saw Njoku score a 34-yard touchdown, he was always going to be one of the leading candidates for Africa's Player of the Week.
Njoku, who is a son of Nigerian parents who moved to the United States, then followed that up with a 30-yard catch-and-run for his second touchdown of the evening.
Without Njoku's performance, it is highly unlikely that the Browns, who have been struggling largely due to injury to quarterback Deshaun Watson, would have held on through the game.
The narrow win over the Jaguars ensured that the Browns avoided losing for a third time on the trot, after they suffered defeats to the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams in their last two games.
With Joe Flacco standing in for Watson at quarterback, Njoku totalled 91 receiving yards off six catches, including his two touchdowns.
At the start of this season, the main critique of Njoku was that since joining the Browns in 2017, he has not been impactful enough. However, the 27-year-old has showcased exemplary professionalism this season, continuing to play as he recovered from severe burns in an accident at his home.
While nobody was doubting his commitment to the cause heading into this week, there is now nobody who can say that Njoku is incapable of popping up precisely when his team needs him most, as the win over the Jaguars comes at a perfect moment in the Browns' playoff push.
Despite their issues at quarterback, the Browns are 8-5, second in the AFC North, and very much in the hunt for the playoffs.
African Moment of the Week: Greg Joseph (Minnesota Vikings)
South Africa-born Joseph's 36-yard field goal delivered the win for the Vikings with 1:57 remaining in the fourth quarter as he scored the only points in the game to beat the Las Vegas Raiders 3-0.
This was the lowest-scoring NFL game in 16 years and only the third 3-0 game in the last 40 years. The last had come in November 2007 as Pittsburgh beat Miami.
Joseph, who was born in Johannesburg, is not the first distinguished South African placekicker for the Vikings. Gary Anderson was a dependable source of points for them from 1998-2002.
However, despite an overall solid career, Anderson is often remembered for his miss in the NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons. Like Anderson's miss back then, Joseph's successful field goal attempt against the Raiders may prove to be hugely consequential in determining the team's fate this season.
The Vikings, who are second in the NFC North, edged ahead in the race for a wild card spot as a result of Joseph's heroics.
Honorable mentions:
Njoku's compatriot, Ogbo Okoronkwo, also starred in the Browns' win, as did Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who is of Ghanaian heritage. Okoronkwo made a sack and Owusu-Koramoah contributed eight solo tackles to the cause.
The Baltimore Ravens' Justin Madubuike, who is of Nigerian descent, continued his incredible season with a sack in the 37-31 overtime win over the LA Rams.
Alvin Kamara, who has ties to Liberia through his mother, scored a touchdown in the New Orleans Saints' 28-6 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Brandon Aiyuk, who is of Cameroonian descent, did not score a touchdown this week, but his 126 receiving yards were vital in the San Francisco 49ers' 28-16 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
Yannick Ngakoue, who is of Cameroonian and West Indian descent, got a sack for the Chicago Bears in their 28-13 upset win over the Detroit Lions.
Charles Omenihu, of Nigerian heritage, got one too for the Kansas City Chiefs albeit in a heartbreaking 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Omenihu's fellow Nigerian-American, Azeez Ojulari, got half a sack for the New York Giants in their nail-biting 24-22 win over the Green Bay Packers.
Africa-born player watch:
Joseph had the standout moment from an African-born player this week, but he was not the only one who made an impact.
The Ivory Coast's Kader Kohou made five solo tackles for the Miami Dolphins in their 28-27 defeat to the Tennessee Titans, including some crucial ones which kept the Dolphins in the fight until the clock ran out.
Kohou continues to refine his talent and at the age of 25, the cornerback could become a key member of the Dolphins defense as he prepares for next year, which will be the last year of his three-year deal.