NFC Secret Superstars: Week 9
Star players tend to dominate the conversation, but NFL games are often decided by less familiar names stepping up at the right moment. Sometimes they play in smaller markets or sit behind more recognizable teammates. And, now and then, a coach takes a while to realize what a player can bring.
Here are three NFC players whose contributions stood out in Week 9 of the 2026 season.
Alim McNeill, defensive tackle, Detroit Lions
I’ve always been drawn to undersized defensive tackles. John Randle, Geno Atkins, Grady Jarrett, Aaron Donald — there’s something compelling about players who thrive without fitting the usual size expectations. If you can succeed that way in the NFL, you’re doing something special.
The Lions saw that in Alim McNeill when they drafted him in the third round in 2021. They later gave him a four-year, $97 million extension, including $55 million guaranteed. At 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds, McNeill is putting together what could be his best season: 5.5 sacks, 34 pressures and 14 stops, while creating plenty of trouble for guards from the three-technique position.
McNeill was particularly disruptive in Detroit’s 19-9 win over Miami. He recorded a sack and four pressures against guards Kadyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinaea. He’s now among the NFL’s leading interior pass rushers, alongside players such as Jeffery Simmons and Denver’s Zach Allen.
Detroit coach Dan Campbell has said McNeill helps bring the defensive line together. His ability to push through the middle makes it harder to run between the tackles, and the pressure he creates can give edge rushers like Aidan Hutchinson and D.J. Wonnum more room to work. It also gives the Lions more options when they send extra rushers. That part matters, especially for a defense that has had its ups and downs.
At 6-2, Detroit is in the middle of a fiercely competitive NFC North race. McNeill will remain an important piece as the Lions try to make their defense more consistent.
Devin Bush, linebacker, Chicago Bears
Football depends on teamwork, but some players do more than their own job. They make the people around them better, too. Jeffery Simmons appears to have had that effect on Chicago’s defense since the Bears acquired him from Tennessee on October 28, sending the Titans two future first-round picks and a fourth-rounder in exchange for Simmons and a fifth-round pick.
The change has been noticeable. In two games with Simmons, Chicago allowed an average of 4.45 yards per play and a 32.7 percent opponent success rate. In the seven games before his arrival, opponents averaged 6.39 yards per play and had a 41.8 percent success rate. The defense also recorded seven sacks over those two games.
Devin Bush may be among the players benefiting most. After helping the Bears beat Seattle in Week 8, he had another strong outing in Chicago’s 27-24 win over Tampa Bay. Bush finished with eight solo tackles, four stops, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hurry and two pass breakups. He seemed to be wherever the Buccaneers wanted to go.
Chicago won despite turning the ball over at least five times, something the team hadn’t done since 2006. It was a difficult game to win, and Bush’s performance helped make it possible.
Bush was Pittsburgh’s 10th overall pick in 2019 and later played for Seattle and Cleveland before signing a three-year, $30 million deal with Chicago. He had a solid season in Cleveland last year, but this may be the clearest sign yet that he’s becoming the player teams hoped he would be.
Coach Ben Johnson said Bush seemed to be improving each week and suggested this might have been his best game as a Bear. He praised Bush’s speed, physical play and coverage ability, adding that his growing understanding of the defense is helping him play more instinctively.
Simmons has helped change the group’s outlook. Bush, in particular, looks like he’s making the most of the opportunity.
Emmanuel Forbes, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams got Myles Garrett back for Sunday’s game against Washington, and he made an immediate impact with three sacks and eight pressures. But the team was still short-handed in the secondary: offseason additions Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson were unavailable, leaving Josh Wallace and Emmanuel Forbes to step in.
Forbes started against the team that drafted him 16th overall in 2023, then released him in November 2024. Washington moved on less than two years into his career, but the Rams signed him soon afterward and gave him a chance to rebuild. They had since added McDuffie and Watson to strengthen the cornerback group, yet Forbes was ready when his number was called.
In Los Angeles’ 20-13 win, Forbes allowed six catches on 10 targets for 19 yards and a touchdown. He also broke up three passes and made a tackle for loss in coverage. The opposing passer rating when targeting him was 97.9.
Forbes said he had been looking forward to the game and wanted to show Washington what he could do. He added that when he’s playing his best, he believes he can be the best in the world.
Coach Sean McVay stopped short of that assessment, but he was pleased with Forbes’ performance. He praised the cornerback’s toughness, run support and coverage, and also singled out Wallace for stepping up against a Washington offense capable of extending plays and creating opportunities.
The Rams are still trying to keep their postseason hopes alive, and they need reserves to contribute when injuries hit. Forbes did that against his former team. It was a useful performance for Los Angeles — and, perhaps, a satisfying one for him, too.
