With the Cincinnati Bengals hanging onto their playoff qualification hopes by a thread, Joseph Ossai produced another performance to remember in their 30-24 week 17 win over the Denver Broncos - making him Africa's NFL Player of the Week.
Ossai, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, picked up eight tackles, half a sack, a forced fumble and a pass defended in a superb all-round defensive display.
Other players with ties to Africa who had a gameweek to remember included Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Odafe Oweh, Nnamdi Madubuike, Uchenna Nwosu, YaYa Diaby, Emmanuel Ogbah, Olamide Zaccheaus, Matt Judon, Arnold Ebiketie and David Onyemata.
African Player of the Week: Joseph Ossai (Cincinnati Bengals)
The Broncos had the chance to seal their spot in the NFL playoffs and put the Bengals and Miami Dolphins out of contention when they made the trip to Paycor Stadium. However, Ossai and co. had other ideas.
The Lagos-born defensive end had his first big moment with 5:40 to go in the second quarter. The Broncos led 3-0 when Ossai got in the way of a Bo Nix pass on second down, heaping pressure on the visitors.
The next time possession changed hands, the Bengals scored off the ensuing drive, which the defended pass from Ossai played a significant role in creating.
With around half a minute to go until half-time, Ossai combined with Trey Hendrickson to sack Nix and also forced a fumble in the process, defending the hosts' newly acquired lead.
Ossai continued to step up with big tackles throughout the course of the game, until the dying embers, as the Bengals held on for a crucial win. Not only is every game a must-win for the Bengals at this point in the season as they seek to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but Ossai is also set to be out of a contract by the end of the season.
After forced fumbles in back-to-back games and 4.5 sacks in his last six, the 24-year-old will surely have potential employers lining up after proving he can deliver when it matters most.
It is no coincidence that his run of form has coincided with the Bengals going on a four-match winning run. At 8-8, they do not have their destiny in their own hands but are in with a chance ahead of their clash with the Steelers.
The Broncos (9-7 remain in pole position for a wild card spot in the AFC but will face the double defending champions, Kansas City Chiefs, in an unenviable final regular season fixture.
African Moment of the Week: Olamide Zaccheaus (Washington Commanders)
Another player with Nigerian heritage, the Washington Commanders' Olamide Zaccheaus, scored a fourth down touchdown to open the scoring against the Atlanta Falcons in a 30-24 win.
African players shone on both sides of this match, but because the Commanders ended up on the winning side, Zaccheaus gets Moment of the Week for his touchdown off a seven-yard Jayden Daniels pass just over a third of the way through the first quarter.
A first generation Nigerian-American born in New Jersey, Zaccheaus has had a superb run of form with three touchdowns in his last two games. The win over the Falcons secured the Commanders' place in the playoffs and the opening touchdown played a crucial role.
Honorable Mentions
Matt Judon (ties to Burundi), David Onyemata (born in Nigeria) and Arnold Ebiketie (born in Cameroon) all got sacks for the Falcons in the defeat to the Commanders.
Lagos-born Emmanuel Ogbah had one of the performances of the week from an African player as he made a sack, a forced fumble and five tackles in the Miami Dolphins' crucial 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Nnamdi Madubuike and Odafe Oweh (both with ties to Nigeria) made a sack apiece as the Baltimore Ravens beat the Houston Texans 31-2.
The Seattle Seahawks' Uchenna Nwosu, another player of Nigerian heritage, sacked Caleb Williams in a 6-3 win over the Chicago Bears where defense came out tops.
YaYa Diaby, who is of Guinean heritage, sacked Bryce Young as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Carolina Panthers 48-14.
Africa-born Player Watch
Onyemata, Ebiketie, Ogbah and Ossai all having a hand in sacks made this another huge defensive week for African-born players.
The four of them were among the top performers not only among African-born players but among all players from the continent at a crucial point in the season.
Heading into the final gameweek of the regular season, the Falcons, Dolphins and Bengals are all still in the hunt for the last two playoff spots in the NFL and their African stars could be kingmakers.