Penn State in the NFL: Week 11
The NFL season wraps up another week of exciting football, and former Nittany Lions strapped up to show why they deserve a spot on NFL rosters.
Tennessee Titans defensive lineman DaQuan Jones racked up five total tackles and one sack on Indianapolis Colts quarterback Phillip Rivers. Tennessee would end up losing that game to the Colts 34-17 on Thursday night.
On Sunday, more Penn State football alumni stepped onto the gridiron for their respected teams, including running back Miles Sanders for the Philadelphia Eagles. Sanders was activated on the roster after dealing with a knee injury, and he ran for 85 on 15 carries in a 27-17 loss to the New York Giants. For the Giants, Austin Johnson recorded two total tackles.
In Charlotte, three Nittany Lions played, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 46-23. Wide receiver Chris Godwin caught six receptions for 92 yards, and offensive lineman A.Q. Shipley got playing time for the Buccaneers. Carolina’s rookie edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos recorded five total tackles, one for loss.
In Detroit, Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye and Washington’s Troy Apke had a defensive back battle, with Apke recording one tackle to Oruwariye’s four. Tight end Jesse James caught two passes for 9 yards, as he and the Lions beat the Washington Football Team 30-27.
To wrap up the 1 p.m. slate of games, Green Bay Packers safety Adrian Amos showed up against the Jacksonville Jaguars, as he picked off quarterback Jake Luton for 23 yards. Amos also recorded two tackles in the open field en route to a 24-20 victory for the Packers.
In Las Vegas, two Denver Broncos receivers were utilized by quarterback Drew Lock: KJ Hamler and DaeSean Hamilton. Hamler racked up 61 yards on four receptions, while Hamilton caught four receptions for 33 yards and the only touchdown for the Broncos in their 37-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
For the Miami Dolphins, tight end Mike Gesicki finished with two receptions for 40 yards, the longest going for 23 yards. Miami went on to win 29-21 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The San Francisco 49ers could not get the offense going, thus relying on kicker Robbie Gould to carry the workload, as the 49ers lost to the New Orleans Saints 27-13. Gould finished the day with a perfect kicking percentage, hitting an extra point and two field goals; the longest was 40 yards out.
In the steel city, defensive back turned linebacker Marcus Allen had a quiet day, recording one tackle for the Steelers. Pittsburgh would beat the Cincinnati Bengals 36-10, remaining undefeated.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson showed up on Monday night. Robinson caught six balls on nine targets for 43 yards in the 19-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He led all Bears players in receiving.
Notable players who did not play this week due to a bye week include Sam Ficken, the kicker for the 0-9 New York Jets, and Connor McGovern, an offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys. They return to action next week.
Jonathan Draeger is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. You can contact him at jrd6052@psu.edu.
