Penn State In The NFL: Week 1
Week 1 in the NFL season is finally upon us which means some Penn State alumni get to continue to live out their dream of playing in the NFL. There were some big moments for the Penn State players this weekend, including Chris Godwin’s touchdown and Saquon Barkley’s return. Now let's dive into the games!
Buccaneers vs. Cowboys
This game featured some of the best Penn State talent in the NFL by far. Chris Godwin caught the first touchdown of the NFL as a part of his nine catch, 150 yard performance. His longest catch totaled 24 yards and his fumble at the end of the game did not prove to be costly as Ryan Succop was able to nail the final kick.
Micah Parsons started his first NFL game and was primarily in the game for passing situations, but played well overall. He racked up seven tackles, a pass defended and a quarterback hit in his debut.
Connor McGovern started the game at left guard for the Cowboys and played a solid game. Donovan Smith did the same at left tackle for Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
Falcons vs. Eagles
Miles Sanders was a top offensive weapon for the Eagles in this game as he rushed for 74 yards on 15 attempts and caught four passes for 39 yards. His longest rush was for 23 yards and his longest reception was for 25 yards, displaying a consistent big play ability.
Bills vs. Steelers
Pat Freiermuth made his NFL debut this week by catching a 24 yard reception on his only target. Ryan Bates served as a backup offensive lineman and Marcus Allen served as a backup inside linebacker.
Bengals vs. Vikings
Dan Chisena is currently on the injured reserve for the Vikings.
Lions vs. 49ers
Jason Cabinda got his first game as the super utility player while serving as a linebacker, fullback and third string tight end. He got recorded one target on the day and made two tackles.
Amani Oruwariye served as the top cornerback when Jeff Okudah went down and had a solid day with a pass defended. His only blunder was slipping when the 49ers scored their first touchdown.
Kevin Givens had a tackle for the 49ers and Robbie Gould went two for three on field goals with a long of 52 yards. He also made all five extra points.
Titans vs. Cardinals
Jack Crawford is on the injured reserve and Ross Travis is on the practice squad for the Cardinals. Sam Ficken is on the injured reserve and Jan Johnson is on the practice squad for the Titans.
Colts vs. Seahawks
Will Fries served as a backup guard and Robert Windsor is on injured reserve. John Reid served as a backup cornerback.
Football Team vs. Chargers
Troy Apke was listed as a backup cornerback and Shaka Toney was declared inactive for the game.
Panthers vs. Jets
Yetur Gross-Matos got playing time off the bench and recorded two tackles including one for loss, while DaQuan Jones started at defensive tackle and got two tackles.
Patriots vs. Dolphins
Mike Gesicki started at tight end for the Dolphins and didn’t record a reception on two targets.
Saints vs. Packers
Adrian Amos started at safety and racked up nine tackles for the Packers. Blake Gillikin only punted twice for 103 yards and pinned the Packers inside the 20-yard line once.
Chris Hogan caught a 10 yard touchdown pass and former Nittany Lion Juwan Johnson had three catches, two for touchdowns.
Giants vs. Broncos
KJ Hamler racked up three receptions for 41 yards. Saquon Barkley, on a snap count, only had 27 total yards in return from injury. Cam Brown served as a backup linebacker and Austin Johnson had five tackles and a sack as the starting nose tackle for the Giants.
Rams vs. Bears
Allen Robinson is the most notable name here, as he had six catches for 35 yards while Jesse James served as a backup tight end for the Bears. For the Rams, Nick Scott had a solo tackle.
Raiders vs. Ravens
Odafe Oweh made a big first impression in his NFL debut by totaling two tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss while Trace McSorley is still on the Ravens practice squad. Carl Nassib had three tackles and a sack while Nick Bowers was inactive.
Penn State alumni touchdown count after Week 1: 4
James Morrison is a sophomore majoring in communications. To reach him, email jpm6920@psu.edu.
