Penn State in the NFL: Week 6
After a stellar Week 5 from Penn State’s NFL stars, it was tough sledding during Week 6. However, that’s not to say there were not any bright spots during this past weekend’s league play.
Allen Robinson followed up his elite game against the Buccaneers in Week 5 with a modest five receptions for 53 yards versus Carolina. The Bears controlled most of the game and did not have to rely on their star receiver too much to secure a victory. Overall, it was not a bad outing for Robinson, but it was certainly not as electric as his last game.
Chicago continues to surprise fans, as the Bears improved their record to 5-1 on Sunday. It’s not farfetched to say that Robinson is Penn State’s best current NFL player.
Similarly, Chris Godwin had a decent game, as his Buccaneers squad cruised to victory over Green Bay. His five receptions for 48 yards certainly didn’t jump out on the box score, but he did his job and played his position well.
Despite a loss to the surging Ravens, former Nittany Lions tailback Miles Sanders put in another quality performance. On just nine carries, Sanders managed to accumulate 118 yards on the ground, highlighted by a 74-yard run.
This huge burst seemed to highlight all his strengths and weaknesses in one play. Sanders quickly found the hole and showed off his breakaway speed but fumbled the ball around the 5-yard line. Luckily, teammate JJ Arcega-Whiteside was there to pick up the ball in the end zone.
Unfortunately, Sanders picked up a knee injury on that same play. This injury will last one to two weeks and will most certainly sideline Sanders for the Eagles’ Thursday night matchup with the New York Giants.
After Sanders, Godwin and Robinson, most of the former Nittany Lions had quiet weekends.
Mike Gesicki had no receptions on two targets, as his Dolphins shutout the winless Jets. KJ Hamler missed Sunday’s game against New England with a hamstring injury. Adrian Amos and the Packers defense were shredded by Tom Brady and the Bucs.
Obviously, Week 6 was not a flashy week for former Penn State players. However, a week like this one shows that even when Penn State players are not making the highlight reel, they are still fulfilling the roles that their teams need them to cover.
Hopefully we will see some bounce-back games for former Nittany Lions in Week 7.
Maclain Young is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email macyoung21@gmail.com.
