Week 2: Auburn Players in NFL Make Up For Losses on Saturday
By Ty Roush
Errors committed on Saturday can often be forgotten with the success on Sunday.
With another disappointing loss against Texas A&M that featured, once again, Gus Malzahn’s inability to work with a passing oriented quarterback, eyes turned back to those former Auburn stars who earned their place in fan’s hearts.
Here are the featured Auburn football alumni in the second week of NFL action:
Carolina Panthers
It’s hard to forget about Cam Newton with how well he has performed, along with the obvious mention of the statue outside Jordan-Hare, yet Newton is continuing to impress with elite play in his sixth season. Newton finished the game going 24-40 for 353 yards and four touchdowns, which includes a 78-yard bomb, in a dominating 46-27 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Along with Newton, Cameron Artis-Payne will look to get his debut next week with Panthers’ starting running back Jonathan Stewart out. Getting his first start, Artis-Payne hopes to find himself as more of a presence in the already dominant rushing game.
Cincinnati Bengals
If the Bengals weren’t playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, they might have won. Former tight end C.J. Uzomah had three receptions for nine total yards on eight targets to add an ounce onto the 412 total offensive yards achieved as a team. On defense former inside linebacker Karlos Dansby tallied 10 total tackles with one assisted tackle alongside defensive tackle Pat Sims, who had two assisted tackles, helped tone down the commanding Steeler offense.
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland won’t have much to look forward to until basketball season starts. Starting their fifth quarterback in five consecutive games, the Browns aren’t looking to impress. They did, however, start off their game with a 20-0 lead over the Baltimore Ravens with the aid of former offensive tackle Shon Coleman pushing the team to 145 rushing yards as a team.
Defensively, linebacker Corey Lemonier had one total tackle in the collapse and was not able to stop the Ravens’ comeback bid.
Indianapolis Colts
Trouble stirring in week one for Indianapolis, the Colts looked for a bounce back win against the surging Denver Broncos the following week. Quan Bray, former wide receiver, caught his first pass of the season for seven yards to assist his team in scoring 20 points, yet that was not enough for the Bronco defense holding on for a 34-20 win.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Running back Corey Grant made his debut against the San Diego Chargers with a single reception for a 15-yard gain. As the season progresses, it seems that Grant will gain an increasing role on offense in both the air and ground game. Helping aid Grant and the Jaguars push for 69 yards on the ground game was former offensive lineman Patrick Miller, who, in turn, was a key part in bringing two scores for his team. The Chargers, however, had a surprising game with the loss of key figures and ended up winning 38-14.
Kansas City Chiefs
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A surging comeback victory against the Chargers in week one had hopes for the Chiefs to keep running on full throttle against the Houston Texan defense. However, despite a great performance on defense with linebacker Dee Ford tallying three combined tackles with one assisted, the Texans were able to get ahead of a silenced Chief offense for a 19-12 victory.
Los Angeles Rams
Having Los Angeles as the new location for the Rams will take some getting used to. Similarly the Rams have had a rough start to their season, but saw some shine of hope in an otherworldly performance by the defense in a 9-3 win over the favored Seattle Seahawks. Offensive tackle Greg Robinson held his line against the Seahawk defense for a struggling Rams rushing game, giving his team room to run for 64 total yards on the ground.
New Orleans Saints
Suffering a loss in week one in comeback fashion is never good for team morale, and week two would be a stepping stone for the Saints to grow into developing form. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley had three combined tackles with one assisted tackle in the last second loss to the New York Giants 16-13.
Oakland Raiders
With week one showcasing the firepower of the Raider offense, surely they would have the same success against the developing Atlanta Falcons. Daren Bates, former linebacker, totaled a single combined tackle with an assisted tackle, yet the Raider defense was unable to hold the Falcons from taking a 35-28 lead in a comeback bid for Oakland.
Pittsburgh Steelers
An offense that has become one of football’s best, the Steelers were matched against a tough division game with the Cincinnati Bengals. Wide receiver Sammie Coates has taken the opportunity to make a name for himself, and after a solid week one performance, Coates came out and showed out once again. With just two receptions, Coates managed 97 yards with a long for 53 and even had six with a rushing attempt in the win against the Bengals 24-16.
San Diego Chargers
Bringing the first two career touchdowns to his running back in week one, King Dunlap, offensive tackle, once again brought consistency to a Charger rushing attack for a total of 150 yards as a team in a dominating victory over Jacksonville 38-14
Tennessee Titans
Losing in week one did not show the potential for the Titans in week two, yet they ended up with a victory with a game winning drive 16-15. Alongside a defense that made it possible for the Titans to squeeze out a victory, Angelo Blackson, defensive end, tallied two combined tackles with one assisted.
Next: SEC Football Power Rankings
With LSU around the corner and Gus Malzahn on the hot seat, let’s hope that performances on Sunday calming our nerves from a disastrous Saturday won’t be needed.