Week 9: Auburn Football Players in the NFL

Here we take a weekly look at the performances of Auburn football players in the NFL in week nine of play.

Vanderbilt and a perfectly timed blocked field goal aside — Cleveland still isn’t catching a break. A 35-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys has Cleveland going winless through nine weeks of play, and the odds are a win won’t happen the rest of the season.

An offense relying on a quarterback converted to wide receiver, special teams specialist, running back and back to quarterback is nothing to be excited about. Deemed one of the smartest players in football, Terrelle Pryor is the Cleveland Browns. The Oakland Raiders were the last to give him the helm, and it didn’t end pretty.

Pryor is the backup quarterback that would be best suited for Seattle, as the Seahawks and Pete Carroll have a knack for getting athletic quarterbacks to be captained into doing coin flips.

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A product of The Ohio State University — the Buckeyes still willing to take that 1957 national title away from Auburn — Pryor is one of many Buckeyes producing on the football field. In week nine of the NFL season, Auburn’s pride is just as evident, from the reigning MVP to the backup running back in Tampa Bay.

Here’s a look at Auburn players taking a shot at the NFL in week nine action:

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have had a season reminiscent of the last despite having their quarterback return from a torn ACL. Week nine had the Ravens matched against the Pittsburgh Steelers, starring a quarterback who is also recovering from injury suffered last week. Even as the Steelers offense was unmatched going into week seven, Pittsburgh has faced some woes with abundant injuries. In the 21-14 win, cornerback Jerraud Powers totaled one sack and one tackle to get the Ravens back into the AFC North.

Carolina Panthers

An offense that has slowed down since recovering from a Super Bowl loss, the Panthers must win out if they have any hope of making the playoffs. Heading into Los Angeles to take on the Rams, the Panthers faced another defensive test. Cam Newton, who has decided to take on the leader role in the fight against faulty refereeing rather than quarterback a football team, did all he could against the Rams.

Completing 62.5 percent of his passes for 225 yards and a score, Newton was unable to run the ball. With seven rushes for just 16 yards, Newton and the Panthers were thankful to pull out the 13-10 win.

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns will lose 16 games this season.

Something has to be done to the Browns if they will ever have a chance of returning to glory, the drought becoming more impressive as each year rolls out. Taking on the Dallas Cowboys and two MVP nominees, the Browns were unable to find an answer for anything the Cowboys offered. Offensive tackle Shon Coleman only managed to get his team 45 rushing yards while placekicker Cody Parkey made just one of his two attempts, hitting a long of 31 in the 35-10 loss.

Jacksonville Jaguars.

Maybe next year, Jacksonville.

With Kansas City on the schedule for week nine, the Jaguars had the ability to show at least an ounce of growth to look for in the rest of the season. This did not happen.

Defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks had a sack and a tackle in the 14-19 loss to the Chiefs, and Marks was the only highlight in what was just an ugly game to watch.

Kansas City Chiefs

On the contrary, the Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the dark horse role very well. Linebacker Dee Ford had three tackles and two sacks in the 14-19 win over Jacksonville, and is now tied for third in the NFL for sacks at nine. Ford and company are pushing to take a lead in a competitive AFC West, and Ford himself is shutting down all remaining glimpses of his draft bust moniker.

San Diego Chargers

Always watch the Chargers play if available.

The San Diego Chargers continue their masterful ways of making games both stressful and entertaining in a week nine game against the Tennessee Titans. Offensive tackle King Dunlap thrived against the Titan defensive line, pushing his team ahead for an impressive 208 rushing yards. The Chargers won the shootout 43-35, and have the capability of making the AFC West a four team race.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Peyton Barber taking advantage of the injuries plaguing his backfield, the running back returned to the field for 31 yards on 11 rushes. Defensive tackle DeVonte Lambert had three tackles against the Atlanta Falcons, but was not enough to shut down the dominant offense in the 28-43 loss on Thursday Night Football.

Next: Auburn’s Path to College Football Playoff

Here’s to Daniel Carlson and Carl Lawson doing their thing.

War Eagle!