Many NC State football alumni are in the NFL today, playing different roles for different teams. Here are the top performers from Weeks 8 and 9.
Philip Rivers, Quarterback, San Diego Chargers
Rivers had his worst performance of the season Week 8 in a rematch against the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Denver Broncos. After upsetting them in Week 6, Rivers and his Chargers lost 27-19 this time around. Rivers threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns, but added a season-high three interceptions and completed a season-low 42.6 percent of his passes.
He bounced back against the Tennessee Titans, ironically completing a season-high 72.7 percent of his passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers’ 43-35 victory Week 9. Despite losing three of his top targets within the first two weeks of the season in Keenan Allen, Stevie Johnson and Danny Woodhead, he ranks fourth in the league with 2,560 passing yards.
Russell Wilson, Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks
Following the first tie of the season in the NFL in Week 7, Wilson and the Seahawks lost to the New Orleans Saints, 25-20, in Week 8. Wilson failed to throw for a touchdown for the fourth time this season while throwing just his second interception of the season against an exploitable secondary. He finished with 253 passing yards and three rushes for 11 yards.
He rebounded in a 31-25 victory against the Buffalo Bills Week 9 during Monday Night Football. He completed a season-high 76.9 percent of his passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns, as well as three carries for 10 yards and his first rushing touchdown of the year. It is worth noting that this was only Wilson’s second multi-touchdown performance of the season. Additionally, his rushing totals are way down this year, as he has just 28 carries for 54 yards after running for at least 489 yards and averaging over 5 yards per carry in each of his first four years in the NFL.
David Amerson, Cornerback, Oakland Raiders
Amerson has been the best player in a struggling Raiders’ secondary this year, as he is tied for first in the league with 12 pass deflections and tied for 10th with two interceptions. He tallied four tackles and a pass deflection in the Raiders’ Week 8 overtime victory against the Buccaneers and five tackles in the Week 9 victory against the Broncos Sunday.
Mario Williams, Defensive End, Miami Dolphins
The former No. 1 overall pick has seemingly fallen out of favor with the Dolphins’ coaching staff, as he hasn’t started in the last three games after starting the first five. He has made just three tackles in the last three weeks as Miami is on a three-game winning streak.
Ted Larsen, Guard, Chicago Bears
Larsen started his first game of the year for the Bears in the Week 8 victory against the Vikings. Having the ability to play any of the interior line positions, he started at left guard and flourished as the Bears offensive line allowed just one sack and opened up running lanes, helping the team total 158 yards on the ground.
Stephen Hauschka, Kicker, Seattle Seahawks
With the exception of the infamous tie three weeks ago, Hauschka has been a model of consistency for the Seahawks, converting 15 of 17 field goals and, coincidentally, 15 of 17 PATs on the season. In the loss to the Saints in Week 8, he made both field goals and both extra point attempts. In the win against the Bills in Week 9, he made his lone field goal attempt from 49 yards, as well as all four of his PATs.
