This week saw a roller coaster for NC State quarterbacks, but was highlighted by the Russell Wilson-led Seahawks clinching an impressive victory on Monday Night Football, while Ryan Finley saw his first NFL action. Let’s take a closer look at how some former Pack football players did this week in the NFL.
Russell Wilson, Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks
In an instant classic Monday Night Football game, Wilson led the Seahawks to a 27-24 victory over the then-unbeaten San Francisco 49ers in overtime. The Seahawks had the lead late, but undrafted 49ers rookie kicker Chase McLaughlin knocked in a 47-yard field goal to bring the game to overtime.
In his first overtime drive, Wilson threw what looked like would be a costly interception in 49ers territory, that was returned for 47 yards by Dre Greenlaw. Despite this, the 49ers drove down the field just for McLaughlin to miss a potential game-winner, also from 47 yards out. Both teams exchanged punts, but with a minute and 25 seconds left, Wilson led the team down the field, allowing the Seahawks to land a 42-yard field goal as time expired.
Despite the overtime interception, Wilson continued to look dominant in the win, as the Seahawks are now 8-2, just half a game out of the lead for first place in the NFC West, and now hold a crucial division win over the Niners. Wilson finished the game with 232 passing yards on 71% completion, 53 rushing yards on six attempts, and a passing touchdown. Wilson successfully got into Niners territory on the game-winning drive by way of a highlight-reel 18-yard rush with just a minute and sixteen seconds left.
Wilson now sits at 2,737 passing yards, 256 rushing yards and 23 passing touchdowns to just two interceptions all year, with three rushing touchdowns. Wilson seems firmly in the lead in this year’s MVP race, as the Seahawks inch closer to nabbing a playoff spot with each consecutive impressive week.
Philip Rivers, Quarterback, Los Angeles Chargers
Luck is beginning to run out for Rivers and the Chargers, who now sit at 4-6 after a frustrating loss to the division rival Oakland Raiders, who now have a one-game lead on the Chargers for second place in the AFC West. Rivers has had a rough season, as injuries and holdouts to some of his teammates have limited what he can do. Despite this, Rivers sits at 14 touchdowns and ten interceptions on the season. For reference, Rivers threw just ten interceptions all season in 2017 and just 12 last season. There are six games left in the regular season for the Chargers.
Rivers’ performance on Thursday Night Football did not help matters, as he had one of his worst performances in recent memory, throwing three interceptions to just two touchdowns. He threw for 207 yards on 55% completion, but was brutalized by defensive back Erik Harris. Harris returned one of Rivers’ interceptions for a touchdown and finished with two interceptions of Rivers, after intercepting fellow Wolfpack alum Jacoby Brissett a month prior.
The Chargers’ schedule does not appear to get easier in the following weeks, as the team still awaits two matchups with the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs, and games against the Minnesota Vikings and Raiders.
Ryan Finley, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
Longtime Bengals starter Andy Dalton was benched in favor of the rookie Finley ahead of a game against the red-hot Baltimore Ravens, and it was a debut that Finley would rather put behind him. Going for 189 all-purpose yards with one touchdown and one interception on 53% completion doesn’t seem terrible on the surface, but in the face of a 36-point loss, it looks a lot worse.
Finley was picked off by defensive back Marcus Peters, who returned the interception for an 89-yard touchdown, marking the second time this week an NC State quarterback threw a pick-six. Finley finished with a 16.7 total QBR, but on an abysmal Bengals team with number one target A.J. Green still recovering, Finley should get the benefit of the doubt and continue to start and progress as a rookie signal-caller.
Nyheim Hines, Running Back, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have now dropped two disappointing games in a row, one against the Steelers and another against the lowly Miami Dolphins. Hines has only 66 rushing yards through nine games this season, but has 218 receiving yards on the year. Hines finished the loss against the Dolphins with 14 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards, but no touchdowns.
Jaylen Samuels, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
Samuels started the last two games for the Steelers, both impressive wins over the Colts and Los Angeles Rams respectively, and recorded 39 yards on the ground with 84 receiving yards for those two games. Starting running back James Conner is expected to return soon, so Samuels’ production will likely dip again as he takes secondary backfield snaps again. Samuels has been a bright spot for a Steelers team that has worked its way back from a 1-4 start to firmly in the playoff hunt in the AFC, now at 5-4.
Germaine Pratt, Linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals
As Pratt slowly works his way into the defensive rotation, as his snaps increase week to week, so will his production. Pratt played 49% of defensive snaps for the Bengals in the 49-13 embarrassment at the hands of the Ravens, and finished with four combined tackles, three of which were solo. Pratt’s three solo tackles were tied for third most on the team in the game, tied with fellow linebacker Preston Brown. Brown was cut the following week by the Bengals, opening up even more opportunity for Pratt.
Stephen Hauschka, Kicker, Buffalo Bills
In a game that was decided by three points, Hauschka’s two missed field goals would have altered history for the Bills, who now sit at 6-3. While the Bills still have a strong chance to make the postseason as a wild card team, another win would have put them at 7-2, with a rough schedule coming up including games against the Ravens and New England Patriots. Hauschka finished the game with just two points, both coming from extra point attempts.
Note: Jacoby Brissett missed the game against the Dolphins with a knee injury. Quarterback Brian Hoyer started in his place, and threw three picks, while the Colts lost 16-12. Brissett looks likely to return to the field in Week 11.
