Badgers in the NFL, Week 11

Past highlights, notes and posts about Wisconsin Badgers in the NFL can be found here, while a complete list of former Badgers currently on active NFL rosters can be found here.

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks quarterback

Wilson and his Seahawks (including wide receiver and former Badger Tanner McEvoy) picked up their third consecutive win on Sunday, a 26-15 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Wilson completed 18 of 31 yards for 272 yards and a touchdown. He added 19 yards on eight carries, but the biggest highlight of the day was his 15-yard touchdown reception. Wilson tossed the ball to wide receiver Doug Baldwin and took off down the opposite sideline. Baldwin dropped a perfect pass in to Wilson, who scored his first NFL touchdown reception:

Yes, that play certainly reminded many of Wilson’s lone receiving touchdown as a Badger. In a 59-7 drubbing of Indiana, Wilson reeled in a Montee Ball pass for 25 yards and a score:

James White, New England Patriots running back

Presumable due to the return of running back Dion Lewis, White saw no carries in Sunday’s win over the San Francisco 49ers. However, he caught six passes for 63 yards. Those six catches included a long of 20 yards and this nine-yard reception that ended with White powering into the end zone:

Through 10 games, White leads the Patriots with 330 yards after catch and is tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns (four). His 39 receptions tie him for second on the team as well.

Notes and Highlights

• Jacksonville Jaguars punter Brad Nortman continued his success in his first season with the team. He punted six times and landed four of them inside the 20. He did, however, have one punt returned for a touchdown in the second quarter as Detroit’s Andre Roberts scored a 55-yard touchdown. There was some controversy with the play; the Jaguars believed that Roberts had called for a fair catch on the play.
• Los Angeles Rams tight end Lance Kendricks caught four balls for 38 yards in rookie quarterback Jared Goff’s first start. Kendricks added a lost fumble in the 14-10 loss against Miami.
• Cincinnati Bengals receiver Alex Erickson got his hands on the ball three times on Sunday. He caught one pass for seven yards, returned a punt for 13 yards and one kick for 36 yards. He moved up to seventh in the NFL in total kick return yards.
• Buffalo Bills lineman Ryan Groy made his first career start Sunday against Erickson and the Bengals. The Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski wrote about Groy’s start and what it meant to him. The article includes some good quotes about Groy from several of his Buffalo teammates.
• New York Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas recorded three tackles, including one for loss, in the team’s win over Chicago.
• Defensive tackle Beau Allen recorded a tackle as his team fell to Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. The former Badgers teammates found time to embrace after the game.
• Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy returned to practice for the first time in awhile this week, though he was inactive for Sunday’s game. Last week, Levy made headlines for his comments on former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno. Levy put his thoughts into words in his weekly column in the Detroit Free Press this weekend.
• Joe Thomas and the Cleveland Browns clinched another season without a playoff appearance on Sunday. After their 10th straight loss, Thomas expressed his frustration with Browns’ management.
• Thomas’s teammate and fellow UW alum Joe Schobert recorded two tackles in Cleveland’s 24-9 loss to Pittsburgh.
• With starting quarterback Andrew Luck in the NFL’s concussion protocol, all signs point to Scott Tolzien getting his first start as a member of the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday.