By William Qualkinbush.
The National Football League is full of former Clemson players. Several of them had monster days in Week 10. Here is a recap of a busy football weekend for Clemson alumni…
Kansas City 17, Buffalo 13
BUF: Sammy Watkins 4 rec, 27 yds
Watkins’ status for Sunday’s game was considered tenuous due to a groin injury. He played, but it wasn’t the same Sammy Watkins fans have become accustomed to seeing on the field. An inconsistent Kyle Orton missed him several times down the field in the game, and Watkins failed to gain more than eight yards on any of his four receptions. The ten targets he garnered does indicate his continued presence at the front of Orton’s mind.
Baltimore 21, Tennessee 7
TEN: Coty Sensabaugh 1 tackle
Sensabaugh appeared a bit shaky after missing a few games due to an injury. Moving forward, he is still very much entrenched as the nickel corner for a young Titans defense.
Atlanta 27, Tampa Bay 17
ATL: Malliciah Goodman 3 tackles (2 solo)
TB: Da’Quan Bowers 1 tackle
Both former Clemson defensive ends had success in their respective roles. Goodman rotated nicely at defensive end, while Bowers had to deal with some rust after missing two games due to a performance-enhancing drugs suspension. Numbers like this have become the norm for both Goodman and Bowers this season.
NY Jets 20, Pittsburgh 13
PIT: Martavis Bryant 4 rec, 143 yds, TD
Bryant had a quieter day than usual for Pittsburgh in a disappointing defeat. However, Bryant found the end zone late in the game on an 80-yard catch-and-run. He tied for third on the team in targets with seven and continues to emerge as a viable option for the Steelers on a weekly basis.
Seattle 38, NY Giants 17
SEA: Byron Maxwell 3 tackles, PBU
The Seahawks’ secondary has been banged up for weeks, but the group is beginning to mend itself back to health. Maxwell is an important piece of the Legion of Boom defense, and his healthy presence opposite Richard Sherman takes the Seattle pass defense to the next level. Maxwell looked stronger in his action this week as he continues to recover.
Arizona 31, St. Louis 14
ARI: Andre Ellington 18 car, 23 yds, TD; 5 rec, 19 yds
Jaron Brown 3 rec, 35 yds
Chandler Catanzaro 1-2 FG, 4-4 XP
Perhaps the most noteworthy bit of news from this game was that Catanzaro missed a kick. He had banged home 15 straight field goals before missing on a 53-yarder in the fourth quarter on the play after quarterback Carson Palmer suffered a season-ending injury. Still, the rookie made a 43-yard kick and continues to impress. Ellington was held in check on the ground, but he caught all five targets and will undoubtedly see even more work given Palmer’s extended absence. Brown caught all three of his targets in his busiest game in quite a while.
Key Inactives: Andre Branch, JAC; Charlie Whitehurst, TEN.