As the NFL playoffs draw near, many teams are vying for the seven remaining playoff spots. Several Pack pros are taking part in their team’s postseason push, so let’s have a look at how they did:
Nyheim Hines, running back, Indianapolis Colts
This week’s Pack Pro action kicked off with three Wolfpack alumni in Indianapolis, running back Nyheim Hines and quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett, succumbing to a Pittsburgh Steelers comeback to fall 28-24. As has been the case for most the season, Hines took a backseat to fellow running back Jonathan Taylor in the Colts’ rushing attack while Hines served as the primary back in the passing game. Hines finished the game with eight rushes for 44 yards on the ground in addition to five receptions for 20 receiving yards.
Hines’ 20 receiving yards against Pittsburgh puts him at 432 such yards for the season, a new career best for Hines. The third-year Colts running back has already surpassed his season rushing total from his rookie year after seeing significantly less touches in 2019.
Philip Rivers, quarterback, Indianapolis Colts
The previously mentioned Rivers was also in action in Indianapolis’ loss, completing 22 of his 35 passes for 270 yards, one touchdown, one interception and one lost fumble. Rivers also set a few milestones on the way: With a 42-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Zach Pascal, Rivers tied Dan Marino for fifth all time in career touchdown passes.
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Rivers, however; his one interception came at a crucial time in the game, as Indianapolis had the ball down 28-24 with just over six minutes left. Rivers hurled a deep ball, looking for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., but found Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton instead. This was the second time Hilton caused problems for Rivers, as Hilton recovered Rivers’ fumble in the first quarter that was forced by a Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt sack.
Mike Glennon, quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars
Rivers was not the only quarterback to struggle in the turnover department this week, as Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mike Glennon threw two picks as part of his performance in a 41-17 loss to the Chicago Bears. Glennon completed 24 of 37 passes for 211 yards and two touchdown passes in addition to his two interceptions.
This was Glennon’s fourth game for Jacksonville this season, and despite posting his best single-game quarterback rating thus far, his performance was no match for the Bears squad that blew out Jacksonville by 24 points.
Josh Jones, safety, Jacksonville Jaguars
Despite an offensive flourish from the Chicago offense against Jacksonville, some noteworthy defensive performances were made. One of these was made by Jaguars safety Josh Jones. Amid the 41 points scored by the Bears, Jones made six tackles, all of them solo. The six-tackle performance was distinctly different than his previous two games, in which he logged just two against Baltimore and three against Tennessee.
Jones has now accumulated 82 tackles in 12 games this season, besting his previous career high of 71 from his 2017 rookie campaign in Green Bay, when he played all 16 games.
Germaine Pratt, linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals
In a 37-31 victory over the Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt notched five total tackles, including three solo tackles and one tackle for loss. This performance propelled Pratt past his tackle total from his rookie year. With one more game on the schedule, he is on his way to really making himself a stalwart of the Bengals’ defense as he currently sits at fourth on the team in total tackles for the second year in a row.
Justin Jones, defensive tackle, Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers eked out a victory over the Denver Broncos by a score of 19-16. Part of the defensive effort for LAC was defensive tackle Justin Jones. Jones made four tackles, three of them solo, and was credited with one quarterback hit. The four total tackles put Jones at 30 for the season, matching his career high from a season ago.
Russell Wilson, quarterback, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson led his team to a 20-9 win over the Los Angeles Rams to clinch the NFC West division this weekend. Wilson completed 20 of 32 passes for 225 yards and one touchdown, as well as committing zero turnovers. He also scrambled thrice for 9 yards and one touchdown. His fourth-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Hollister with under three minutes remaining iced the game and the division title for Seattle.
Wilson’s 2020 has the potential to be his best year yet. With one game to go, career bests in completion percentage and passing yards are both well within reach. Wilson already marked a new career high in touchdown passes with 38, a total that ties him with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for second in the NFL.
Jakobi Meyers, wide receiver, New England Patriots
As the New England Patriots were stifled 38-9 by the Buffalo Bills, a bright spot remains on the Patriots’ offense in wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. Meyers caught four of his six targets for 45 yards. Meyers’ team-leading 661 receiving yards on 53 receptions this season has solidified him as New England’s primary pass-catcher. Though he continues to look for his first career touchdown catch, Meyers appears to be a key cog in the future of New England’s offense.
