As Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone, the NFL playoff picture is beginning to cement itself. However, several teams are still trying to make a push, with several former Pack football players trying to do their part.
Jacoby Brissett – Cleveland Browns, QB
So far this season, the Cleveland Browns have largely underperformed. A combination of close losses and the suspension of starting quarterback Deshaun Watson have largely held the team back. However, that doesn’t take away from the efforts of Brissett who has done a great job at keeping his team competitive. Fans saw this on Sunday as he helped guide the Browns to a thrilling overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In the Browns win, Brissett tossed for a respectable 210 yards and a touchdown. At the end of the fourth quarter, he fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to David Njoku to tie the game. Later in overtime, he connected with Amari Cooper on a 45-yard gain which set up Nick Chubb to score the game-winning touchdown.
Ikem Ekwonu – Carolina Panthers, OT
On Sunday, the Carolina Panthers defeated the Denver Broncos 23-10, showing that hope is not completely lost for the season as they sit only one game out of the division lead. The NFC South has been largely disappointed this season, none of the four teams currently have a winning record. If they can make a push for the division crown, several pieces will be needed including Ekwonu.
Last week, Ekwonu and the Panthers’ offensive line proved instrumental in helping Carolina record 185 total rushing yards. This included helping guide D’Onta Foreman to yet another 100-yard rushing performance this season. Ekwonu and company also excelled in protecting quarterback Sam Darnold who didn’t get sacked all game.
Zonovan Knight – New York Jets, RB
Currently, the New York Jets find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they are aiming to make a playoff push amid the heavily competitive AFC East. After a crushing loss last week to the New England Patriots, they picked up a convincing 31-10 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of the game was Knight’s performance, impressing on the ground and through the air.
In his first true start, Knight ran for 69 yards and accounted for 34 receiving yards. In total, his 103 scrimmage yards set a Jets franchise record for most scrimmage yards by a player in their debut. He should continue to see more opportunities this season as the Jets’ running back room is rather depleted with the injuries of Breece Hall and Michael Carter.
Joe Thuney – Kansas City Chiefs, OG
The Kansas City Chiefs are absolutely rolling as they sit quite comfortably atop the AFC West. On Sunday, they defeated the injury-ridden Los Angeles Rams 26-10. A large part of this game involved the success of Patrick Mahomes and the passing game as they put up 320 yards. The running game was evident, as they compiled 117 total rushing yards. However this could not have been accomplished without Joe Thuney and the Chiefs’ offensive line. He also helped lead a group that allowed no sacks throughout the contest.
Thuney has quietly had a solid season with the Chiefs, playing every offensive snap for the team. He currently has a very respectable 75.9 grade according to Pro Football Focus. He has only allowed one sack on the season and has only committed two penalties.
