As the NFL regular season continues to wind down, alumni of NC State football continue to make an impact. Headlined by a crucial performance by quarterback Russell Wilson, several players made key contributions for their respective teams in Week 10.
Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Perhaps one of the most surprising teams in the NFL this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have quietly earned a 7-2 record. One notable component of this strong start derives from the fact that the black and yellow have faced considerable uncertainty at quarterback.
Starting the season, the Steelers rolled with Justin Fields behind center. Keeping him at quarterback for several weeks, the team decided to switch over to Wilson in Week 7. So far, Wilson has not disappointed as he has helped guide the team to a 3-0 record under his leadership. He has thrown for 737 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception.
This past week, the Steelers took on another up-and-coming team in the Commanders. Boasting a solid defense, Wilson helped power his team and do what was needed to pull off a road win. Despite throwing for only 195 yards, he tossed three touchdowns, his highest single-game mark since Week 8 of last season. With his team down by six in the waning minutes of the game, Wilson delivered on a 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Williams to help put the Steelers ahead for good.
Alim McNeil, Detroit Lions
Coming off their first playoff win in over three decades, the Detroit Lions sit near the top of the league with an 8-1 record.
In Week 10, the team got a scare from the Houston Texans. Leading the game 23-13 at the end of the third quarter, it appeared as if the Texans would pull off a key win. However, the Lions responded by putting together a 13-point fourth quarter to help steal the game.
After quarterback Jared Goff threw five interceptions throughout the contest, the Lions relied on their defense to keep them in the match. With star defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson out for the season, the Lions have leaned on former Wolfpack defensive lineman Alim McNeil to anchor the defense.
After enjoying a great game against the Cowboys in Week 5, McNeil put forth another strong performance in Week 10. Amassing six total tackles — five of which were solo — he also grabbed a sack and a quarterback hit. With the team down by 10 in the third quarter, McNeil sacked Texans quarterback CJ Stroud. In the process, he injured himself and had to briefly step off the field. However, McNeil returned to the action and recorded two more tackles as he forced the Texans into three consecutive scoreless drives while the Lions’ offense was given time to mount a comeback.
Ikem Ekwonu, Carolina Panthers
This season has been one of many recent seasons in which a plethora of struggles have surrounded the Carolina Panthers. With several problems on both sides of the football, wins have been hard to come by. However, over the past two weeks, the Panthers have won back-to-back games for the first time in two seasons. One factor in both of the Panthers’ wins has been their ability to protect quarterback Bryce Young. Only allowing two sacks in the past two weeks, Young has found a cleaner pocket than normal. Players such as tackle Ikem Ekwonu have helped provide him with more time to process the defense.
The Panthers took down the New York Giants in Germany and enjoyed one of their best rushing performances in recent memory. Led by the efforts of Ekwonu and the offensive line, running back Chuba Hubbard put forth a career-high 153 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Ekwonu has made considerable progress after a sophomore season that saw him take a noticeable dive in terms of production. In the 2023 season, he allowed a staggering 11 sacks in 1,148 snaps of football. This season, he has allowed just two sacks on the quarterback through 469 snaps.
Germaine Pratt, Cincinnati Bengals
To open up Week 10, NFL fans were treated to an offensive masterclass as the Cincinnati Bengals took on the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. Putting up a combined 69 points and 859 yards, the two teams were certainly not lacking in offensive production.
Despite the NFL world gravitating to the offensive outburst, both teams saw key contributions on the defensive side of the ball. The Bengals relied on linebacker Germaine Pratt consistently to help establish some defensive momentum.
Pratt did his part in the contest, recording six solo tackles and eight total tackles. After enjoying a close 14-7 halftime lead, Pratt and the Bengals came out of the locker room ready to go in the second half. Pratt had a quiet first half but came alive in the second as he posted all eight of his tackles after halftime. Though the defense as a whole couldn’t stop the onslaught from MVP frontrunner, quarterback Lamar Jackson, Pratt has well established himself as one of the key pieces of the Cincinnati defense.
