Week seven was a week full of upsets and surprises within the NFL. There seems to be a clear separation between contenders and pretenders, and new superstars have emerged to try to lead their teams to the playoffs. Nonetheless, former members of the Wolfpack continue to impress and make big plays for their teams.
Jakobi Meyers: Las Vegas Raiders, WR
The Las Vegas Raiders have been one of the most confusing teams in football — they have a wide array of offensive talents, yet can’t score consistently. Some of this can be blamed on the quarterback situation, with the injury of Jimmy Garoppolo forcing veteran Brian Hoyer into the starting spot. On Sunday, the Raiders took on the Chicago Bears, widely known as one of the worst teams in the NFL. It resulted in a pitiful 30-12 loss, marking their fourth loss of the season.
One of the few bright spots of this Raiders team has been former Wolfpack wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. Meyers has quickly earned the spot as wide receiver No. 2 on the team, right behind superstar wideout Davantae Adams. He caught seven passes for 50 yards and a touchdown, making it his fourth game with over 50 yards and a score.
He’s proven that it doesn’t matter who throws him the ball; the Raiders have now had three different starting quarterbacks, and Meyers has thrived no matter the starter.
Bradley Chubb: Miami Dolphins, LB
The Miami Dolphins have been the offensive juggernaut of the NFL, leading the league with an average of 34.3 points per game. In their second primetime game of the season, they took on the NFC-leading Philadelphia Eagles in one of the most anticipated games of the season, providing a look at a potential Super Bowl matchup. However, both sides of Miami failed to perform — the offense scored just 17 points and the defense allowed 31 points.
Though the defense underperformed, former Wolfpack linebacker Bradley Chubb had a dominant outing against what many regard as the best offensive line in the league. Chubb ended with seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Although he was off to a slow start, Chubb has quickly returned to his usual All-Pro form. He was in the backfield on almost every play, providing constant pressure on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Russell Wilson: Denver Broncos, QB
The Denver Broncos have been one of the most disappointing teams in the league. From offensive failures to the worst defenses in the league, they have had problems across the board. However, the Broncos hosted the Green Bay Packers and defeated them 19-17, marking just their second win of the season and only the second time the defense has held its opponents to 17 points or less.
Former member of the Wolfpack Russell Wilson has been under scrutiny for the majority of the season, as many expected both him and the Broncos to rebound after their horrible performance last season. While the Broncos have failed expectations, not all the blame can be placed on Wilson; he helped lead the Broncos to their win Sunday, completing 20 out of 29 passes for 194 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers. He now has 13 passing touchdowns on the season, showing improvement from the previous year when he only had 16.
As long as he continues to show this type of improvement, the failures of the Broncos will be impossible to blame on him. Wilson now faces his biggest challenge of the season as they play their division rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, who lead the AFC.
