In the second week of the NFL season, several Pack Pros were able to make an impact for their teams as a result of moving up the depth chart. Some Wolfpack alumni struggled in their new roles, while others made the most of the openings. Let’s take a look at how each Pack Pros fared last week.
Russell Wilson, quarterback, Seattle Seahawks
In the most tightly contested matchup of week two, a 33-30 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, Russell Wilson put together a show. Wilson finished the game with 343 yards in the air on a 71% completion percentage and two touchdowns. Further, the 10th-year starter had 16 rushing yards and no turnovers.
Wilson connected in tandem with the absurdly talented Tyler Lockett, who finished the loss with 178 yards on eight receptions and a touchdown. Wilson also delivered a fantastic 68-yard bomb to second-year receiver Freddie Swain, who ended the game with 95 yards and hauled in all five of his targets.
Through the first two weeks of the season, the extremely efficient Wilson ranks fifth in the league in completion percentage, eighth in passing yards and is tied for third in touchdown passes with four, with zero interceptions.
Though the Seahawks fell to the Titans, they have a chance to get back on track against the 0-2 Minnesota Vikings in week three.
Jacoby Brissett, quarterback, Miami Dolphins
After just four pass attempts, second-year starter and former first-round pick out of Alabama, Tua Tagovailoa, went down with an injury that held him out of the remainder of a 35-0 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills. Jacoby Brissett stepped in as the second-string QB but didn’t stand out in the loss. Brissett finished the game with 169 total yards and a 60% completion percentage, with zero touchdowns and one interception.
With Tagovailoa set to miss next week, Brissett will once again take on the starting role against the 2-0 Las Vegas Raiders. Though Brissett was unimpressive in the loss, it wasn’t like his O-line held up much for him. The Miami Dolphins offensive line is abysmal, and it allowed a 56.6% pressure percentage, which eclipses their worst mark from last season by a whopping 15%. Second-year offensive tackle Austin Jackson in particular allowed nine quarterback pressures, which is ridiculously terrible.
If the O-line can hold up any better next week, Brissett and the Dolphins have a chance to bounce back. In his last season as a starter with the Indianapolis Colts, Brissett had 2,942 passing yards and 18 touchdowns to just six interceptions.
Juston Burris, safety, Carolina Panthers
Talk about a surprise. The Carolina Panthers are off to a 2-0 start with an opportunity to earn an extra win on Thursday Night Football against a Houston Texans team that just lost starting QB Tyrod Taylor to injury.
In the Panthers’ most recent win over the New Orleans Saints, Burris led the team with five tackles, four of which were solo and one pass deflection. But where Burris popped off the page most was with his interception that he returned for 17 yards. Burris has really made a name for himself as a leader of Carolina’s defense since signing there last season.
Kentavius Street, defensive tackle, San Francisco 49ers
Street had a fantastic game on the inside in a 17-11 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, posting four total tackles, one of which was a solo tackle for loss. Street is making a strong impact for the Niners since switching to the inside, and it’s paying off in terms of his playing time. Since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Street suffered countless injuries, including a torn ACL that caused him to miss his rookie season.
Now though, Street has earned the trust of the defensive staff in San Francisco and has played in 43.33% of the team’s defensive snaps thus far this season.
A.J. Cole III, punter, Las Vegas Raiders
A.J. Cole III is one of the most underrated reasons for the Raiders’ 2-0 start to the season. The third-year punter boasts some of the best punting stats in the league in a year where almost every game has been marked by a fantastic punt or two. In just 10 punts, Cole has amassed 506 yards in the air, which ranks third in the league. Meanwhile, his average is 50.6 yards per punt (fourth in league); he has four kicks that landed inside the 20-yard line (tied for third) and he boasts the second-longest punt in the NFL through two weeks.
In a 26-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cole had four punts for 190 yards, two of which were inside the 20-yard line. His longest punt of the day went for 55 yards.
Jakobi Meyers, wide receiver, New England Patriots
As one of Mac Jones’ primary receiving options, Meyers had another solid, if unspectacular, performance in a 25-6 win over the New York Jets. Meyers ended the contest with four catches for 38 yards.
Nyheim Hines, running back, Indianapolis Colts
Hines had a relatively quiet week in Indy’s second straight loss under new quarterback Carson Wentz. The running back finished the 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams with one carry for 5 yards and one catch for 17 yards. Wentz ended the game by spraining both of his ankles, which doesn’t bode well for the future of Hines’ targets.
Alim McNeill, defensive tackle, Detroit Lions
It didn’t take long for McNeill to earn the starting nose tackle job after being selected with the 72nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. McNeill had a solid outing on Monday Night Football in a 35-17 loss, registering three total tackles, two of which were solo.
B.J. Hill, defense tackle, Cincinnati Bengals
Hill had a decent showing in a 20-17 loss to the Chicago Bears, piling up three total tackles. It seems that slowly but surely, Hill is earning more trust as a rotational tackle for Cincy, as he slightly increased his snap count percentage from the week before. Teammate and fellow Pack Pro Germaine Pratt had just one tackle in the loss.
James Smith-Williams, defensive end, Washington Football Team
Despite being a member of one of the most talented D-lines in all of football, Smith-Williams has carved himself a second-string role on the outside. In Washington’s 30-29 win, Smith-Williams notched two solo tackles, one of which was for a loss.
Bradley Chubb, linebacker, Denver Broncos
To end on a somber note, star linebacker Bradley Chubb suffered yet another injury that will hold him out for an extended period. In his second season in the league, Chubb missed most of the season due to an ACL tear and is once again expected to miss a significant portion of the season after this week’s 23-13 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Chubb left the contest with an ankle injury and is now expected to miss six-to-eight weeks.
