Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons in the NFL - Weeks 15-17
1/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 6, 2011
By Currie McFayden, WakeForestSports.com
In the final three weeks of the regular season, the real extent of the parity seen across the league was revealed. Although traditional powers like New England, Indianapolis and Philadelphia all made the playoffs, some teams like Kansas City and Chicago (both making their first trip since 2006-07) as well as Seattle joined them in earning berths.
The former Demon Deacons left strong marks on the end of the season. Aaron Curry's leadership on defense pushed the Seahawks into the playoffs, Ovie Mughelli was named to his first Pro Bowl and Fred Robbins finished the season as one of St. Louis's true defensive standouts.
Six former players will represent Wake Forest in the playoffs, and four of those will enjoy first-round byes. Curry and the Seahawks will host New Orleans at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 8 and the Jets, with linebacker Calvin Pace, travel to Indianapolis for an 8:00 p.m. matchup, also on Jan. 8.
Mughelli, Tyson Clabo and Joe Zelenka helped the Falcons to the top seed in the NFC, while Desmond Clark and the Bears earned the second seed and a first-round bye in the NFC.
Here is a player-by-player look at how the former Deacons fared during the final three weeks of the NFL regular season.
OT Tyson Clabo, Atlanta Falcons
Clabo was named a first alternate for the NFC Pro Bowl squad, meaning he would play in the all-star game if someone at his position were ruled out for contest. By starting Atlanta's final three games, Clabo locked up his third straight season in which he has started all 16 games. The Falcons' offensive line surrendered just four sacks in the last three weeks of the season and gave up only 23 for the entire year, the third-best mark in the league. Prior to the season, Clabo was signed to a one-year tender offer, and he will become a free agent once the season is over. Atlanta will almost certainly look to bring him back. He has become the line's anchor along the right side since joining the team in 2006 following a brief stint with the Broncos. The Falcons finished the season with a 12-4 record and secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
TE Desmond Clark, Chicago Bears
In Week 17's 10-3 loss to the Packers, Clark saw his first action since Week 6. While he played in just five games this season, he still possesses great athleticism and is an excellent blocker on passing downs. He will turn 34 in April, but he will also have a low-risk, high-reward potential should the Bears or another team sign him during free agency. Although coordinator Mike Martz's system may have hurt Clark's statistics this season, it allowed QB Jay Cutler to carry the team to the playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The Bears won seven of their last nine games to finish 11-5 and will have a first-round bye as the NFC's No. 2 seed.
LB Aaron Curry, Seattle Seahawks
Curry defied the "sophomore slump" trend during his second season, outperforming his rookie season in almost every statistical category. Over the season's final three weeks, he racked up 11 more tackles and had a pass defendd. In Week 17's 16-6 win over the Seahawks, Curry just missed picking up a half-sack on a late-game play that left the Rams with very little time left on the clock. He ended his excellent second season with 73 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Seattle became the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record, ending the season with a 7-9 mark to win the NFC West.
OG Chris DeGeare, Minnesota Vikings
After Leslie Frazier's promotion to the head coaching position following Week 11, DeGeare started five of the final six games at left guard for the injured Steve Hutchinson. Although the unit struggled as a whole, giving up nine sacks over the last three weeks, DeGeare was lauded as a bright spot on the line. The experience the rookie gained this season will undoubtedly give him great momentum heading into next year. If the Vikings begin a youth movement, as is widely expected, DeGeare could become one of the offensive line's anchors for the foreseeable future. The Vikings finished with a 6-10 record but went 3-3 under Frazier who was given the permanent head coaching job on Jan. 3.
CB Eric King, Detroit Lions
King was cut by Cleveland following Week 14, but he signed with Detroit, who he played for in 2009, on Dec. 16 to provide depth at the injury-riddled cornerback position. He produced immediate results, with nine tackles during the last three weeks, giving him a total of 12 on the season. The Lions finished the season 6-10 but ended with their first four-game winning streak since 1999. If QB Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, Detroit could be a trendy pick to make the playoffs as soon as next season. King and fellow Deacon cornerback Alphonso Smith, who was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 8, give the Lions two top cornerbacks to build with.
FB Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta Falcons
After performing at such a high level all season, Mughelli was selected as the NFC's starting fullback for the Pro Bowl. In the last three weeks of the season, he had two catches for 20 yards and two carries for eight yards. Statistically, this has been one of the best seasons of his career as he set a new career-high in carries (13) and had his second-most catches (13) and receiving yards (126) in a single season. He also started all 16 games for the third time in four years since joining the Falcons. Mughelli's blocking role will continue to be critical as Atlanta hopes to play for its first Super Bowl since the 1998-99 season.
LB Calvin Pace, New York Jets
As expected at the beginning of the year, Pace bounced back very well from the foot injury that forced him to miss the Jets' first four games. In his last three weeks, the linebacker added 10 more tackles, another sack, three defended passes and his lone interception of the season. The pick was just the second of his career and his first since joining New York. Pace ended the season with 11 starts in 12 games, 51 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. The Jets did not win the AFC East, but their 11-5 record was enough to clinch a wild-card spot and the No. 6 seed in the conference playoffs.
DT Fred Robbins, St. Louis Rams
A 10-year veteran of the league, Robbins had a resurgent season by starting all 16 games for the Rams and setting a new career-high in sacks with six on the year. By all means this year was one of his best with 28 tackles, the aforementioned six sacks, a forced fumble and another career-high with eight passes broken up. In the "win-and-in" game against Seattle during Week 17, Robbins notched two tackles and was strong in the middle of the line, but the Rams ultimately lost 16-6. This loss gave them a final record of 7-9 and cost them a playoff spot. Although the season did not end as they would have hoped, a six-win turnaround from 2009 and a rising star in QB Sam Bradford have St. Louis looking toward a bright future.
OG Steve Vallos, Cleveland Browns
Vallos played in each of Cleveland's last seven games, coming off the bench to provide depth on the line. The Browns finished with a record of 5-11, but Coach Eric Mangini was fired after his second sub-par season with the team. Like St. Louis, Cleveland also has good reason to look toward the future, with young players like Joe Haden and Colt McCoy making immediate impacts during their rookie seasons. With 39 games and eight starts under his belt over the past three seasons, Vallos looks to be on his way to a solid professional career.
LS Joe Zelenka, Atlanta Falcons
With Zelenka's steady snapping throughout the season, kicker Matt Bryant enjoyed a career year with the Falcons. He successfully converted 28 of his 31 field goals (90.3 percent), the highest percentage of his eight-year career. He also tallied a career-high in extra points, making all of his 44 attempts this season. Moving into the playoffs, Zelenka's steady hands will become even more important as Atlanta continues its drive toward the Super Bowl.
Players on NFL Practice Squads
DT Boo Robinson, Buffalo Bills (Robinson was signed to the Bills' practice squad on Dec. 24; he previously spent time this season on the Cleveland Browns' practice squad.)
Players on Injured Reserve (out for the season)
LB Stanley Arnoux, New Orleans Saints (Placed on IR on Nov. 23; achilles tendon)
CB Brandon Ghee, Cincinnati Bengals (Dec. 8; groin)
LB John Russell, Buffalo Bills (Nov. 23; undisclosed)
CB Alphonso Smith, Detroit Lions (Dec. 8; shoulder)
LB Jyles Tucker, San Diego Chargers (Nov. 18; torn pectoral muscle)
S Chip Vaughn, Indianapolis Colts (Nov. 24; ankle)
