Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons in the NFL - Week 5
10/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 13, 2011
By Currie McFayden, WakeForestSports.com
With Week 5 now in the books, Dennis Green's famous "They are who we thought they were" rant rings true about several teams and players throughout the league. The Packers and Lions continue to be as good as advertised as both pushed their records to 5-0, New Orleans brought down the Panthers behind a passing barrage from QB Drew Brees and Jim Harbaugh proved deserving of the preseason hype that surrounded his departure from Stanford to coach the 49ers as his team crushed Tampa Bay, 48-3.
Only seven former Deacons were in action this week, as Fred Robbins and Steve Vallos were on byes with their respective teams. As has been the case as of late, Aaron Curry provided the week's most surprising storyline after he was dealt to Oakland for a pair of draft picks. Calvin Pace was a spark for the Jets defense with six tackles in their matchup with New England, and Tyson Clabo and Ovie Mughelli teamed up to provide excellent protection for Matt Ryan. One former Deacon, rookie wide receiver Marshall Williams, was dropped from the practice squad in Indianapolis this week.
Here is a player-by-player look at how the Deacons fared in Week 5.
OT Tyson Clabo, Atlanta Falcons
A week removed from turning in its best performance of the season, Atlanta's offensive line graded out well once again in Sunday night's 25-14 loss to Green Bay. Led by Clabo, they allowed just one sack by Desmond Bishop and protected QB Matt Ryan well. RB Michael Turner also enjoyed his second consecutive game with a rushing touchdown despite tallying only 56 yards on the ground. Clabo and the line have begun to come together as a unit over the past two weeks, something that has been reflected in their improved performance. The Panthers, led by rookie phenom Cam Newton, should provide another opportunity for a strong showing as the Falcons (2-3) host them in Week 6.
LB Aaron Curry, Oakland Raiders
The third-year linebacker had four tackles and a pass breakup, his second of the season, during Seattle's surprising 36-25 victory over the Giants on Sunday. However, the biggest news of the week for Curry arrived on Wednesday as news broke that he had been shipped to the Raiders for a seventh-round pick in 2012 and a conditional draft pick in 2013. It will certainly take him some time to become acclimated with a new defense, but the situation in Oakland is actually quite fortunate for the former No. 4 overall pick. Kamerion Wimbley has one outside linebacking spot locked down, and injuries to others have forced the likes of Quentin Groves into the starting lineup. If Curry can learn the new schemes quickly, the "Black Hole" should offer him an excellent chance to be an impact player for the Raiders. Oakland (3-2) will host Cleveland this weekend at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
FB Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta Falcons
As in the past couple of games, Mughelli spent most of his time on Sunday as an extra blocker along the offensive line. While many backs may complain about being used in that capacity, the Wake Forest product embraces it and excels in the role. He did draw one target from Ryan, but it was too well-defended for the fullback to make a play on it. Mughelli may see an increased offensive role in Week 6 due to a relatively weak Panthers defense.
LB Calvin Pace, New York Jets
Despite the Jets' current three-game losing streak, Pace has kept up his strong defensive play and is fourth on the team in tackles with 24. He notched six of those in Sunday's 30-21 loss to the archrival Patriots. On the season, the Jets have the fifth-best passing defense in the NFL and are allowing only 203 yards per game through the air. The veteran has helped to contribute to those numbers thanks to his pass-rushing skills. In addition, he remains on track for just under 80 tackles in 2011, which would be his most in a single season since reaching that milestone in 2008. The Jets (2-3) will face their second AFC East rival in a row when they face Miami on Monday Night Football in Week 6.
DT Fred Robbins, St. Louis Rams
Robbins and St. Louis (0-4) were on a bye during Week 5. The team is still seeking its first win of the season, a task which will not get any easier during a road trip to legendary Lambeau Field to face the Packers this week.
CB Alphonso Smith, Detroit Lions
Smith was active for his second straight matchup since returning from a broken foot, but did not record any tackles or stats. He played in Detroit's nickel packages during the 24-13 Monday Night Football victory over the Bears and was not targeted despite Chicago QB Jay Cutler's uncharacteristic 38 passing attempts. The Lions (5-0) maintained their position as one of the two undefeated teams in the NFL but could face a serious test as San Francisco, led by early Coach of the Year candidate Jim Harbaugh, visits Ford Field for a Sunday afternoon showdown.
OT Steve Vallos, Cleveland Browns
The Browns (2-2), along with Vallos, enjoyed their bye during Week 5. They will travel to the West Coast to face Aaron Curry and his new team in Oakland in one of the late-afternoon matchups on Sunday.
LS Joe Zelenka, Atlanta Falcons
The veteran long snapper was only called into action on two extra point attempts during Atlanta's defeat against Green Bay. Because he did not attempt a field goal, Matt Bryant did not have to put his perfect 7-for-7 mark at risk this week and remains one of only nine kickers in the league that have successfully converted all of their attempts.
Deacons on NFL Practice Squads
OG Chris DeGeare, Minnesota Vikings
CB Brandon Ghee, Cincinnati Bengals
