Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons in the NFL - Week 4
10/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 5, 2011
By Currie McFayden, WakeForestSports.com
With one quarter of the season now in the books, the legitimate powerhouse teams are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Green Bay and Detroit are now the lone undefeated teams, but 11 others are sitting just behind them at 3-1. New Orleans, Baltimore and New England headline this second group of teams that could be in good shape to make deep playoff runs. The surprising run of Detroit to the top of the league can be attributed in large part due to 2007 No. 2 overall pick WR Calvin Johnson, a Georgia Tech product who matched the NFL record with his fourth straight two-touchdown game on Sunday.
For a pair of former Demon Deacons, Week 4 marked a "bounce-back" week of sorts. Tyson Clabo and the Falcons offensive line rebounded from a pedestrian start to the season by not allowing a single sack. Aaron Curry also made his mark in that same matchup with five tackles in his second game off the bench. Alphonso Smith also made his 2011 debut in Detroit's victory, recording his first tackle of the season while playing a limited number of snaps.
Here is a player-by-player look at how the Deacons fared in Week 4.
OT Tyson Clabo, Atlanta Falcons
In Sunday's closer-than-expected 30-28 victory over Seattle, Clabo and the offensive line finally earned the signature strong performance that they had been seeking to start the season. They held the Seahawks without a sack, the first time since Dec. 5, 2010, that the line has accomplished that feat. In addition, they provided excellent pass protection for QB Matt Ryan, who threw for 291 yards and a touchdown in his first game of the season without an interception. RB Michael Turner also bounced back from his 20-yard performance in Week 3 to post 70 yards and two touchdowns. Despite shaky performances at times during the first three weeks, the line truly came together as a force in Week 4, something that bodes well for the Falcons as they enter the midseason stretch of their schedule. Atlanta (2-2) will return to the Georgia Dome in Week 5 to face the undefeated Green Bay Packers.
LB Aaron Curry, Seattle Seahawks
Even with a solid performance in Week 3, Curry still found himself outside of the starting lineup in the loss to Atlanta on Sunday. Once again, however, he stepped up and posted another strong performance while coming off the bench. While starter K.J. Wright recorded just two tackles, the third-year Deacon collected five in his second-best performance of the season statistically. That brings his total number of tackles on the season to 18, which has him on pace to reach 72 for the entire season, just one fewer than his career-high despite not being a starter. It will be interesting to see how Coach Pete Carroll handles the situation if Curry continues to outperform Wright at the strong-side position. Seattle (1-3) travels to the New Meadowlands Stadium to take on the Giants this week.
FB Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta Falcons
Despite the knee injury that he suffered last week, Mughelli was on the field for Sunday's victory. He returned to his role as a sixth blocker along the line and did not factor into the offensive gameplan otherwise, although he did draw one target from Ryan. Because of the small number of carries that he usually receives, the 2010 Pro Bowler's role in Atlanta's offense is often underestimated. He remains one of the best blocking fullbacks in the league and excels in short-yardage situations when needed. That blocking ability will likely be called upon once again as the Packers' fierce pass rush comes into town.
LB Calvin Pace, New York Jets
The ninth-year linebacker was a bright spot for the Jets in a sloppy 34-17 loss to Baltimore on Sunday night. He had three tackles to push his total to 18 for the year and also notched his first forced fumble of 2011 with a huge hit on RB Ricky Williams early in the fourth quarter. The fumble was recovered by New York, but the offense was unable to capitalize and turn it into points. Pace continues to enjoy a resurgent season since battling through foot issues during the 2010 season. The Jets (2-2) will travel to New England for the marquee matchup of Week 5 as the AFC East rivals renew their clash after splitting the regular season series last year.
DT Fred Robbins, St. Louis Rams
The 34-year old defensive centerpiece tallied one tackle in the Rams' disappointing 17-10 loss to Washington. The defense as a whole was not able to muster a strong pass rush during the game and did not record a sack, but the pressure that was applied forced QB Rex Grossman into throwing two interceptions. St. Louis (0-4) is on a bye during Week 5, and will face a grueling three-game stretch against Green Bay, Dallas and New Orleans when they return to action.
CB Alphonso Smith, Detroit Lions
As expected, Smith made his season debut in Detroit's amazing 34-30 comeback win over Dallas. He had one tackle in the game and played primarily in nickel packages as a member of a secondary that returned two interceptions for touchdowns. At one point, the Lions trailed 27-3 before roaring back to outscore Dallas 31-3 during the rest of the game. Smith will likely see his playing time increase as he continues to work his way back to being 100 percent healthy. Detroit (4-0) will host Chicago at Ford Field in Week 5's Monday Night Football matchup.
OT Steve Vallos, Cleveland Browns
Vallos was inactive during Cleveland's 31-13 loss to Tennessee during Week 4. However, he could be in line for his first playing time of the season due to center Alex Mack's emergency appendectomy. The Browns (2-2) are on a bye during Week 5, but Vallos is one of the top candidates to replace Mack in the starting lineup if he is unable to return in two weeks.
LS Joe Zelenka, Atlanta Falcons
The long-time veteran helped kicker Matt Bryant to have one of the best games of his career on Sunday. With Zelenka snapping the ball, Bryant connected from 42, 47 and 50 yards on three crucial kicks that pushed Atlanta to a victory. He also converted all three of his point after attempts to remain perfect on the season in both categories. The Falcons are one of the 11 remaining teams that have not missed a field goal through the first four weeks.
Deacons on NFL Practice Squads
OG Chris DeGeare, Minnesota Vikings
CB Brandon Ghee, Cincinnati Bengals
WR Marshall Williams, Indianapolis Colts
