Deacons in the NFL - Week 8
10/31/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 31, 2012
By Eric Roberts, WakeForestSports.com
Josh Bush - Jets
The New York Jets hosted their divisional opponent the Miami Dolphins on Sunday for their second matchup of the season. The Dolphins got off to a quick start as they went into the first half leading 20-0. The Jets' offense responded as they converted on a 38-yard field goal on their first possession of the second half. The Jets scored their first touchdown of the game on a quick slant pass in the fourth quarter. A strong first half by the Dolphins made it tough to come back as the Jets fell 30-9. Bush had one tackle in the game and continued to have an impact on special teams as well as on the defensive side. The Jets (3-5) have a bye week this upcoming week and will take on the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 11 for their next matchup.
Tyson Clabo - Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons put their undefeated record to the test on Sunday as they took on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons got on the board early as they scored on their first drive of the game with a 15-yard passing touchdown from Matt Ryan. The offense continued their success as they scored another first quarter touchdown on their second possession of the game. The Falcons took a 24-7 lead going into halftime. With the help of two field goals in the second half the Falcons were able to stay perfect as they took the 30-17 victory for their seventh win of the season. Clabo and the offensive line helped the offense put up 392 yards for the game including three touchdown passes for Ryan. The Falcons (7-0) host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
Aaron Curry - Raiders
Curry is still on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List but could be activated for this Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Curry must be activated by Nov. 7 or he must sit out the remainder of the season. The Raiders (3-4) have won two straight as they prepare to host the Buccaneers.
Chris Givens - Rams
The St. Louis Rams traveled to London on Sunday as they took on the New England Patriots. Givens' lightning speed was on display for the fans in London as he streaked past the Patriots' secondary for a 50-yard touchdown catch on the Rams' first drive of the game. With that reception, Givens set an NFL rookie record by catching a pass of at least 50 yards in his fifth-straight game. He finished the game with three receptions for 63 yards. Givens now has 13 receptions for 333 yards on the year and is averaging 25.6 yards per catch for the year. He leads the league in most receptions of over 40-plus yards with five. Despite the success of Givens and the Rams' passing game they fell to the Patriots 45-7. The Rams (3-5) have a bye this week but will take on the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 11 as both teams will play coming off of their bye week.
Joe Looney - 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers' number one defense took center stage on Monday night as they took on the Arizona Cardinals. 49ers' quarterback Alex Smith connected with receiver Michael Crabtree for two passing touchdowns in the first half to help give the 49ers a 17-0 lead. Smith had another passing touchdown in the third quarter to help the 49ers seal the victory 24-3. The 49ers' defense held the Cardinals to seven total rushing yards for the whole game. Looney, who has not seen any action yet, still sits second on the depth chart at the left guard position. The 49ers (6-2) have a bye this week and will play the St. Louis Rams on Nov. 11.
Calvin Pace - Jets
The New York Jets looked to sweep the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in their second meeting of the season. The Jets' defense held their opponents' offense to only 97 rushing yards for the entire game. The Dolphins' offense, however, managed to capitalize on their chances and was able to put up 30 points in the game. Pace had a strong performance despite taking the 30-9 loss. He contributed four total tackles for the game, three of which came unassisted. He also had his second sack of the season as he dropped Dolphins' quarterback Ryan Tannenhill for a nine-yard loss on a third-and-short. The Jets (3-5) have a bye week this upcoming week and will take on the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 11.
Alphonso Smith - Lions
The Detroit Lions hosted the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in a NFC conference matchup. Both teams scored two touchdowns in the first half, but the Seahawks managed to add a field goal to take a 17-14 lead into the half. After a scoreless third quarter Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a one-yard touchdown pass three minutes into the fourth quarter to help take the lead. The Seahawks matched their touchdown on the next possession, but Stafford was able to throw another touchdown pass with 20 seconds remaining on the clock to help clinch the 28-24 victory. In his second game with the Lions this season, Smith had four solo tackles as he continues to play a key role in the Detroit secondary. The Lions (3-4) will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday as they try to get back to .500 on the year.
Steve Vallos - Jaguars
Vallos was released by the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 23 but was picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. Vallos played in two games for the Eagles this season and has seen action in 42 games during his six-year- NFL career. He is expected to play a "swing" role off the bench for the Jags, as he is able to play both guard spots and center.
Kyle Wilber - Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys took on the New York Giants on Sunday for their second time this season as they played earlier in a Week 1 matchup. The Cowboys got off to a slow start as they allowed 23-straight points before getting on the board. The Cowboys were able to score 10 points at the end of the second quarter to close the gap to 23-10 at halftime. Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo helped the offense drive down the field on their first possession of the second half to score a rushing touchdown. On their next possession Romo threw a one-yard touchdown to take a 24-23 lead. The Giants converted on two fourth quarter field goals though to earn the 29-24 win. Wilber did not see any action in the game. The Cowboys (3-4) hope their offense can get back on track as they take on the undefeated Atlanta Falcons Sunday night.
Injured/Practice Squad
Brandon Ghee - Bengals (Injured Reserve)
Aaron Curry - Raiders (PUP List)
Chris DeGeare - Titans
