Well, since I was able to watch some college football yesterday, today, I've actually been able to catch a few NFL contests, as well. I normally have so much else going on I'm unable to spend two straight weekend days watching the game I love so much. That being said, today's NFL action featured so many players from the state of Michigan, it was incredible. Just goes to show the level of talent being developed and produced by the Great Lakes State year after year.
I need to start out with the New Orleans Saints and their clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though losing to the Bucs 26-19, Saints' WR Willie Snead (Muskegon Heights/Holland Christian, Ball State) had a fantastic game finishing with four receptions for 44 yards and one touchdown. I remember watching Snead in the state championship game at Ford Field when he played for Holland Christian and thinking he had the best hands I'd ever seen for a high school receiver. I was shocked when he signed with Ball State and not a Big Ten program. Also starting for the Saints were RB Mark Ingram Jr. (Flint Southwestern, Alabama), who finished with 53 yards rushing on 16 attempts with one TD and OG Tim Lelito (St. Clair, Grand Valley State). Lelito is another player overlooked and misevaluated by Michigan's five D-I playing college football programs. Hopefully, those days of poor instate recruiting/knowledge are over for Michigan's D-I playing schools. For Tampa Bay, DE Will Gholston (Detroit Southeastern, MSU) and K Kyle Brindza (Plymouth, Notre Dame) saw action, while OT Reid Fragel (Grosse Pointe South, Ohio State) made the Buccaneers' practice squad.
In the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys game, multiple Michigan natives suited up for both squads. On defense for the Eagles, LB Connor Barwin (U-D Jesuit, Cincinnati) and LB Brandon Graham (Detroit Crockett, now Detroit East English Village, U-M) both started and played well, while LB Brad Jones (East Lansing, Colorado) also saw action. For the Cowboys, CB Brandon Carr (Flint Carmen-Ainsworth, Grand Valley State) started and is one of the NFL's best at his position. Making plays on special teams and in the secondary for Dallas was S Jeff Heath (Lake Orion, Saginaw Valley State).
Watching the Oakland Raiders-Baltimore Ravens contest, it was interesting seeing head coach John Harbaugh (Ann Arbor Pioneer, Miami (OH)) prowling the sidelines for the Ravens. Harbaugh doesn't get as much publicity as his younger brother Jim Harbaugh (head coach at U-M), but, in my opinion, John is one of the NFL's best coaches. Also suiting up for Baltimore was DE Jason Babin (Paw Paw, WMU) and DT Carl Davis (Sterling Heights Stevenson, Iowa). On the Ravens' practice squad are DT Micajah Reynolds (Lansing Sexton, MSU) and LB Brennen Beyer (Plymouth, U-M).
Other Michigan players I noticed throughout the day competing at the highest football level were Minnesota Vikings RB Zach Line (Oxford, SMU), LB Audie Cole (Monroe, North Carolina State) and C Joe Berger (Newaygo, Michigan Tech) , Jacksonville Jaguars WR Allen Robinson (Orchard Lake St. Mary's, Penn State), who finished with six catches for 155 yards and two TDs and LB Dan Skuta (Flint Powers Catholic, Grand Valley State) and Washington Redskins QB Kirk Cousins (Holland Christian, MSU), who ended up 23-of-27 passing for 203 yards and one TD. Cousins led the Redskins to a 24-10 win over the St. Louis Rams.
In the Sunday Night Football primetime game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, a large contingent of Michigan players saw action for both squads. For the Packers, OG T.J. Lang (Birmingham Brother Rice, EMU) and DE/LB Nick Perry (Detroit King, USC) started, while WR Jeff Janis (Tawas, Saginaw Valley State) contributed on special teams. For Seattle, RB Thomas Rawls (Flint Northern, U-M/CMU) saw action in the backfield. It was nice seeing Rawls make an NFL roster and playing under the bright primetime lights at Lambeau Field, since I always thought he was woefully overlooked at U-M and seemed to receive somewhat of a raw deal while in Ann Arbor. I have no idea why he didn't see more action while playing for the Maize and Blue. Though, I guess, a lot of things haven't made much sense in Ann Arbor these past few seasons. Hopefully, the ship has been righted at U-M with the new coaching staff/culture. Either way, the cream always rises to the top and Rawls wouldn't be making an NFL roster if he didn't have big time, elite skills as a running back. It was nice seeing him finally getting his just rewards.
No comments:
Post a Comment