Photo by: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
#FromStateToSundays: Wild Card Update
January 18, 2022 | Football
STARKVILLE – The Kansas City Chiefs are advancing on to the AFC Divisional Playoff round and taking two former Mississippi State defensive standouts with them.
Willie Gay Jr. and Chris Jones each played a part in the Chiefs' 42-21 victory over Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round this past Sunday.
Gay posted the highest defensive grade in the NFL on Wild Card Weekend, earning a 94.2 from Pro Football Focus. The Starkville native notched a pair of tackles and one quarterback hurry. He also forced a fumble during the third quarter, which led to a Chiefs touchdown two plays later.
Jones also added two tackles and now has 18 career stops in 10 postseason games.
Wild Card Weekend was, however, the end of the year for four other Bulldogs.
Dak Prescott saw his comeback season come to a close in the Dallas Cowboys' 23-17 loss to San Francisco. Prescott completed 23 of 43 passes for 254 yards and one touchdown while also gaining 27 yards on the ground and another score.
K.J. Wright posted the third-best defensive grade for Las Vegas but the Raiders came up short at Cincinnati. Wright was credited with one tackle.
The Philadelphia Eagles were also eliminated in a 31-15 loss at the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fletcher Cox contributed three tackles including one for loss in that contest while Darius Slay made five stops and one pass deflection.
Cox received with the Eagles' second-best defensive grade while Slay stayed on the field for 71 of the team's 73 defensive snaps.
MSU still has five players representing the maroon and white on active NFL rosters in the playoffs. Gay and Jones will join Preston Smith and the Green Bay Packers and the Tennessee Titans tandem of Denico Autry and Jeffery Simmons in the Divisional Playoff round this weekend.
JOHNATHAN ABRAM (IR) | LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – S | AT MSU: 2017-18
Career Postseason: Injured Reserve
Last Week: DNP at Cincinnati Bengals (L, 19-26)
DENICO AUTRY | TENNESSEE TITANS – DT/DE | AT MSU: 2012-13
Career Postseason: 4 G, 3 GS, 8 TKL, 4 AST, 12 TT, 2.5 SK, 5.0 TFL, 5 QBH, 1 PD, 1 FF
Last Week: First-Round Bye
Career Postseason: 8 G, 8 GS, 19 TKL, 9 AST, 28 TT, 6.0 TFL, 1.0 SK, 8 QBH, 1 FF
Last Week: 1 GS, 1 TKL, 2 AST, 3 TT, 1.0 TFL at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L, 15-31)
Career Postseason: 1 G, 1 GS, 2 TKL, 2 TT, 1 QBH, 1 FF
Last Week: 1 GS, 2 TKL, 2 TT, 1 QBH, 1 FF vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (W, 42-21)
Career Postseason: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP at Cincinnati Bengals (L, 19-26)
KYLIN HILL (IR) | GREEN BAY PACKERS – RB | AT MSU: 2017-20
Career Postseason: First appearance
Last Week: First-Round Bye
Career Postseason: 4 G, 4 GS
Last Week: First-Round Bye
Career Postseason: 10 G, 8 GS, 7 TKL, 11 AST, 18 TT, 4 QBH, 9 PD
Last Week: 1 GS, 2 AST, 2 TKL vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (W, 42-21)
Career Postseason: 4 G, 4 GS, 89-146, 1,048 YDS, 6 TD, 14 RUSH, 72 YDS, 5.1 AVG, 3 TD, LONG 17
Last Week: 1 GS, 23-43, 254 YDS, 1 TD, 69.3 RTG, 4 RUSH, 27 YDS, 1 TD vs. San Francisco 49ers (L, 17-23)
Career Postseason: Practice Squad
Last Week: First-Round Bye
Career Postseason: 4 G, 1 GS, 3 TKL, 3 AST, 6 TT, 1.0 SK, 1.0 TFL, 1 QBH, 1 FR
Last Week: First-Round Bye
Career Postseason: 3 G, 3 GS, 5 TKL, 2 AST, 7 TT, 2 PD, 1 ST TKL
Last Week: 1 GS, 4 TKL, 1 AST, 5 TT, 1 PD at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L, 15-31)
Career Postseason: 5 GP, 4 GS, 10 TKL, 3 AST, 13 TT, 3.0 SK, 2.0 TFL, 6 QBH, 2 PD
Last Week: First-Round Bye
Career Postseason: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (W, 42-21)
Career Postseason: 16 G, 15 GS, 65 TKL, 45 AST, 110 TT, 2.0 SK, 6.0 TFL, 5 QBH, 4 PD, 1 INT, 1 ST TKL
Last Week: 1 GS, 1 AST, 1 TT at Cincinnati Bengals (L, 19-26)
Willie Gay Jr. and Chris Jones each played a part in the Chiefs' 42-21 victory over Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round this past Sunday.
Gay posted the highest defensive grade in the NFL on Wild Card Weekend, earning a 94.2 from Pro Football Focus. The Starkville native notched a pair of tackles and one quarterback hurry. He also forced a fumble during the third quarter, which led to a Chiefs touchdown two plays later.
The fumble that led to the points 🔥
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 17, 2022
📺: #PITvsKC on NBC pic.twitter.com/zfK8p4Fyyt
Jones also added two tackles and now has 18 career stops in 10 postseason games.
Wild Card Weekend was, however, the end of the year for four other Bulldogs.
Dak ➡️ Amari for 6️⃣‼️pic.twitter.com/Y2lwvbA7ow
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 16, 2022
Dak Prescott saw his comeback season come to a close in the Dallas Cowboys' 23-17 loss to San Francisco. Prescott completed 23 of 43 passes for 254 yards and one touchdown while also gaining 27 yards on the ground and another score.
K.J. Wright posted the third-best defensive grade for Las Vegas but the Raiders came up short at Cincinnati. Wright was credited with one tackle.
The Philadelphia Eagles were also eliminated in a 31-15 loss at the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fletcher Cox contributed three tackles including one for loss in that contest while Darius Slay made five stops and one pass deflection.
Cox received with the Eagles' second-best defensive grade while Slay stayed on the field for 71 of the team's 73 defensive snaps.
MSU still has five players representing the maroon and white on active NFL rosters in the playoffs. Gay and Jones will join Preston Smith and the Green Bay Packers and the Tennessee Titans tandem of Denico Autry and Jeffery Simmons in the Divisional Playoff round this weekend.
Dak's TD had the stadium jumping 🔈 @dak#SuperWildCard | #DallasCowboys
— NFL (@NFL) January 17, 2022
📺: #SFvsDAL on CBS/NICK/Prime Video
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/Jpo25HFgjU
JOHNATHAN ABRAM (IR) | LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – S | AT MSU: 2017-18
Career Postseason: Injured Reserve
Last Week: DNP at Cincinnati Bengals (L, 19-26)
DENICO AUTRY | TENNESSEE TITANS – DT/DE | AT MSU: 2012-13
Career Postseason: 4 G, 3 GS, 8 TKL, 4 AST, 12 TT, 2.5 SK, 5.0 TFL, 5 QBH, 1 PD, 1 FF
Last Week: First-Round Bye
- Earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye
- Will host Cincinnati Bengals in the Divisional Round
Career Postseason: 8 G, 8 GS, 19 TKL, 9 AST, 28 TT, 6.0 TFL, 1.0 SK, 8 QBH, 1 FF
Last Week: 1 GS, 1 TKL, 2 AST, 3 TT, 1.0 TFL at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L, 15-31)
- Stopped a run for a loss of one yard in the second quarter
- Turned in Philadelphia's No. 2 overall defensive grade per PFF
Career Postseason: 1 G, 1 GS, 2 TKL, 2 TT, 1 QBH, 1 FF
Last Week: 1 GS, 2 TKL, 2 TT, 1 QBH, 1 FF vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (W, 42-21)
- Will host Buffalo in the Divisional Round
- Forced a fumble on a completed pass in the third quarter that led to a touchdown two plays later
- Recorded a QB hit on an incompletion in the first quarter
- Was the top-graded overall defender in the league over Wild Card Weekend (94.2) while posting a career-high grade per PFF
- Grades also included a career-best 93.3 coverage grade, which also led the league
Career Postseason: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP at Cincinnati Bengals (L, 19-26)
KYLIN HILL (IR) | GREEN BAY PACKERS – RB | AT MSU: 2017-20
Career Postseason: First appearance
Last Week: First-Round Bye
- Earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye
- Will host San Francisco in the Divisional Round
Career Postseason: 4 G, 4 GS
Last Week: First-Round Bye
- Earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye
- Will host San Francisco in the Divisional Round
Career Postseason: 10 G, 8 GS, 7 TKL, 11 AST, 18 TT, 4 QBH, 9 PD
Last Week: 1 GS, 2 AST, 2 TKL vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (W, 42-21)
- Will host Buffalo in the Divisional Round
- Made half tackles on runs for no gain and a loss of two yards
Career Postseason: 4 G, 4 GS, 89-146, 1,048 YDS, 6 TD, 14 RUSH, 72 YDS, 5.1 AVG, 3 TD, LONG 17
Last Week: 1 GS, 23-43, 254 YDS, 1 TD, 69.3 RTG, 4 RUSH, 27 YDS, 1 TD vs. San Francisco 49ers (L, 17-23)
- Threw a 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter and rushed for a 5-yard score in the fourth
Career Postseason: Practice Squad
Last Week: First-Round Bye
- Earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye
- Will host San Francisco in the Divisional Round
Career Postseason: 4 G, 1 GS, 3 TKL, 3 AST, 6 TT, 1.0 SK, 1.0 TFL, 1 QBH, 1 FR
Last Week: First-Round Bye
- Earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye
- Will host Cincinnati in the Divisional Round
Career Postseason: 3 G, 3 GS, 5 TKL, 2 AST, 7 TT, 2 PD, 1 ST TKL
Last Week: 1 GS, 4 TKL, 1 AST, 5 TT, 1 PD at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L, 15-31)
- Played 71 of 73 defensive snaps
- Broke up a pass in the second quarter
Career Postseason: 5 GP, 4 GS, 10 TKL, 3 AST, 13 TT, 3.0 SK, 2.0 TFL, 6 QBH, 2 PD
Last Week: First-Round Bye
- Earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye
- Will host San Francisco in the Divisional Round
Career Postseason: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (W, 42-21)
- Will host Buffalo in the Divisional Round
Career Postseason: 16 G, 15 GS, 65 TKL, 45 AST, 110 TT, 2.0 SK, 6.0 TFL, 5 QBH, 4 PD, 1 INT, 1 ST TKL
Last Week: 1 GS, 1 AST, 1 TT at Cincinnati Bengals (L, 19-26)
- Posted Las Vegas' No. 3 overall defensive grade per PFF
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