Photo by: Dan Powers / USA Today
#FromStateToSundays: Week 15 Update
December 20, 2022 | Football
STARKVILLE – Former Mississippi State standout Preston Smith made the most of his time in the Monday Night Football spotlight.
Smith stacked up a pair of sacks and tallied four quarterback hurries in Green Bay's 24-12 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the primetime spotlight. It was the ninth multi-sack game since joining the Packers in 2019, the most on the team over that span.
Dak takes a Hendershot to the end zone.
— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2022
📺: #DALvsJAX on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/rZZZ8aG10V pic.twitter.com/fphTmqmmWn
Smith wasn't the only old Bulldog to record a sack during Week 15. Jeffery Simmons also reached the quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. Simmons now has 7.5 sacks on the season - one shy of his career total – and now has 20.5 for his career.
.@PrestonSmith94 gets the sack & forces the Rams to punt! 😤#LARvsGB | #GoPackGo
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 20, 2022
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/uOc0Zx8bmW
Willie Gay Jr. also came up huge on defense for the Kansas City. Gay recovered the first fumble of his career in overtime at the Houston 26-yard line that setup the game-winning touchdown for the Chiefs on the next play. The win clinched Kansas City's seventh consecutive division title.
Another TD for @Dak!
— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2022
📺: #DALvsJAX on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/rZZZ8aG10V pic.twitter.com/dQ7w2eXFlD
Elgton Jenkins and Charles Cross both represented former MSU offensive linemen well, playing every offensive snap for the Packers and Seattle Seahawks, respectively.
Logan Cooke was only called upon to punt three times during Jacksonville's overtime win over Dallas but had a strong day punting the ball. Cooke's three punts traveled an average of 53.3 yards with a long of 61. He is averaging 50.6 yards per kick this season.
FUMBLE. The @Chiefs take it back on the next play.
— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2022
📺: #KCvsHOU on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/N9frUbzXbW pic.twitter.com/QCpCMDhTVd
During that contest, Dak Prescott completed 23 of 30 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns for the Cowboys. It was the third time this season that Prescott has tossed three touchdowns in the same game.
Will Redmond was reelevated from the Houston's practice squad and notched one tackle on special teams for the Texans.
Had to have it. Went and got it! 🙌
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 18, 2022
TOUCHDOWN @dak + @Nb_Eight5
📺: @NFLonFOX | #DALvsJAX | #WPMOYChallenge pic.twitter.com/CeLGs64Lc0
JOHNATHAN ABRAM | SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – S | AT MSU: 2017-18
Season: 12 G, 6 GS, 35 TKL, 13 AST, 48 TT, 2 QBH, 1 PD, 2 ST TKL
Last Week: 1 G vs. San Francisco 49ers (L, 13-21)
DENICO AUTRY | TENNESSEE TITANS – DT/DE | AT MSU: 2012-13
Season: 10 G, 6 GS, 12 TKL, 8 AST, 20 TT, 7.0 SK, 6.0 TFL, 16 QBH, 2 PD, 1 FF, 1 ST BL
Last Week: DNP at Los Angeles Chargers (L, 14-17)
LOGAN COOKE | JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – P | AT MSU: 2014-17
Season: 14 G, 47 Punts, 2,377 YDS, 50.6 AVG, LONG 70, 6 TB, 14 In-20, 44.1 NET AVG
Last Week: 3 Punts, 160 YDS, 53.3 AVG, LONG 61, 0 TB, 0 In-20, 48.0 NET AVG vs. Dallas Cowboys (W, 40-34 [OT])
FLETCHER COX | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – DT | AT MSU: 2009-11
Season: 14 G, 14 GS, 19 TKL, 18 AST, 37 TT, 6.0 SK, 6.0 TFL, 10 QBH, 1 FF, 1 FR
Last Week: 1 GS at Chicago Bears (W, 25-20)
- Part of an Eagles team with the NFL's best record at 13-1, which has already tied the franchise's record for regular season wins (2004; 2017.
- Now tied for third for most games played by a defensive player in franchise history (170)
Season: 14 G, 14 GS, 40 Pressures Allowed, 1 FR
Last Week: 1 GS, 4 Pressures Allowed vs. San Francisco 49ers (L, 13-21)
- Played every snap at left tackle
Season: 9 G, 9 GS, 43 TKL, 5 AST, 48 TT, 3.0 TFL, 4 PD, 1 FF, 1 FR
Last Week: DNP vs. Indianapolis Colts (W, 39-36 [OT])
GREG EILAND (PS) | SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – OT | AT MSU: 2016-20
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. San Francisco 49ers (L, 13-21)
MARTIN EMERSON JR. | CLEVELAND BROWNS – CB | AT MSU: 2019-21
Season: 14 G, 6 GS, 44 TKL, 10 AST, 54 TT, 1.0 SK, 1.0 TFL, 1 QBH, 11 PD
Last Week: 1 G, 1 TKL, 1 AST, 2 TT vs. Baltimore Ravens (W, 13-3)
- Third among NFL rookies with 11 pass defenses this season, which is tied for the third most by a Browns rookie since 1999
- Ranks second among rookies with 14 forced incompletions per PFF
- Fourth among rookies with at least 300 coverage snaps, allowing a reception on 55.7 percent of targets
Season: 9 G, 9 GS, 41 TKL, 26 AST, 67 TT, 2.5 SK, 8.0 TFL, 4 QBH, 1 IN, 5 PD, 1 FR
Last Week: 1 GS, 2 TKL, 2 AST, 4 TT, 1 FR at Houston Texans (W, 30-24 [OT])
- Recovered his first career fumble in overtime that led to the game-winning touchdown one play later
- Part of Chiefs team that secured its seventh consecutive division championship (2016-22), which is tied for the second-longest streak of consecutive division titles since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970
Season: 11 G, 1 TKL, 2 AST, 3 TT, 1.5 SK, 1 QBH, 10 ST TKL
Last Week: 1 G, 1 ST TKL vs. Atlanta Falcons (W, 21-18)
GERRI GREEN (PS) | CHICAGO BEARS – DE | AT MSU: 2014-18
Season: 1 G
Last Week: DNP vs. Philadelphia Eagles (L, 20-25)
KYLIN HILL | FREE AGENT – RB | AT MSU: 2017-20
Season: 1 G, 1 RUSH, 7 YARDS
Last Week: N/A
GABE JACKSON | SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – OG | AT MSU 2009-13
Season: 12 G, 12 GS, 26 Pressures Allowed
Last Week: 1 GS, 3 Pressures Allowed vs. San Francisco 49ers (L, 13-21)
ELGTON JENKINS | GREEN BAY PACKERS – OG | AT MSU: 2014-18
Season: 12 G, 12 GS, 17 Pressures Allowed
Last Week: 1 GS, 0 Pressures Allowed vs. Los Angeles Rams (W, 24-12)
- Played every snap at left guard without allowing a pressure per PFF
- Graded out as the Packers' No. 2 pass blocker (81.7) per PFF
- Posted an 80.1 overall offensive grade, which was tied for sixth among offensive linemen in Week 15, per PFF
- Part of a Packers team that has won six straight Monday Night Football games, the longest such run in franchise history
Season: 14 G, 14 GS, 22 TKL, 10 AST, 32 TT, 11.0 SK, 12.0 TFL, 18 QBH, 4 PD, 2 FF, 1 FR
Last Week: 1 GS at Houston Texans (W, 30-24 [OT])
- Holds the No. 6 overall defensive grade (91.2) in the NFL and No. 6 pass rush grade (91.4)
- Tied for ninth in the NFL in total pressures (55)
- Part of Chiefs team that secured its seventh consecutive division championship (2016-22), which is tied for the second-longest streak of consecutive division titles since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970
- Tied for seventh in the NFL with 11.0 sacks
Season: 2 G
Last Week: DNP vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (L, 16-24)
TYRE PHILLIPS | NEW YORK GIANTS – OG | AT MSU: 2017-19
Season: 8 G, 4 GS, 11 Pressures Allowed
Last Week: 1 G, 0 Pressures Allowed at Washington Commanders (W, 20-12)
MAKAI POLK (PS) | NEW YORK GIANTS – WR | AT MSU: 2021
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP at Washington Commanders (W, 20-12)
WILL REDMOND | HOUSTON TEXANS – CB | AT MSU: 2012-15
Season: 3 G, 1 TKL, 1 ST TKL
Last Week: 1 G, 1 ST TKL vs. Kansas City Chiefs (L, 24-30 [OT])
DAK PRESCOTT | DALLAS COWBOYS – QB | AT MSU: 2011-15
Season: 9 G, 9 GS, 191-281, 2103 YDS, 17 TD, 93.8 QBR, 30 RUSH, 114 YDS, LONG 25
Last Week: 1 GS, 23-30, 256 YDS, 3 TD, 107.1 QBR, 5 RUSH, 20 YDS, LONG 12 at Jacksonville Jaguars (L, 34-40 [OT])
- Turned in his third three-passing-touchdown game of the season
Season: 12 G, 12 GS, 24 TKL, 24 AST, 48 TT, 7.5 SK, 9.0 TFL, 12 QBH, 7 PD, 1 FF
Last Week: 1 GS, 4 TKL, 2 AST, 6 TT, 1.0 SK, 1.0 TFL, 1 QBH at Los Angeles Chargers (L, 14-17)
- Tied for second on the team in total tackles
- Recorded a sack for a loss of nine yards in the first quarter and now has 20.5 career sacks
- Needs 0.5 sacks to match his single-season career-high (8.5, 2021)
- Is just the second Titan since 2000 (Keith Bulluck) to record at least 3.0 sacks and five pass defenses in three consecutive seasons
Season: 14 G, 14 GS, 32 TKL, 14 AST, 46 TT, 3 IN, 13 PD
Last Week: 1 GS, 1 TKL, 2 AST, 3 TT, 1 PD at Chicago Bears (W, 25-20)
- Part of an Eagles team with the NFL's best record at 13-1, which has already tied the franchise's record for regular-season wins (2004; 2017)
- Tied for third in the NFL with 13 pass defenses
- Leads all NFL players since 2013 with 132 career pass defenses
Season: 14 G, 14 GS, 31 TKL, 19 AST, 50 TT, 7.5 SK, 9.0 TFL, 17 QBH, 1 PD
Last Week: 1 GS, 2 TKL, 1 AST, 3 TT, 2.0 SK, 2.0 TFL, 4 QBH vs. Los Angeles Rams (W, 24-12)
- Part of a Packers team that has won six straight Monday Night Football games, the longest such run in franchise history
- Helped the Green Bay defense post season bests in sacks (5) and total offense allowed (156 yards)
- Held the Rams' offense to its lowest scoring total since 2017
- Led the team with two sacks for his ninth two-sack game as a Packer, which leads the team since 2019
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. Detroit Lions (W, 20-17)
MONTEZ SWEAT | WASHINGTON COMMANDERS – DE | AT MSU: 2017-18
Season: 14 G, 14 GS, 23 TKL, 16 AST, 39 TT, 7.0 SK, 12.0 TFL, 26 QBH, 2 PD
Last Week: 1 GS, 3 AST, 3 TT, 2 QBH vs. New York Giants (L, 12-20)
- Tied for third in the NFL with 26 QB hits
- Tied for fourth in the NFL in Week 15 with six total pressures per PFF
DARRYL WILLIAMS (PS) | JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – OL | AT MSU: 2015-19
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. Dallas Cowboys (W, 40-34 [OT])
ISAIAH ZUBER (PS) | LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – WR | AT MSU: 2019
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. New England Patriots (W, 30-24)
Players Mentioned
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