#STATEtoSundays: Week 15 Update
December 17, 2024 | Football
Jeffery Simmons continues to be one of the most dominant forces in the NFL.
This past week, Simmons tied for second on the Tennessee Titans with seven tackles, which included a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage and two quarterback hurries.
The former Mississippi State standout had the second-best run defense grade among interior defenders in the NFL during Week 15 at 87.8 according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the sixth highest by any defender in the league.
For the year, Simmons leads the Titans with a 79.0 pressure grade and ranks second on the team with a 78.2 overall defensive grade. His pressure grade this season is tied for ninth among all players at his position in the NFL.
Chris Jones (Chiefs) and Montez Sweat (Bears) also made tackles for loss this past weekend while Willie Gay Jr. recorded a sack for the Saints and the Eagles' Darius Slay recovered a fumble.
Jones was credited for the top pressure grade for Kansas City in Week 15 at 78.4 and the No. 2 run defensive grade at 75.0. He ranks first among NFL interior defenders with a 90.7 pressure grade this season and third at his position in overall defensive grade (88.7).
Rookies Jaden Crumedy and Nathaniel Watson had their best pro performances to date during Week 15. Crumedy made a career-high four tackles for Carolina while Watson matched his career-best with three solo stops on special teams for Cleveland.
Watson ranked second overall in the NFL with a 92.1 special teams grade this past week and has the Browns' best tackling grade for the season at 77.6.
Elgton Jenkins started at left guard and logged all 64 snaps for Green Bay. Jenkins has the third-highest pass-blocking grade among all NFL guards in 2024 at 82.8.
Charles Cross started at left tackle for Seattle earning the top pass-blocking grade (81.1) on the team and the Seahawks' second-best overall offensive grade (76.3) this past Sunday. For the season, Cross holds Seattle's top pass blocking (82.0) and run blocking (76.2) grades and his overall offensive grade of 82.9 is tied for ninth among all tackles in the league.
JOHNATHAN ABRAM | S | FREE AGENT | AT MSU: 2017-18
Last Week: Abram was released by the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 22.
Season: 18 tackles (10 solo, eight assists), one interception, one pass defense
DENICO AUTRY | DE | HOUSTON TEXANS | AT MSU: 2012-13
Last Week: Autry made one assisted tackle in a 20-12 win over the Dolphins.
Season: 12 tackles (eight solo, four assists), three tackles for loss, three sacks, six quarterback hurries, three pass defenses
MARCUS BANKS | S | TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | AT MSU: 2022-23
Last Week: Banks was on the practice squad for a 40-17 win at the Chargers.
Season: N/A
LOGAN COOKE | P | JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | AT MSU: 2014-17
Last Week: Cooke punted twice for 94 yards (47 avg.) with a long of 57 yards in a 32-25 loss to the Jets.
Season: Punting - 54 punts for 2,754 yards (51.0 avg.), long 73 Special Teams - One solo tackle
CHARLES CROSS | OT | SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | AT MSU: 2019-21
Last Week: Cross started at left tackle and played 56 offensive and three special teams snaps in a 30-13 loss to the Packers.
Season: 14 games played, 14 starts, one fumble recovery
JADEN CRUMEDY | DT | CAROLINA PANTHERS | AT MSU: 2018-23
Last Week: Crumedy made a career-high four tackles (one solo, three assists) in a 30-14 loss to the Cowboys.
Season: Five tackles (two solo, three assists)
MARTIN EMERSON | CB | CLEVELAND BROWNS | AT MSU: 2019-21
Last Week: Emerson started and made one assisted tackle in a 21-7 loss to the Chiefs.
Season: 67 tackles (53 solo, 14 assists), five pass defenses, three tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery
EMMANUEL FORBES | CB | LOS ANGELES RAMS | AT MSU: 2020-22
Last Week: Forbes did not play in a 12-6 win at the 49ers.
Season: Seven tackles (two solo, five assists), one interception, one pass defense
WILLIE GAY JR. | LB | NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | AT MSU: 2017-19
Last Week: Gay started and made one solo tackle and one sack in a 20-19 loss to the Commanders.
Season: 24 tackles (18 solo, six assists), one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two tackles for loss, two sacks, one quarterback hurry, two pass defenses
J.T. GRAY | S | NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | AT MSU: 2014-17
Last Week: Gray downed a punt and played 22 downs on special teams in a 20-19 loss to the Commanders.
Season: 22 tackles (12 solo, 10 assists), one forced fumble, one blocked punt
ELGTON JENKINS | OG | GREEN BAY PACKERS | AT MSU: 2014-18
Last Week: Jenkins started at left guard and played all 64 snaps in a 30-13 win at the Seahawks.
Season: Offense - 14 games played, 14 starts Misc. – One solo tackle
CHRIS JONES | DE | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | AT MSU: 2013-15
Last Week: Jones started and made three tackles (one solo, two assists), one tackle for loss and three quarterback hurries in a 21-7 win at the Browns.
Season: 36 tackles (19 solo, 17 assists), nine tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, one forced fumble, 17 quarterback hurries
TYRE PHILLIPS | OG | NEW YORK GIANTS | AT MSU: 2017-19
Last Week: Phillips was on the practice squad for a 35-14 loss to the Ravens.
Season: One game played
DAK PRESCOTT | QB | DALLAS COWBOYS | AT MSU: 2011-15
Last Week: Prescott was on injured reserve (hamstring) for a 30-14 win at the Panthers.
Season: Passing - 185 of 286, 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns, eight interceptions Rushing – 13 carries, 54 yards, one touchdown
DECAMERION RICHARDSON | CB | LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | AT MSU: 2020-23
Last Week: Richardson started and made three tackles (one solo, two assists) in a 15-9 loss to the Falcons.
Season: 27 tackles (17 solo, 10 assists), two pass defenses
JEFFERY SIMMONS | DT | TENNESSEE TITANS | AT MSU: 2016-18
Last Week: Simmons started and tied for second on the team with seven tackles (three solo, four assists), two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries in a 37-27 loss to the Bengals.
Season: 57 tackles (34 solo, 23 assists), 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, eight quarterback hurries, four pass defenses, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries
DARIUS SLAY | CB | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | AT MSU: 2011-12
Last Week: Slay started and made one solo tackle and recovered a fumble in a 27-13 win over the Steelers.
Season: 39 tackles (31 solo, eight assists), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, nine pass defenses, two tackles for loss
PRESTON SMITH | LB | PITTSBURGH STEELERS | AT MSU: 2011-14
Last Week: Smith made two assisted tackles in a 27-13 loss at the Eagles.
Season: 28 tackles (11 solo, 17 assists), four tackles for loss, 3 1/2 sacks, five quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery
MONTEZ SWEAT | DE | CHICAGO BEARS | AT MSU: 2017-18
Last Week: Sweat started and made two solo tackles and one tackle for loss in a 30-12 loss at the Vikings.
Season: 24 tackles (15 solo, nine assists), two pass defenses, eight tackles for loss, 4 1/2 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, one forced fumble
NATHANIEL WATSON | LB | CLEVELAND BROWNS | AT MSU: 2018-23
Last Week: Watson matched his career-high with three solo tackles on special teams in a 21-7 loss to the Chiefs.
Season: 10 tackles (seven solo, three assists)
TYRUS WHEAT | DE | DALLAS COWBOYS | AT MSU: 2020-22
Last Week: Wheat was inactive for a 30-14 win at the Panthers.
Season: 14 tackles (six solo, eight assists), one tackle for loss, 0.5 sack, one quarterback hurry
CAMERON YOUNG | DT | SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | AT MSU: 2018-22
Last Week: Young was on injured reserve (knee) for a 30-18 loss to the Packers.
Season: One game played
