#STATEtoSundays: Week 17 Update
December 31, 2024 | Football
Montez Sweat continues to wreak havoc in opposing backfields for the Chicago Bears this season.
Sweat secured a pair of tackles including one stop for loss, a strip sack and two quarterback hurries this past week. He posted the top pressure grade on the Bears' defense at 80.5 according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) and the second-highest overall defensive grade on the team at 76.5.
The former Mississippi State standout, first-round draft pick and 2023 Pro Bowler now has 5 ½ sacks on the season and 47 for his career.
Rookie Jaden Crumedy made three tackles, a quarterback hurry and combined on his first career sack in Week 17. Crumedy was credited with the No. 3 pressure grade for Carolina and has racked up seven stops over his past three outings.
Fellow first-year player Decamerion Richardson started his sixth-straight game at cornerback for Las Vegas. Richardson finished second on the team with six tackles this past weekend.
Martin Emerson also earned a start and recorded five tackles for Cleveland. Emerson posted the third-best tackle grade among all NFL cornerbacks in Week 17 with an 81.3.
Jeffery Simmons tallied five tackles as well as a quarterback hurry for Tennessee this past week. Simmons tops the team with an 80.5 pressure grade this season, which ranks seventh among all interior defenders in the league.
The two-time Pro Bowler boasts the second-best overall defensive grade for the Titans this season at 79.3.
Elgton Jenkins and Charles Cross remain warriors in the trenches for Green Bay and Seattle respectively. Jenkins logged all 63 offensive snaps at left guard while posting the top pass-blocking grade for the Packers (81.1) this past week while Cross logged all 52 reps at left tackle and earned the second-best run-blocking grade on the team.
Jenkins' 83.1 pass-blocking grade this season ranks second among all guards in the NFL.
Cross leads the Seahawks with an 83 pass-blocking grade and a 76.8 run-blocking grade. The former first-round pick's 83.5 overall offensive grade in 2024 ranks ninth among all tackles in the league.
Logan Cooke punted three times this past week for a 43.3-yard average and pinned one at the 7-yard line. Cooke ranks third in the NFL with a 90.0 punting score this season and his 43.5 career net punting average is the best in league history.
JOHNATHAN ABRAMÂ | S | FREE AGENTÂ |Â AT MSU: 2017-18
Last Week:Â Abram was released by the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 22.Â
Season:Â 18 tackles (10 solo, eight assists), one interception, one pass defense
DENICO AUTRYÂ | DE | HOUSTON TEXANSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2012-13
Last Week:Â Autry played 16 defensive snaps in a 31-2 loss to the Ravens.
Season:Â 13 tackles (eight solo, five assists), three tackles for loss, three sacks, six quarterback hurries, three pass defenses
MARCUS BANKSÂ | S | TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2022-23
Last Week:Â Banks was on the practice squad for a 48-14 win over the Panthers.
Season:Â N/A
LOGAN COOKEÂ | P | JACKSONVILLE JAGUARSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2014-17
Last Week:Â Cooke punted three times for 130 yards (43.3 avg.) with a long of 48 yards in a 20-13 win over the Titans.
Season:Â Punting -Â 64 punts for 3,159 yards (49.4 avg.), long 73Â Special Teams -Â One solo tackle
CHARLES CROSSÂ | OT | SEATTLE SEAHAWKSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2019-21
Last Week:Â Cross started at left tackle and played all 52 offensive snaps in a 6-3 win at the Bears.
Season:Â 16 games played, 16 starts, one fumble recovery
JADEN CRUMEDYÂ | DT | CAROLINA PANTHERS |Â AT MSU: 2018-23
Last Week:Â Crumedy made three tackles (one solo, two assists), a half-sack and one quarterback hurry in a 48-14 loss at the Buccaneers.
Season: Eight tackles (three solo, five assists), 0.5 sack, one quarterback hurry
MARTIN EMERSONÂ | CB | CLEVELAND BROWNSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2019-21
Last Week:Â Emerson started and made five tackles (three solo, two assists) in a 20-3 loss to the Dolphins.
Season:Â 76 tackles (59 solo, 17 assists), five pass defenses, three tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery
EMMANUEL FORBESÂ | CB | LOS ANGELES RAMSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2020-22
Last Week:Â Forbes saw action for two reps on special teams in a 13-9 win over the Cardinals.
Season:Â Seven tackles (two solo, five assists), one interception, one pass defense
WILLIE GAY JR. | LB | NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | AT MSU: 2017-19
Last Week:Â Gay made one assisted tackle in a 25-10 loss to the Raiders.
Season:Â 27 tackles (19 solo, eight assists), one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two tackles for loss, two sacks, one quarterback hurry, two pass defenses
J.T. GRAYÂ | S | NEW ORLEANS SAINTSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2014-17
Last Week:Â Gray made one assisted tackle on special teams in a 25-10 loss to the Raiders.
Season:Â 24 tackles (12 solo, 12 assists), one forced fumble, one blocked punt
ELGTON JENKINSÂ | OG | GREEN BAY PACKERS |Â AT MSU: 2014-18
Last Week:Â Jenkins started at left guard and played all 63 offensive snaps in a 27-25 loss at the Vikings.
Season: Offense – 16 games played, 16 starts Misc. – One solo tackle
CHRIS JONESÂ | DE | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS |Â AT MSU: 2013-15
Last Week:Â Jones was inactive for a 29-10 win at the Steelers.
Season:Â 38 tackles (19 solo, 19 assists), nine tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, one forced fumble, 21 quarterback hurries
TYRE PHILLIPSÂ | OG | NEW YORK GIANTS |Â AT MSU: 2017-19
Last Week:Â Phillips was on the practice squad for a 45-33 win over the Colts.
Season:Â Two games played
DAK PRESCOTTÂ | QB | DALLAS COWBOYS |Â AT MSU: 2011-15
Last Week:Â Prescott was on injured reserve (hamstring) for a 41-7 loss at the Eagles.
Season: Passing - 185 of 286, 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns, eight interceptions Rushing – 13 carries, 54 yards, one touchdownÂ
DECAMERION RICHARDSONÂ | CB | LAS VEGAS RAIDERSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2020-23
Last Week:Â Richardson started and finished second on the team with six tackles (three solo, three assists) and one pass defense in a 25-10 win at the Saints.
Season:Â 33 tackles (20 solo, 13 assists), three pass defenses
JEFFERY SIMMONSÂ | DT | TENNESSEE TITANS |Â AT MSU: 2016-18
Last Week:Â Simmons started and made five tackles (three solo, two assists) and one quarterback hurry in a 20-13 loss at the Jaguars.
Season:Â 70 tackles (40 solo, 30 assists), 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, four pass defenses, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries
DARIUS SLAYÂ | CB | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES |Â AT MSU: 2011-12
Last Week:Â Slay started and made three tackles (two solo, one assist) in a 41-7 win over the Cowboys.
Season:Â 49 tackles (38 solo, 11 assists), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 12 pass defenses, three tackles for loss
PRESTON SMITHÂ | LB | PITTSBURGH STEELERSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2011-14
Last Week:Â Smith was inactive for a 29-10 loss to the Chiefs.
Season:Â 29 tackles (11 solo, 18 assists), four tackles for loss, 3 1/2 sacks, five quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery
MONTEZ SWEATÂ | DE | CHICAGO BEARSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2017-18
Last Week:Â Sweat started and made two tackles (one solo, one assist), one tackle for loss, one sack, two quarterback hurries and forced a fumble in a 6-3 loss to the Seahawks.
Season:Â 30 tackles (18 solo, 12 assists), two pass defenses, nine tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles
NATHANIEL WATSONÂ | LB | CLEVELAND BROWNSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2018-23
Last Week:Â Watson saw action for 18 total snaps in a 20-3 loss to the Dolphins.
Season:Â 11 tackles (eight solo, three assists)
TYRUS WHEATÂ | DE | DALLAS COWBOYSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2020-22
Last Week:Â Wheat was inactive for a 41-7 loss at the Eagles.
Season:Â 14 tackles (six solo, eight assists), one tackle for loss, 0.5 sack, one quarterback hurry
CAMERON YOUNGÂ | DT | SEATTLE SEAHAWKSÂ |Â AT MSU: 2018-22
Last Week:Â Young was on injured reserve (knee) for a 6-3 win at the Bears.
Season:Â One game played
