#STATEtoSundays: Week 18 Update
January 07, 2025 | Football
Just over a year ago, Tyre Phillips underwent surgery to repair a torn quadriceps muscle in his right leg sustained in Week 17 of the 2023 season.
The injury and the rehab required kept the former Mississippi State standout sidelined throughout much of this year. However, the New York Giants resigned Phillips to their practice squad on Nov. 19 and the massive offensive lineman has been called up to the active roster three times since then.
Phillips was activated for the regular season finale this past weekend. Not only did he play, the Grenada also native started and logged all 53 snaps at right tackle for the Giants.
However, Phillips was not the only former Bulldog to prove his durability in the trenches during Week 18. Elgton Jenkins (65) and Charles Cross (55) also started and played every offensive snap for Green Bay and Seattle, respectively.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave Jenkins the highest offensive grade on the Packers at 80.8 this past weekend. He has the highest pass blocking grade on the team this season at 83.1, which ranks third among all guards in the NFL.
Cross garnered the top run blocking performance (73.5) for the Seahawks in Week 18. The former first-round pick leads the team in both run blocking (77.9) and pass blocking (81.3) grades for the year and his overall offensive grade of 82.5 is 10th among league tackles.
Preston Smith provided a pair of tackles, one for loss and a sack for Pittsburgh. The sack brings Smith's career total to 70 ½.
Three rookies from MSU also found success on the final weekend of the regular season. Las Vegas' Decamerion Richardson made a career-high 10 tackles and finished second on the team in that category while Jaden Crumedy finished with a personal-best five stops for Carolina.
Nathaniel Watson tallied three tackles and a pass defense while having the third-highest coverage grade for Cleveland in Week 18.
Former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes made his first career start since joining Los Angeles and finished second on the Rams with five tackles to go along with a pass defense.
Logan Cooke punted four times for 200 yards with a long of 62 yards for Jacksonville. Cooke, a 2024 Pro Bowl selection, posted the third-best punting grade in the league at 90.2 and his career 43.5 net punting average remains the best in NFL history.
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 was inactive for a 23-14 win at the Titans.
Season: 13 tackles (eight solo, five 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 27-19 win over the Saints.
Season: N/A
LOGAN COOKE | P | JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | AT MSU: 2014-17
Last Week: Cooke punted four times for 200 yards (50 avg.) with a long of 62 yards in a 26-23 loss at the Colts.
Season: Punting - 68 punts for 3,359 yards (49.4 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 all 55 offensive snaps in a 30-25 win at the Rams.
Season: 17 games played, 17 starts, one fumble recovery
JADEN CRUMEDY | DT | CAROLINA PANTHERS | AT MSU: 2018-23
Last Week: Crumedy made a career-high five tackles (one solo, four assists) in a 44-38 win at the Falcons.
Season: 13 tackles (four solo, nine assists), 0.5 sack, one quarterback hurry
MARTIN EMERSON | CB | CLEVELAND BROWNS | AT MSU: 2019-21
Last Week: Emerson started and made four tackles (three solo, one assist) in a 35-10 loss to the Ravens.
Season: 80 tackles (62 solo, 18 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 started and finished second on the team with five tackles (four solo, one assist) and one pass defense in a 30-25 loss to the Seahawks.
Season: 12 tackles (six solo, six assists), one interception, two pass defenses
WILLIE GAY JR. | LB | NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | AT MSU: 2017-19
Last Week: Gay was inactive for a 27-19 loss at the Buccaneers.
Season: 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. GRAY | S | NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | AT MSU: 2014-17
Last Week: Gray received 26 total reps on defense and special teams in a 27-19 loss at the Buccaneers.
Season: 24 tackles (12 solo, 12 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 65 offensive snaps in a 24-22 loss to the Bears.
Season: Offense – 17 games played, 17 starts Misc. – One solo tackle
CHRIS JONES | DE | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | AT MSU: 2013-15
Last Week: Jones was inactive for a 38-0 loss at the Broncos.
Season: 38 tackles (19 solo, 19 assists), nine tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, one forced fumble, 21 quarterback hurries
TYRE PHILLIPS | OG | NEW YORK GIANTS | AT MSU: 2017-19
Last Week: Phillips started at right tackle and played all 53 offensive snaps in a 20-13 loss at the Eagles.
Season: Three games played, one start
DAK PRESCOTT | QB | DALLAS COWBOYS | AT MSU: 2011-15
Last Week: Prescott was on injured reserve (hamstring) for a 23-19 loss to the Commanders.
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 finished second on the team with a career-high 10 tackles (five solo, five assists) in a 34-20 loss to the Chargers.
Season: 43 tackles (25 solo, 18 assists), three pass defenses
JEFFERY SIMMONS | DT | TENNESSEE TITANS | AT MSU: 2016-18
Last Week: Simmons started and made four tackles (one solo, three assists) in a 23-14 loss to the Texans.
Season: 74 tackles (41 solo, 33 assists), 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, four pass defenses, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries
DARIUS SLAY | CB | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | AT MSU: 2011-12
Last Week: Slay was inactive for a 20-13 win over the Giants.
Season: 49 tackles (38 solo, 11 assists), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 12 pass defenses, three tackles for loss
PRESTON SMITH | LB | PITTSBURGH STEELERS | AT MSU: 2011-14
Last Week: Smith made two tackles (one solo, one assist), one tackle for loss, one sack and one quarterback hurry in a 19-17 loss to the Bengals.
Season: 31 tackles (12 solo, 19 assists), five tackles for loss, 4 1/2 sacks, six quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery
MONTEZ SWEAT | DE | CHICAGO BEARS | AT MSU: 2017-18
Last Week: Sweat started and made one assisted tackle in a 24-22 win at the Packers.
Season: 31 tackles (18 solo, 13 assists), two pass defenses, nine tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles
NATHANIEL WATSON | LB | CLEVELAND BROWNS | AT MSU: 2018-23
Last Week: Watson made three tackles (one solo, one assist, one solo special teams) and one pass defense in a 35-10 loss at the Ravens.
Season: 14 tackles (10 solo, four assists), one pass defense
TYRUS WHEAT | DE | DALLAS COWBOYS | AT MSU: 2020-22
Last Week: Wheat was inactive for a 23-19 loss at the Commanders.
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 30-25 loss at the Rams.
Season: One game played
