Nittany Lions in the NFL - Week 2Nittany Lions in the NFL - Week 2

Nittany Lions in the NFL - Week 2

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A total of 42 Penn State alums are populating the rosters of 23 National Football League teams. The Nittany Lions are perennially a top-20 program in producing players in the NFL. Each week throughout the year, GoPSUsports.com provides updates on the exploits of these former Nittany Lion greats.
 
A pair of former Penn State teammates put up big offensive numbers. Tight end Mike Gesicki (Dolphins) enjoyed a career day with eight receptions for a franchise tight end-record 130 yards and a touchdown, including a spectacular one-handed grab. Running back Miles Sanders (Eagles) made his season debut after being out Week 1 due to an injury, totaling 20 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown and three grabs for 36 yards.
 
On the other side of the ball defensive tackle Jack Crawford (Titans) had a momentum-shifting sack in a nail-biting win over Jacksonville. Additionally, Penn State's two NFL kickers squared off, with Robbie Gould (49ers) and Sam Ficken (Jets) both posting perfect outings.
 
Three more Nittany Lions made their NFL debuts, as wide receiver KJ Hamler (Broncos) had three catches for 48 yards and a rush for 9 yards, linebacker Cam Brown (Giants) saw time on special teams and offensive lineman Connor McGovern (Cowboys), who missed his rookie season last year due to injury, was activated for the first time and saw action on special teams.
 
The weekend was not without difficulty though, as Saquon Barkley (Giants) left early with a knee injury. The injury was later diagnosed as an ACL tear, ending his season.
 
Marcus Allen (2014-17) LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 26, Broncos 21
Allen saw action on special teams.

Adrian Amos (2011-14) S, Green Bay Packers
Packers 42, Lions 21
Amos started and made two tackles.

Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Football Team
Cardinals 30, Washington 15
Apke started and had five tackles, all solo.

Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Bears 17, Giants 13
Barkley had four rushes for 28 yards, with a long of 18, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second quarter.

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Gonna be a hell of a story....

A post shared by Saquon Barkley (@saquon) on Sep 21, 2020 at 6:18pm PDT


Ryan Bates (2015-18) OT, Buffalo Bills
Bills 31, Dolphins 28
Bates saw action on offense in Buffalo's goal line and victory formation packages, and on special teams.
 
Nick Bowers (2015-19) TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders 34, Saints 24
Bowers is on the Raiders practice squad.
 
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, New York Giants
Bears 17, Giants 13
Brown made his NFL debut on special teams against the Bears.

Jason Cabinda (2014-17) LB/FB, Detroit Lions
Packers 42, Lions 21
Cabinda saw action at fullback and on special teams. He cleared the way for a Kerryon Johnson touchdown run in the first quarter.


Dan Chisena (2015, 18-19) WR, Minnesota Vikings
Colts 28, Vikings 11
Chisena saw action on special teams.

Jack Crawford (2008-11) DT, Tennessee Titans
Titans 33, Jaguars 30
Crawford started for the Titans and had a sack, taking down Jaguars' QB Gardner Minshew for a loss of 20 yards in the second quarter.


Sam Ficken (2011-14) K, New York Jets
49ers 31, Jets 13
Ficken successfully converted an extra point and two field goal attempts, with a long of 41 yards.

Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Bills 31, Dolphins 28
Gesicki had a career-best eight grabs for 130 yards, with a long of 27 yards. The 130 receiving yards were a single-game franchise record for a tight end. The first seven receptions all went for first downs and the last was a touchdown in the final minute of the game to give Miami a late chance to rally back.


Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, New Orleans Saints
Raiders 34, Saints 24
Gillikin is on the injured reserve list due to a back injury.

Kevin Givens (2015-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 31, Jets 13
Givens made a pair of tackles, including one for a loss and another for no gain on third-and-1 to force a Jets punt in the second quarter. He also registered a quarterback hit.

Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 31, Panthers 17
Godwin was inactive after suffering a concussion in Week 1.

Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 31, Jets 13
Gould successfully converted a 46-yard field goal attempt and four extra point attempts.
 
Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, Carolina Panthers
Buccaneers 31, Panthers 17
Gross-Matos was inactive after suffering a concussion in Week 1.
 
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New Orleans Saints
Raiders 34, Saints 24
Haley signed on to the Saints practice squad.
 
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Steelers 26, Broncos 21
Hamilton made one reception for 5 yards.
 
KJ Hamler (2017-19) WR, Denver Broncos
Steelers 26, Broncos 21
Hamler was targeted seven times and had three catches for 48 yards and one rush for 9 yards in his NFL debut.

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Debut!!!!!

A post shared by KJ HAMLER (@kj_hamler1) on Sep 21, 2020 at 1:00pm PDT

 
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, New York Jets
49ers 31, Jets 13
Hogan was the Jets leading receiver, making six receptions for 75 yards.

Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Detroit Lions
Packers 42, Lions 21
James started at tight end and also saw action on special teams.

Austin Johnson (2012-15) NT, New York Giants 
Bears 17, Giants 13
Johnson had one solo tackle against the Bears.

DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans 
Titans 33, Jaguars 30
Jones started for the Titans and had four tackles, including three solo stops.
 
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) OLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 40, Falcons 39
Lee is on injured reserve.

Jordan Lucas (2012-15) SS, Chicago Bears
Bears 17, Giants 13
Lucas has opted out of the 2020 season due to Covid-19.

Connor McGovern (2016-18) OG, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 40, Falcons 39
McGovern was activated for the first time and made his NFL debut on special teams.
 
Trace McSorley (2014-18) QB, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 33, Texans 16
McSorley was inactive against the Texans.

Shareef Miller (2015-18) DE, Carolina Panthers
31, Panthers 17
Miller was inactive against the Bucs.

Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders 34, Saints 24
Nassib made three tackles and had a quarterback hit in a Monday night win over the Saints in the Raiders' new stadium in Las Vegas.

Amani Oruwariye (2014-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Packers 42, Lions 21
Oruwariye started against the Packers and made three solo tackles.
 
John Reid (2015-19) CB, Houston Texans
Ravens 33, Texans 16
Reid made one tackle on special teams.

Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Bears 17, Giants 13
Robinson started against the Lions and had three receptions for 33 yards.

Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Rams 37, Eagles 19
In his season debut, Sanders had 20 carries for 95 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown run, and three receptions for 36 yards.


Nick Scott (2014-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 37, Eagles 19
Scott saw action on special teams.

A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 31, Panthers 17
Shipley was active, but did not play in Week 2 against the Panthers.
 
Donovan Smith (2012-13) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 31, Panthers 17
Smith started and helped the Bucs total 339 yards of total offense without allowing a sack for the team's first win with quarterback Tom Brady.
 
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, New York Jets
49ers 31, Jets 13
Travis is on the Jets practice squad.
 
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Rams 37, Eagles 19
Williams is on the Eagles practice squad.
 
Robert Windsor (2015-19) DT, Indianapolis Colts
Colts 28, Vikings 11
Windsor is on the Colts practice squad.
 
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) OG, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 26, Broncos 21
Wisniewski was placed on the injured reserve list due to a pectoral injury he sustained Week 1.
 
Anthony Zettel (2012-15) DE, New Orleans Saints
Raiders 34, Saints 24
Zettel was signed to the Saints practice squad.