Kansas State University Athletics
Wildcats in the NFL – Week 13
Dec 06, 2016 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Each week throughout the 2016 season, k-statesports.com will recap the action for the 10 former Kansas State football players currently in the NFL.
Arthur Brown, LB – Jacksonville Jaguars
A fourth-year linebacker who is in his first season with Jacksonville, Brown saw time on 28 special teams plays in the Jaguars’ 20-10 home defeat at the hands of Denver. A former second-round pick, Brown has played in 46 career games and made 20 tackles. Jacksonville suffered its seven-straight loss, falling to 2-10 on the year. The Jaguars host Minnesota on Sunday.
B.J. Finney, OL – Pittsburgh Steelers
Finney, an undrafted rookie free agent in 2015 who spent last year on the practice squad, was active but did not play in the Steelers’ 24-14 home victory over the New York Giants. A native of Andale, Kansas, Finney has seen time in nine games this year, which includes a start at guard against Kansas City. The Steelers have followed a four-game skid with a current three-game winning streak, improving to 7-5 this year to sit in a first-place tie in the AFC North. Pittsburgh travels to play at Buffalo on Sunday.
Glenn Gronkowski, FB – New England Patriots
After entering the league as an undrafted rookie free agents with Buffalo and playing for the Bills in Week 1, Gronkowski is in his third stint on New England’s practice squad this year. The Patriots picked up a 26-10 win over Los Angeles as New England improved its lead in the NFC East to three games with a 10-2 record. The Patriots host Baltimore next Monday night.
Emmanuel Lamur, LB – Minnesota Vikings
A fifth-year linebacker, Lamur played on both defense and special teams and recorded a tackle on kickoff coverage in Minnesota’s 17-15 Thursday-night loss at home to Dallas. A first-year player for the Vikings who spent his first four NFL seasons in Cincinnati, Lamur has 158 career tackles, a half sack, 10 passes defended and two interceptions in his career. The Vikings lost for a sixth time in the last seven games after starting the year 5-0 as they currently sit at 6-6, two games back of Detroit in the NFC North standings. Minnesota travels to Jacksonville on Sunday.
Tyler Lockett, WR/Returner – Seattle Seahawks
A second-year pro, Lockett came up big in Seattle’s 40-7 home win over Carolina by recording a 75-yard touchdown run on an end around in addition to tallying five catches for 63 yards, returning a kickoff 46 yards and three punts for 12 yards. Lockett, a nominee for the 2016 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, has 28 catches for 388 yards this year to go along with an 8.8-yard punt return average and a 26.3-yard kickoff return average. Seattle earned its fourth win in the last five games as the Seahawks improved their record to an NFC West-leading 8-3-1 mark prior to traveling to Green Bay on Sunday.
Highlights: Game Highlights
Cornelius Lucas, OL – Detroit Lions
Lucas, a third-year offensive lineman, was inactive for Detroit’s fourth-straight win, a 28-13 victory at New Orleans. Lucas was an undrafted rookie free agent signee in 2014 who has played in 34 career games with six starts. The Lions, who has won seven of their last eight games, are 8-4 on the year to lead the NFC North by two games and host Chicago on Sunday.
Jordy Nelson, WR – Green Bay Packers
Nelson, a ninth-year pro, was a vital part in Green Bay’s second-straight win as he collected eight catches for 118 yards – including a 32-yard touchdown to cap a 98-yard drive – to help the Packers to a 21-13 victory over Houston. On injured reserve for the entire 2015 season, Nelson has 69 receptions for 872 yards and 10 touchdowns this year. His 10 receiving scores rank third in the NFL. The Riley, Kansas, product ranks fifth in Green Bay history in career catches (469) and yards (6,981), while he is fourth in touchdowns (69). Green Bay evened its record at 6-6, two games behind first-place Detroit, and hosts Seattle this Sunday.
Highlights: Game Highlights
Terence Newman, CB – Minnesota Vikings
A 14th-year veteran who is with his second season with Minnesota, Newman played in his 200th career game and recorded a tackle for loss in the Vikings’ 17-15 loss to Dallas on Thursday night. A native of Salina, Kansas, who is a nominee for the NFL’s 2016 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, has totaled 829 tackles in his career to go along with two sacks, 166 passes defended and 41 interceptions. His 41 picks rank second among active players. The Vikings lost for a sixth time since their Week 6 bye, falling to 6-6 on the year to sit in a tie for second place in the NFC North. Minnesota travels to Jacksonville on Sunday.
Darren Sproles, RB/Returner – Philadelphia Eagles
Sproles, a 12th-year veteran, rushed seven times for 14 yards and a touchdown, caught six passes for 35 yards and returned a punt seven yards in Philadelphia’s 32-14 loss at Cincinnati. In 12 games this season, the 2016 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominee has accounted for 339 yards and a touchdown on the ground to go along with 387 receiving yards and a 13.7-yard punt return average, which ranks third in the NFL. Sproles remains in eighth place all-time in NFL history in all-purpose yards, a mark that now stands at 18,867 yards. He is 103 yards behind current Baltimore Raven wide receiver Steve Smith for seventh place. The Eagles dropped to 5-7 on the year and hosts Washington on Sunday.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
A second-round pick in this year’s draft, Whitehair started his 12th game of the year and was in for all but two of Chicago’s 63 offensive snaps in the Bears’ 26-6 home win over San Francisco. Chicago improved to 3-9 this season and travels to face Detroit on Sunday.
