Kansas State University Athletics
Wildcats in the NFL – Week 16
Dec 29, 2020 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Each week throughout the 2020 season, k-statesports.com recaps the action for the 13 former Kansas State football players currently in the NFL.
Deante Burton, DB – Dallas Cowboys
Burton, who was signed to the Cowboys' active roster from the practice squad in the middle of the season, is on injured reserve. In four games this year, Burton carded three tackles between 21 defensive snaps and 50 special teams plays. The Cowboys picked up a 37-17 win over Philadelphia – Dallas' third-straight victory – to improve their record to 6-9. Dallas closes out the regular season with a trip to the New York Giants on Sunday. The Cowboys can win the NFC East with a win and a Washington loss, or a tie and a Washington loss.
B.J. Finney, OL – Cincinnati Bengals
Finney was inactive for Cincinnati's 37-31 win at Houston. It was the Bengals' second-straight victory as they improved to 4-10-1 prior to ending their season by hosting Baltimore.
Elijah Lee, LB – Cleveland Browns
Lee carded a tackle on both kickoff and punt coverage among his 28 special teams plays, and he was also in for three defensive snaps in Cleveland's 23-16 loss at the New York Jets. It was Lee's seventh game with the Browns as he began his season with the Lions. Cleveland fell to 10-5 with the loss but still holds the final Wild Card spot in the AFC. The Browns can clinch a playoff berth by defeating Pittsburgh at home on Sunday, an Indianapolis loss at home to Jacksonville or multiple other scenarios.
Tyler Lockett, WR – Seattle Seahawks
Starting his 70th-career game, Lockett made three receptions for 44 yards in Seattle's 20-9 home win over the Los Angeles Rams, a victory that clinched the NFC West for the Seahawks. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lockett has 88 receptions for 964 yards and eight touchdowns this season, the latter tying for 10th in the NFL this year. Now 11-4, Seattle travels to face San Francisco on Sunday and can clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory, a Green Bay loss and a New Orleans loss or tie.
Cornelius Lucas, OL – Washington Football Team
Lucas made his seventh start of the season and was in for all 71 offensive snaps in Washington's 20-13 home loss to Carolina. A sixth-year veteran, Lucas has played in 13 games for the Football Team, which fell to 6-9 on the year but still leads the NFC East over Dallas due to tie breakers. Washington can win the division and clinch a playoff spot with a victory at Philadelphia on Sunday night or with ties by both the Football Team and Cowboys.
Matt McCrane, K – Cleveland Browns
McCrane is on the Browns' practice squad, a place he has resided since signing with the organization in Week 3. Cleveland lost at the New York Jets, 23-16, to fall to 10-5 on the season. Despite the setback, the Browns still hold on to the final Wild Card spot in the AFC and can clinch a playoff berth with a home victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday. Cleveland can also make the playoffs by virtue of an Indianapolis loss at home to Jacksonville or multiple other scenarios.
Byron Pringle, WR – Kansas City Chiefs
Pringle, who played in his second game since coming off injured reserve, was in for seven offensive snaps and 16 special teams plays in Kansas City's 17-14 win at home over Atlanta. In 12 games this season, Pringle has nine receptions for 108 yards to go along with seven kickoff returns for 247 yards (35.3-yard average) and a touchdown. He is one of only four players in the league with a kickoff-return score this season. With the victory, the Chiefs clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC and will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Kansas City concludes the regular season by hosting the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
D.J. Reed Jr., DB – Seattle Seahawks
Reed made his seventh start of the season – and fourth in as many games – as he came away with eight tackles and returned one punt for 12 yards in Seattle's 20-9 home win over the Los Angeles Rams, a victory that clinched the NFC West for the Seahawks. Reed played on all 75 defensive snaps against the Rams, the fifth time this season he played on every defensive play in a game. In nine games this year, Reed has 57 tackles, two tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions, six passes defended and two fumble recoveries. Seattle, now 11-4 on the season, travels to face San Francisco on Sunday and can clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win, a Green Bay loss and a New Orleans loss or tie.
Dalton Risner, OL – Denver Broncos
Coming to the end of his second NFL season, Risner was in for all 77 offensive snaps and also made a tackle on an interception in Denver's 19-16 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers. A product of Wiggins, Colorado, Risner has seen time on 1,947 of the Broncos' 2,017 offensive snaps (96.5%) since he began his career last year. Now 5-10 this season, Denver concludes the 2020 campaign by hosting Las Vegas.
Duke Shelley, DB – Chicago Bears
Shelley recorded three tackles among his 44 defensive snaps and eight special teams plays in Chicago's 41-17 win at Jacksonville. In 10 games this season with one start, Shelley has 10 tackles and a pass breakup. The Bears improved to 8-7 on the year to currently hold the final Wild Card spot in the NFC and can wrap up a playoff spot with a win over Green Bay at home on Sunday. The Bears can also clinch a spot with an Arizona loss or ties by both the Bears and the Cardinals.
Reggie Walker, LB - Arizona Cardinals
Walker is on Arizona's practice squad, and the Cardinals fell at home to San Francisco, 20-12. Walker has been elevated to the active roster and played twice this season. The Cardinals fell to 8-7 this season and needs a win at the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday to earn a berth into the playoffs. Arizona can also get into the playoffs with a tie and a Chicago loss.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
Whitehair was in for 67 of the Bears' 72 offensive snaps in Chicago's 41-17 win at Jacksonville. Whitehair has played on 82% of the Bears' offensive snaps in 2020. Chicago is now 8-7 this season prior to hosting Green Bay on Sunday. The Bears can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Packers, an Arizona loss at the Los Angeles Rams or a tie by both the Bears and Cardinals.
Jordan Willis, DE – San Francisco 49ers
Willis recorded one tackle among his 56 defensive snaps and three special teams plays in San Francisco's 20-12 win at Arizona. In nine games this season split between the New York Jets and the 49ers, Willis has 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. San Francisco fell to 6-9 on the year and wraps up the season by hosting Seattle on Sunday.
Deante Burton, DB – Dallas Cowboys
Burton, who was signed to the Cowboys' active roster from the practice squad in the middle of the season, is on injured reserve. In four games this year, Burton carded three tackles between 21 defensive snaps and 50 special teams plays. The Cowboys picked up a 37-17 win over Philadelphia – Dallas' third-straight victory – to improve their record to 6-9. Dallas closes out the regular season with a trip to the New York Giants on Sunday. The Cowboys can win the NFC East with a win and a Washington loss, or a tie and a Washington loss.
B.J. Finney, OL – Cincinnati Bengals
Finney was inactive for Cincinnati's 37-31 win at Houston. It was the Bengals' second-straight victory as they improved to 4-10-1 prior to ending their season by hosting Baltimore.
Elijah Lee, LB – Cleveland Browns
Lee carded a tackle on both kickoff and punt coverage among his 28 special teams plays, and he was also in for three defensive snaps in Cleveland's 23-16 loss at the New York Jets. It was Lee's seventh game with the Browns as he began his season with the Lions. Cleveland fell to 10-5 with the loss but still holds the final Wild Card spot in the AFC. The Browns can clinch a playoff berth by defeating Pittsburgh at home on Sunday, an Indianapolis loss at home to Jacksonville or multiple other scenarios.
Tyler Lockett, WR – Seattle Seahawks
Starting his 70th-career game, Lockett made three receptions for 44 yards in Seattle's 20-9 home win over the Los Angeles Rams, a victory that clinched the NFC West for the Seahawks. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lockett has 88 receptions for 964 yards and eight touchdowns this season, the latter tying for 10th in the NFL this year. Now 11-4, Seattle travels to face San Francisco on Sunday and can clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory, a Green Bay loss and a New Orleans loss or tie.
Cornelius Lucas, OL – Washington Football Team
Lucas made his seventh start of the season and was in for all 71 offensive snaps in Washington's 20-13 home loss to Carolina. A sixth-year veteran, Lucas has played in 13 games for the Football Team, which fell to 6-9 on the year but still leads the NFC East over Dallas due to tie breakers. Washington can win the division and clinch a playoff spot with a victory at Philadelphia on Sunday night or with ties by both the Football Team and Cowboys.
Matt McCrane, K – Cleveland Browns
McCrane is on the Browns' practice squad, a place he has resided since signing with the organization in Week 3. Cleveland lost at the New York Jets, 23-16, to fall to 10-5 on the season. Despite the setback, the Browns still hold on to the final Wild Card spot in the AFC and can clinch a playoff berth with a home victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday. Cleveland can also make the playoffs by virtue of an Indianapolis loss at home to Jacksonville or multiple other scenarios.
Byron Pringle, WR – Kansas City Chiefs
Pringle, who played in his second game since coming off injured reserve, was in for seven offensive snaps and 16 special teams plays in Kansas City's 17-14 win at home over Atlanta. In 12 games this season, Pringle has nine receptions for 108 yards to go along with seven kickoff returns for 247 yards (35.3-yard average) and a touchdown. He is one of only four players in the league with a kickoff-return score this season. With the victory, the Chiefs clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC and will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Kansas City concludes the regular season by hosting the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
D.J. Reed Jr., DB – Seattle Seahawks
Reed made his seventh start of the season – and fourth in as many games – as he came away with eight tackles and returned one punt for 12 yards in Seattle's 20-9 home win over the Los Angeles Rams, a victory that clinched the NFC West for the Seahawks. Reed played on all 75 defensive snaps against the Rams, the fifth time this season he played on every defensive play in a game. In nine games this year, Reed has 57 tackles, two tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions, six passes defended and two fumble recoveries. Seattle, now 11-4 on the season, travels to face San Francisco on Sunday and can clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win, a Green Bay loss and a New Orleans loss or tie.
ICYMI: Pete Carroll said of D.J. Reed on @710ESPNSeattle, "This was as good a game as a corner has played in a while for us, and he deserves to keep playing." More on Reed's performance vs. Washington, his somewhat-unexpected emergence and what's next: https://t.co/HWoyLPBtZD
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) December 22, 2020
Dalton Risner, OL – Denver Broncos
Coming to the end of his second NFL season, Risner was in for all 77 offensive snaps and also made a tackle on an interception in Denver's 19-16 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers. A product of Wiggins, Colorado, Risner has seen time on 1,947 of the Broncos' 2,017 offensive snaps (96.5%) since he began his career last year. Now 5-10 this season, Denver concludes the 2020 campaign by hosting Las Vegas.
Duke Shelley, DB – Chicago Bears
Shelley recorded three tackles among his 44 defensive snaps and eight special teams plays in Chicago's 41-17 win at Jacksonville. In 10 games this season with one start, Shelley has 10 tackles and a pass breakup. The Bears improved to 8-7 on the year to currently hold the final Wild Card spot in the NFC and can wrap up a playoff spot with a win over Green Bay at home on Sunday. The Bears can also clinch a spot with an Arizona loss or ties by both the Bears and the Cardinals.
Reggie Walker, LB - Arizona Cardinals
Walker is on Arizona's practice squad, and the Cardinals fell at home to San Francisco, 20-12. Walker has been elevated to the active roster and played twice this season. The Cardinals fell to 8-7 this season and needs a win at the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday to earn a berth into the playoffs. Arizona can also get into the playoffs with a tie and a Chicago loss.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
Whitehair was in for 67 of the Bears' 72 offensive snaps in Chicago's 41-17 win at Jacksonville. Whitehair has played on 82% of the Bears' offensive snaps in 2020. Chicago is now 8-7 this season prior to hosting Green Bay on Sunday. The Bears can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Packers, an Arizona loss at the Los Angeles Rams or a tie by both the Bears and Cardinals.
Cody Whitehair took Daniel Ekuale for A RIDE on Sunday
— Lorin Cox (@CoxSports1) December 29, 2020
Another dominant performance at left guard against the Jaguars pic.twitter.com/NzdkXhdVbz
Jordan Willis, DE – San Francisco 49ers
Willis recorded one tackle among his 56 defensive snaps and three special teams plays in San Francisco's 20-12 win at Arizona. In nine games this season split between the New York Jets and the 49ers, Willis has 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. San Francisco fell to 6-9 on the year and wraps up the season by hosting Seattle on Sunday.
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