We’re two weeks into the NFL season, and plenty of Michigan Wolverines have already made an impact for their respective. Here’s a recap of how your favorite former Wolverines did this week, starting with an highlight reel touchdown grab on Monday Night Football.
Nico Collins makes incredible TD catch
After getting off to a slow start in Week 1, Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins had one of the most impressive catches of the week in the opening minutes of the Monday Night Football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was impressive Collins could
stay focused on the ball while getting both feet down.
In the loss to the Buccaneers, Collins led the Texans with three catches for 52 yards and that score. He is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance, with the five-year veteran catching 68 passes for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games last season. He was one of 24 receivers to rack up 1,000 yards receiving last year, and one former Texan recognized him last night.
Blake Corum scores first career TD
Playing time has been sparse for Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum the last few years, with the Wolverine being behind an established running back in Kyren Williams. But Corum managed to find the end zone in a win over the Tennessee Titans.
Sunday’s win was easily Corum’s best game as a professional, as he rushed for 44 yards on just five carries.
More playing time may be coming for Corum, with Sean McVay hinting in a recent interview he should be getting about 35 percent of the Rams’ workload on the ground.
In that same game, Josiah Stewart also picked up his first career sack.
Dax Hill picks off Trevor Lawrence
Interceptions in the red zone always feel more valuable, and Daxton Hill collected one of those on Sunday, corralling an under-thrown ball by Trevor Lawrence.
Hill stuffed the stat sheet for the Bengals in the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, leading the team with nine tackles and a tackle for loss. Hill ranks eighth among 98 qualified players in defense grade (78.3) and 12th among 101 cornerbacks in coverage grade (76.5).
In that same game, Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II recorded two tackles and two passes defensed.
J.J. McCarthy: More than just Ohio State’s father
It was quite the week for J.J. McCarthy. I would make the case that no athlete in sports had a busier seven days than him. Here’s a quick rundown:
-On Monday (Sept. 8), he led the Vikings to a comeback win in his first NFL start and set a few records in the process.
-Three days later, McCarthy left the Vikings facility when his fiancée, Katya Kuropas, went into labor. The couple announced the birth of their son, Rome, on Friday.
-McCarthy played against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football a couple days later.
Understandably, McCarthy struggled in that game, completing 11-of-21 passes for 158 yards and two interceptions. NFL insider Adam Schefter reported McCarthy will be out for 2-4 weeks with a high ankle sprain.
Obviously, it’s never good to get hurt, but at least McCarthy gets to be home more to spend quality time with his son. We’re hoping for a speedy recovery for the former Michigan passer.
In that same game, Josh Metellus racked up three tackles and one pass defensed.
Other notable performances
- In a win over the Washington Commanders, Packers linebacker Rashan Gary had three tackles, including this sack.
Gary now has 2.5 sacks through two games, and ranks 61st among 113 edge rushers in PFF defense grade (63.9).
In that same game, Washington cornerback Mike Sainristil posted six tackles. He ranks 90th out of 98 corners in PFF defense grade (41.7).
- In a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush led the team in tackles (eight), racking up a tackle for loss, a sack, a quarterback hit and two passes defensed. He ranks second among all linebackers in PFF defense grade (91.3).
- In a win over the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson had three tackles and a pass defensed. He’s off to a great start to his career analytics-wise, as he ranks 16th among cornerbacks in PFF defense grade (75.0).
- In a win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Josh Uche had four tackles, two of them solo.
- The Detroit Lions’ offensive line bounced back in a massive way in Sunday’s blowout win over the Chicago Bears. In that game, center Graham Glasgow and company helped the Lions rush for 177 yards and two touchdowns, and did not give up a sack. It’s worth noting Glasgow ranks last in the league among centers in offense grade (46.8), but he has been superb in pass protection (75.8, 7th of 32nd).
- In a loss to the San Francisco 49ers, guard Cesar Ruiz was part of a New Orleans Saints offensive line that helped the team rush for 121 yards. The Saints did give up three sacks and Ruiz (35.8, 66th among 68 guards in PFF offense grade) has been struggling so far this season.
- In a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet rushed for only 10 yards on 15 carries.
- After being waived by the San Francisco 49ers, kicker Jake Moody signed with the Chicago Bears’ practice squad.
