Minnesota Football: Gophers in the NFL—Week 4

Week 4 of the NFL season saw the first career start for Daniel Faalele and saw him shut down one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Boye Mafe has his best game as a pro for Seattle, and it was just typical ho-hum days for some of the other ex-Gophers starts on defense in the NFL. Here is a recap of how the rest of the former Gophers faired in Week 4 and a look ahead to Week 5.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Week 4 vs Kansas City Chiefs (SNF)

Week 5 vs Atlanta Falcons

Antoine Winfield Jr—CB

Winfield was on the field for all 80 defensive snaps as KC took it to the Buccaneers on Sunday night football down in Tampa. He recorded five tackles with three of them solo.

Ko Kieft—TE

Ko Kieft saw just 9 offensive snaps and another 17 on special teams, but he made the most of his opportunities. Just like we saw from him on the Gophers on occasion, Ko can catch when his number is called.

His first NFL catch went for 19 yards and set up a Tampa Bay touchdown. He also is makin his presence known on special teams as well. No tackles this week, but you don’t want to be downhill of him.

Houston Texans

Week 4 vs Los Angeles Chargers

Week 5 @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Eric Murray—S

Murray continued to see limited action playing just three defensive snaps and 24 special teams snaps while not recording a stat.

Tyler Johnson—WR

Johnson dressed for the first time as a Texan last week and saw just four snaps on offense. He didn’t record a stat.

Blake Cashman- LB

Cashman played 5 defensive snaps and 8 special teams snaps for the Texans, and made the most of them recording three tackles, one for a loss and added a pass defense. Unfortunately that pass defense was a drop of a sure interception that Justen Herbert gifted him. Unfortunately part 2, he did leave the game after suffering a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion. His status for this week in Jacksonville is unknown.

Baltimore Ravens

Week 4 vs Buffalo Bills

Week 5 vs Cincinnati Bengals (SNF)

Rashod Bateman—WR

Bateman played 31 snaps on offense for Baltimore and was limited by the play of the Bills defense. Bateman recorded three catches for 17 yards on six targets from Lamar Jackson.

Danielle Faalele—OT

Faalele earned his first NFL start at left tackle for Baltimore and played all 70 offensive snaps. He played great and shut down one of the best defensive end’s in the league in Von Miller.

Carolina Panthers

Week 4 vs Arizona Cardinals

Week 5 vs San Francisco 49ers

Damien Wilson-LB

Wilson played 17 defensive snaps and 10 special teams snaps in the Panthers loss to Arizona. He recorded four tackles, one of them solo.

Minnesota Vikings

Week 4 vs New Orleans Saints (London)

Week 5 vs Chicago Bears

Esezi Otemewo-DE

Ezezi was inactive for the fourth consecutive week.

Green Bay Packers

Week 4 vs New England Patriots

Week 5 vs New York Giants (London)

De’vondre Campbell-LB

Campbell played all 58 defensive snaps for Green Bay and added six special teams snaps in their hanging on for dear live OT win over New England and something called Bailey Zappe. He make seven tackles with six of them solo in the win.

Washington Commanders

Week4 @ Dallas Cowboys

Week 5 vs Tennessee Titans

Benjamin St. Juste—CB

St. Juste played 43 defensive snaps in the Commanders loss to the Cowboys. He recorded two tackles, one of them solo.

Seattle Seahawks

Week 4 @ Detroit Lions

Week 5 @ New Orleans Saints

Boye Mafe-DE

Mafe played the most snaps of his NFL career this far in the shootout with Detroit. Boye played 32 defensive snaps and eight on special teams snaps in the Seahawks win. He had six tackles, four of them solo.

New York Giants

Week 4 vs Chicago Bears

Week 5 vs Green Bay Packers (London)

Carter Coughlin—LB

Coughlin did not play any defensive snaps for the Giants but played 25 on special teams in the Giants win over the Bears. He recorded one tackle.

Arizona Cardinals

Week 4 @ Carolina Panthers

Week 5 vs Philadelphia Eagles

Maxx Williams-TE

Williams saw his most action of the season playing 23 offensive snaps and seven special teams snaps in the win over Carolina. He did not record a stat however.