Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1047749
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 12, 2018 59 IRISH IN THE PROS BY COREY BODDEN T hrough the first eight weeks of the season, Will Fuller was showcasing the ability and potential that made him a first-round pick by the Hous- ton Texans in 2016. After missing the opener while recovering from a ham- string injury that forced him to sit out the entire preseason, Fuller caught 32 passes for 503 yards and four touchdowns in the next seven contests. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he ranked second in the league among players averaging at least six targets per game with an av- erage of 11.7 yards per target. However, the injury bug bit Fuller once again. In a Thursday night game against the Miami Dolphins, the third-year pro suffered a torn ACL in the fourth quar- ter. He had hauled in five re- ceptions for 124 yards, which included a 73-yard touchdown, prior to getting hurt in the 42-23 Houston victory. The injury guaranteed it would be the third straight year Fuller did not play 16 games since entering the NFL. He participated in 14 contests during his rookie campaign in 2016 (47 catches for 635 yards and two touchdowns) and 10 in 2017 after missing several weeks with a broken collarbone. Fuller still managed to haul in 28 passes for 423 yards and seven touchdowns last year. "He'd been playing well," Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said the day after Fuller went down. "But that's the thing about this league. I think if you go through every team, every- body's dealing with injuries. "It's such a cliché, but the coach- ing staff, the players, we all have to pitch in and figure it out and figure out how we're going to construct the offense. "Most importantly right now, I'm very disappointed for Will because Will's a great guy. He's really been playing at a high level." Losing Fuller was a major setback for the Texans. Five days later, they opted to trade for former Pro Bowl wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to replace the former Irish star. GOLDEN TATE ON THE MOVE Following a 4-4 start to its run as defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles decided their offense needed another weapon to help the team get back into a position to repeat. Days before the Oct. 30 trade dead- line, it was learned that Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate was on the block for the right price. A swap made sense because Tate will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Philadelphia jumped on the chance to add Tate, who has four straight seasons of 90 catches plus three with at least 1,000 receiving yards, offering a 2019 third-round pick to the Lions to get the deal done. "One moment I was leav- ing a doctor 's appointment, then the next I'm a Philadel- phia Eagle," Tate said told reporters Oct. 31 during his introduction. "I didn't see it coming. … My goal is to help us win every single game. "I'm extremely excited to be a Philadelphia Eagle. I've followed this organization for years now. … I was rooting for you all last year. It's an extreme blessing and dream come true to be part of such an amazing organization. "I'm excited for at least these next eight games to show who I am as a person, as a player and most importantly help this organization win." Through seven games with the Lions, Tate had 44 receptions for 517 yards and three touchdowns. He'll now be tasked with adding a spark to the Eagles offense. "My job is to learn this material and system as fast I can," Tate stated. "Learn my teammates and try to find a way to bond with these guys quickly. "I'm going to be working hard to try and fit in. I want to do whatever to help this team win. I'm not demand- ing anything." Time will tell if Tate remains in Philadelphia following the season, but the 2014 Pro Bowler is more fo- cused on capturing his second Super Bowl and helping the Eagles go back to back. ✦ Will Fuller Suffers Another Injury Fuller, who tore his ACL in a 42-23 win over Miami Oct. 25, has been unable to stay healthy for a full 16-game season during his three years in the NFL. PHOTO COURTESY HOUSTON TEXANS NOTRE DAME IN THE NFL: WEEK EIGHT HIGHLIGHTS • Josh Adams (Played at Notre Dame from 2015-17), RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Led all rushers with 61 yards on nine carries in a 24-18 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. • Romeo Okwara (2012-15), DE, Detroit Lions: Recorded four tackles and a sack in a 28-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks … Has five sacks in six games with the Lions. • Equanimeous St. Brown (2015-2017), WR, Green Bay Packers: Recorded two catches for 31 yards in a 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. • Stephon Tuitt (2011-13), DE, Pittsburgh Steelers: Tied for the team lead in tackles with seven and notched one sack in a 33-18 victory over the Cleveland Browns.