Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1509432
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 6 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M The Cowboys have plenty to clean up if they want to cash in on their pre- season hype by winning the NFC East or just making the playoffs. Their 3-2 record may have shaken the confidence of some league observers and members of the team's fan base. But don't count Parsons among that group. He knows what has to be done and thinks this team can do it. "I've never seen a champion not be battle-tested. We're just getting tested early," he said. "We just learned a les- son [against the Niners]. … Sometimes you've got to look at these losses as a blessing and just say thank you." Fans will be saying thank you to Par- sons if he and the Cowboys right the ship and play better in the weeks ahead. FORMER NITTANY LIONS IN THE NFL As of Oct. 9 Adrian Amos (Played at Penn State from 2011- 14), S, New York Jets: Backing up Tony Adams at free safety, Amos had made 16 tackles through five games to rank eighth on the Jets' defense. Troy Apke (2014-17), S, Washington Command- ers: Apke was placed on injured reserve in August with a shoulder problem. He is expected to miss the season. Saquon Barkley (2015-17), RB, New York Giants: Barkley's injury woes have continued this season. He suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 against Arizona and did not play in the Giants' next three games. In his five pro seasons, Barkley has missed 25 games with injuries, during which the Giants have gone 9-16. Before getting hurt in September, he had rushed 29 times for 114 yards and caught 9 passes for 41 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ryan Bates (2015-19), G/C, Buffalo Bills: Bates has been backing up Mitch Morse at center for the Bills, who were fourth in the league in total offense with an average of 390.4 yards per game through five weeks. Nick Bowers (2015- 1 9 ) , T E , M i a m i Dolphins: Bowers was signed to the Dolphins' practice squad in August and had not seen ac- tion through the season's first five weeks. Jaquan Brisker (2019-21), S, Chi- cago Bears: Brisker sta r te d e a c h o f t h e Bears' first five games and was third on the team with 29 tack- les heading into a clash with visiting Minnesota in Week 6. The second-year pro also had 2 pass breakups. Cam Brown (2016-19), LB, New York Giants: A special teams contributor and third-team Will linebacker, Brown was credited with 1 tackle in New York's first five games. Ji'Ayir Brown (2020-22), S, San Francisco 49ers: Backing up Tashaun Gibson Sr. at free safety, Brown made his first NFL tackles in Week 4 against Ari- zona and had 3 stops for the season heading into a Week 6 matchup against Cleveland. Jason Cabinda (2014-17), FB, Detroit Lions: Cabinda sustained a knee injury in Week 3 against Atlanta and missed the team's next two games against Green Bay and Carolina. On Oct. 7, he was placed on injured reserve. He has 1 carry this year for no gain. Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21), CB, Washington Commanders: Castro-Fields was signed to the Commanders' practice squad in August. He has not seen action this season. Sean Clifford (2017-22), QB, Green Bay Packers: Clifford got 5 snaps in Green Bay's 38-20 win over Chicago on opening day, finishing with no passing attemps and 1 carry for no gain. He didn't see ac- tion in any of the four games that followed. Jahan Dotson (2019-2021), WR, Washington Commanders: Dotson was the Commanders' fourth-leading receiver through five games with 17 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. His TD catch was a 10-yarder at Philadelphia in Week 4 that sent the game to overtime, although Wash- ington ultimately lost 34-31. Arnold Ebiketie (2021), DE, Atlanta Falcons: A second-year pro, Ebiketie has been starting at weak-side linebacker for the Falcons and made 5 tackles in the Falcons' first five games. Pat Freiermuth (2018-20),TE, Pittsburgh Steel- ers: Freiermuth missed the Steelers' 17-10 vic- tory over Baltimore in Week 5 due to a hamstring injury. He was injured against Texas the previous week. Before getting hurt, the third-year pro had caught 8 passes for 53 yards and 2 touchdowns on the season. He had the winning touchdown catch in a 23-18 victory over Las Vegas in Week 3. Will Fries (2016-20), OL, Indianapolis Colts: Fries was the Colts' starting right guard through the sea- son's first five weeks, helping them average 343.6 yards per game to rank 12th in the league. Mike Gesicki (2014-17), TE, New England Patri- ots: The sixth-year pro and first-year Patriot made 12 catches for 116 yards in the team's first five games but had not yet found the end zone. More than half of those catches (8) and yards (69) came in New England's first two games, losses to Phila- delphia and Miami. Blake Gillikin (2016-19), P, Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals signed Gillikin in October after re- leasing Nolan Cooney. Formerly with New Orleans, he averaged 54.8 yards on 4 punts in his Arizona debut, a 34-20 loss to Cincinnati in Week 5. Kevin Givens (2016-18), DT, San Francisco 49ers: Givens had a fumble recovery and a sack in the 49ers' 42-10 rout of Dallas in Week 5. He's been backing up Arik Armstead at left defensive tackle and had 3 tackles through five games. Chris Godwin (2014-16), WR, Tampa Bay Bucca- neers: Through four games, Godwin had amassed a team-best 21 catches for 255 yards. He had a season-best 8 catches for 114 yards in Tampa Bay's 26-9 victory over New Orleans in Week 4. Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19), DE, Carolina Pan- thers: Gross-Matos has been backing up Brian Burns at outside linebacker after starting all 17 games last season for the Panthers. He had amassed 11 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, heading into Carolina's visit to Miami in Week 6. KJ Hamler (2018-19), WR, Indianapolis Colts: Hamler was signed to the Colts' practice squad in late September. He had been waived by the Broncos in July after a physical exam revealed that he suffered from pericarditis, a heart condition. Hamler said at the time that he was confident he would be able to return to action with rest and medication. Before resuming his career in India- napolis, he spent three seasons in Denver, totaling 42 receptions for 620 yards and 3 touchdowns. Austin Johnson (2012-15), DT, Los Angeles Char- gers: Johnson, an eighth-year pro, had 7 tackles and a fumble recovery in the Chargers' first four games. DaQuan Jones (2010-13), DL, Buffalo Bills: Play- ing his 10th season in the league, Jones had made 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, heading into the Bills' matchup against the visiting New York Giants in Week 6. Jesse Luketa (2018-21), LB, Arizona Cardinals: Listed as Arizona's third-team strong-side line- backer, Luketa had made 5 tackles through five games. Connor McGovern (2016-18), G, Buffalo Bills: In his first season with the Bills after four years in Dallas, McGovern has started at left guard, help- ing the team average 390.4 yards of total offense per game. PJ Mustipher (2018-22), DT, Denver Broncos: Mustipher was signed to the Broncos' practice squad in August and had yet to see action through the season's first five weeks. Amani Oruwariye (2014-18), CB, New York Gi- ants: Oruwariye was signed to the Giants' practice squad in August after spending his first four pro seasons in Detroit. He didn't play in the team's first five games. Odafe Oweh (2018-20), DE, Baltimore Ravens: Oweh suffered a sprained ankle against Cincin- nati in Week 2 and missed the Ravens' next three games. He had 3 tackles in Baltimore's 25-9 sea- son-opening win over Houston. Joey Porter Jr. (2019-22), CB, Pittsburgh Steel- ers: Porter made his first NFL interception in the Steelers' 17-10 win over Baltimore in Week 5. The Ravens had reached Pittsburgh's 5-yard line when