The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/535299
NOVEMBER 2014 ■ 157 ■ PACK PROS ■ What They're Saying What people around the NFL are saying about former Wolfpackers. • "Every single offensive coordinator in the NFL is let off the hook today because No. 24 will not be destroying any more game plans. I want to thank the organization for drafting a 20-year-old kid from High Point, North Carolina, and making his dream come true." — Adrian Wilson announcing his retirement in April with the Arizona Cardinals, the only team he ever played for although he did try to continue his career after parting ways with the team following the 2012 campaign; the five-time Pro Bowler is one of six players in NFL history with 25 sacks and 25 interceptions • "Just coming in and knowing not just his assignments, but how the defense works and talking it out, making sure he's pulling defensive linemen over in different fronts, talking to backers. He's been really impressive that way. I remem - ber now and it shouldn't surprise me; I think his test score coming out was the second-highest I can remember for a defensive player, next to Eric Smith, who's one of our coaches now. He's really a sharp guy and obviously he's got the height and length you look for. I've been really pleased with him." — Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan on linebacker Manny Lawson (BuffaloBills.com) • "He's like a middle linebacker as a quarterback." — Oakland Raiders' defensive end Justin Tuck on San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers' intensity and trash talk (NFL Network's Top 100) • "I was probably off to the best start of my career, to be honest with you. But I had a chance to rest my body, obvi - ously, rehab my knee, get back healthy again, and I feel good. I'm like a kid out here all over again, all smiles when I walk on this field. Like I said, I'm very thankful to be back out here again and be able to help lead this team in the right direction." — Detroit Lions' linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who suffered the first major injury of his professional career last year but returned to the field this spring (Detroit.CBSLocal.com) "That should be cheating having him out there on the field like that; he's a beast." ■ Miami Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon on Mario Williams (NFL Network's Top 100) ■ BY THE NUMBERS 3 Non-offensive touchdowns scored by former NCSU defenders in 2014 — by Dontae Johnson, Markus Kuhn and Manny Lawson. 4 Straight campaigns with at least 100 points scored by Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka; he ranked fifth in the NFL with 134 points in 2014. 14 Tackles made by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Audie Cole in the regular-season finale, which was his lone start of the year. That set a career high, and he also defended a pass and had an interception called back by an offsides penalty. 14.5 Sacks last season by the Buffalo Bills' Mario Wil- liams, which was a career best; he has the most sacks (91) in the AFC since 2006. 22 Is where Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wil- son checked in on the NFL Network's countdown of the top 100 players of 2015. 42 Wins, including the playoffs, over the last three years by Wilson, which leads all NFL signal-callers during that time. 42 & 43 Is where Williams and San Diego Chargers quarter- back Philip Rivers checked in on the NFL Network's countdown of the top 100 players of 2015. 98.6 Is the career passer rating of Wilson, which ranks second among active quarterbacks and would be second all time if he had the required 1,500 pass attempts (currently at 1,252). PHOTO COURTESY SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Bills defensive end Mario Williams recorded a career-high 14.5 sacks en route to being named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press in 2014. PHOTO COURTESY BUFFALO BILLS