Nittany Lions In The NFL: Week Five Roundup
Beginning Thursday night with another stellar performance by Allen Robinson, an array of Nittany Lions from across the league came to play in the fifth week of the NFL season.
From highlight reel-worthy plays by Miles Sanders and Mike Gesicki to another week of solid play from Nittany Lion kickers, here’s how several Penn Staters fared during this week’s NFL action.
Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears
Robinson has continued to improve upon a great start to the season as the No. 1 receiver for the Bears. The Nittany Lion legend hauled in 10 receptions on 16 targets for a total of 90 yards, accounting for nearly 40% of quarterback Nick Foles’ air production.
After allegedly requesting a trade earlier in the season, Robinson has made the most out of a once-difficult situation in Chicago. His excellent performance this season has put him on pace for his third 1,000-yard receiving season of his career.
Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles
Despite the Eagles suffering a tough loss, Sanders made a couple of highlight-reel plays in his first visit to Heinz Field since the Nittany Lions’ 51-6 beatdown of Pitt in 2018.
Late in the first quarter, Sanders burst into the open field for a 74-yard score on a delayed draw play. The run marked a career-long for Sanders, who also had a career day during his last go around at Heinz Field. In 2018 against Pitt, Sanders rushed for 118 yards on 16 carries, which was good for his first 100-yard rushing game in college.
Sanders finished the game with just six more rushing yards, bringing his total to 80 yards on the day. He punched in another score on the goal line late in the first half for his third touchdown of the year.
Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
Mike Gesicki remained consistent as one of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s favorite targets for the Dolphins this week. He ripped off a career-long 70-yard reception in the second quarter to put Miami in prime scoring position.
Gesicki finished the game with five receptions for 91 yards, which is his second-highest receiving total on the season. The former Penn State standout currently ranks eighth in receiving yards among league tight ends.
Troy Apke, Washington Football Team
As a first-year starter at safety for the Football Team, Apke has capitalized on an increased number of reps with productive stat lines on a weekly basis.
Despite a non-competitive loss at the hands of the Rams, Apke still had a solid output with five total tackles, including four solo hits. With 24 tackles and two passes defended on the season, Apke ranks fifth on the Football Team in tackles and second in passes defended.
Other Notables
Sam Ficken remained perfect on field goals for the season after going 1-for-1 from 26 yards in the New York Jets’ loss to the Cardinals. Despite New York’s 0-5 record, Ficken’s on-field success has been a bright spot for Jets and Nittany Lions fans alike.
In a tough loss against the Dolphins, second-year undrafted defensive tackle Kevin Givens had the most productive game of his young career. According to NinersWire, Givens played a total of 35 defensive snaps, equating to 52 percent of all defensive plays. In his time on the field, Givens made two total tackles.
Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos posted just one tackle in the Carolina Panthers’ 23-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Veteran kicker Robbie Gould went 1-for-1 on field goals for the 49ers. His lone attempt and conversion from 37 yards was his seventh make of the season.
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