Week seven of the NFL came packed with exciting games, high scores, and underdog wins. Many Penn Staters found themselves on a bye week or in a reserve role, but even with the drop in numbers, Nittany Lions made their mark.

As division races begin to heat up around the league, Penn Staters like Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons balled out for their respective squads. Let’s dive into the best performances from Nittany Lions in the NFL this week.

Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

Saquon Barkley continued to shine and led the Giants to victory as New York continues to prove its critics wrong each week. Barkley contributed 110 yards on 24 attempts and an additional 25 receiving yards in the 23-17 victory over the Jaguars.

Saquon Barkley in the open field is poetry pic.twitter.com/Ux1ACYVAcp

— Kevin Boilard (@KevinBoilard) October 23, 2022

The frontrunner for Comeback Player of the Year was kept out of the end zone for the third time this season, but his consistent runs, including his longest of the game at 20 yards, helped New York run down the clock to secure the win.

Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

Freiermuth proved to be a reliable option after a shaky start to the season, as he caught eight passes on nine targets. Returning after missing last week due to a concussion, the tight end totaled 75 yards for an average of 9.4 yards per reception. However, his four first downs were not enough as the Steelers fell to the Dolphins 16-10.

The matchup provided a Penn State reunion between fellow No. 88, Mike Gesicki.

+ pic.twitter.com/7IIzcsypc5

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) October 24, 2022

Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys

Micah Parsons added another sack to his resume on Sunday and he is now tied for second in the league with seven, adding to his Defensive Player of the Year hype. Parsons had five total tackles en route to a 24-6 Cowboys win over the Lions.

Micah. Strip sack. Next question. pic.twitter.com/6p6U9DIf32

— Onward State (@OnwardState) October 23, 2022

Parsons came up with a big play to turn the game in the Cowboys’ favor, as he closed a gap to bring down a Lions player right outside the end zone, preventing Detroit from taking the lead.

Doesn’t happen if Micah Parsons weren’t a freak athlete pic.twitter.com/Vn1xb3LRDN

— jfl✭ (@tvjflo) October 23, 2022

Jaquan Brisker, Chicago Bears

Brisker recorded his first NFL interception in Monday night’s game against the Patriots. The Nittany Lion also made rounds on social media after his game started with a questionable high kick from Mac Jones.

Say a prayer for Jaquan Brisker after this
pic.twitter.com/If0vLktZHJ

— PFF (@PFF) October 25, 2022

Brisker quickly got his revenge and traded the kick for a beautiful one-handed interception. He finished the game with seven tackles to help the Bears beat the Patriots 33-14.

https://twitter.com/runbackdave/status/1584711696266186752?s=20&t=rCxns_q65ljZWIZKj8jhXw

Other Notables:

• Unfortunately, Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki didn’t get another chance at his controversial griddy this week. He recorded three receptions on seven targets, gaining 27 yards for Miami as it fell to the Steelers.
• Robbie Gould drilled all three field goals and two extra points, adding 11 points as the 49ers fell to the Chiefs 44-23.
• KJ Hamler only hauled in one pass for four yards in the Broncos’ 16-9 loss to the Jets.
• Chris Godwin had the second-most receptions and targets for the Buccaneers and Tom Brady on Sunday. He caught seven passes for 43 yards in the Buccaneers’ 21-3 loss to the Panthers. 
• Cornerback Amani Oruwariye faced Parsons and the Cowboys and contributed five tackles and a recovered fumble in the Lions’ defeat.
• Green Bay Packers safety Adrian Amos had another strong game after coming back from a concussion. He recorded 10 tackles in a close game, as Green Bay fell to Washington 23-21.