Another week of action-packed NFL games has gone by, which means a handful of former Penn State football players suited up and hit the field for their respective NFL teams this weekend.

Even though Penn State football had its first bye week of the season, Penn State alums kept fans more than entertained in its absence. Let’s take a look at how our favorite Nittany Lions performed in their second week of the 2024 NFL season.

Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

With 22 carries, running back Saquon Barkley totaled 95 yards on the ground against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. Additionally, he caught four of his five targets for 21 receiving yards in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 22-21 loss. Even though he finished the night with a respectable stat line, Barkley made a crucial error late in the fourth quarter, dropping an easy pass in the flat that would’ve sealed the game for the Eagles.

Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

Just like last week, tight end Pat Freiermuth reeled in all four targets he saw in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 13-6 win against the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon. Freiermuth’s 39 receiving yards led all Steelers pass catchers on the day.

Jaquan Brisker, Chicago Bears

Safety Jaquan Brisker finished with four assisted tackles and four solo tackles in the Chicago Bears’ 19-13 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football.

Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys

After a hot start to his 2024 campaign last week against the Browns, defensive end Micah Parsons was much quieter this time. In the Dallas Cowboys’ 44-19 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Parsons recorded just two solo tackles and one assisted tackle on the day.

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals

Tight end Mike Gesicki had a monster outing for the Cincinnati Bengals despite their heartbreaking 26-25 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. Gesicki hauled in seven of his nine targets for a game-high 91 yards. His longest catch occured on a crucial fourth down when quarterback Joe Burrow found Gesicki over the middle for a 37 yard catch and run to put Cincinnati into the red zone.

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wide receiver Chris Godwin built off his strong performance from the prior week, as he caught seven of his eight targets for 117 yards and a touchdown in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 20-16 upset win against the Detroit Lions. Godwin’s longest reception of the day came when he got loose in the Lions’ secondary where Baker Mayfield found him for a 41-yard touchdown strike to take the lead in the middle of the second quarter. Through two weeks, Godwin is the second leading receiver in the NFL with 200 yards.

Alright, RodGod pic.twitter.com/fG4mvVpWGF

— Onward State (@OnwardState) September 15, 2024

Odafe Oweh, Baltimore Ravens

Despite the Raven’s disappointing 26-23 loss to the Raiders, defensive end Odafe Oweh delivered a big time performance, racking up five tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble for Baltimore. Through two weeks, Oweh is on a promising trajectory, as he has half the number of sacks he did in the entire 2023 season.

Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers

Running back Miles Sanders carried the ball seven times for the Carolina Panthers, totaling 20 yards in their 23-6 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Sanders caught three passes as well, but they only amounted to five receiving yards.

Other Notables

• Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. recorded two tackles and his first pass deflection of the season in the Steelers’ 13-6 win over the Broncos.
• Safety Ji’Ayir Brown totaled four solo tackles and an assisted tackle in San Francisco’s 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
• Despite the loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football, wide receiver Jahan Dotson brought in his first catch as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. The catch went for six yards and was good for a first down.
• Also during the Falcons’ win, defensive end Arnold Ebiketie tallied two assisted tackles and one solo tackle.