FSU Football: ’Noles in the Pros

Minnesota Vikings: Dalvin Cook, RB

The Vikings pull through in an extremely tight matchup winning the ball game 34-28 against the Carolina Panthers in overtime. Minnesota dealt with yet another nail biter, delivering 373 receiving yards, 198 rushing yards and 33 receptions.

Dalvin Cook was activated for the first time since Week 4 after a “ complete healing ” from his right ankle injury that kept him out in Week 5. Cook rushed for his 17th career 100 yard game, formally tying Chuck Foreman for the third most in Minnesota Vikings history. He tallied one touchdown and two receptions with 140 yards on the ground. The Vikings now enter their bye week with a 3-3 record as they regroup and get ready for an extensive second half of the season.

Los Angeles Rams: Jalen Ramsey, CB

Jalen Ramsey and the Los Angeles Rams absolutely obliterated the New York Giants in a 38-11 road victory. The Rams forced four turnovers on the defensive end with one fumble recovery and three interceptions. They concluded the match with two tackles for loss, four sacks, six passes defended, seven QB hits and 71 total tackles. Ramsey was the second leading tackler with six and was only targeted a handful of times, leading to rushed plays and poor decision making from Giants QB Daniel Jones. The Rams still stand as the No.2 team in the NFC West, standing at 5-1 on the season.

Carolina Panthers: Brian Burns, DE

The Panthers fell short 28-34 after a walk-off touchdown from the Minnesota Vikings in overtime. Both teams were neck and neck throughout the game but the Panthers didn’t have an answer for the Vikings offense.

They ended the ball game with zero sacks for the first time this season. Although they had trouble getting to the quarterback they still managed to have seven passes defended, seven tackles for loss and a season high 85 tackles. Brian Burns was a key factor in sending this game to overtime, with one pass defended, one QB hit, one tackle for loss and six total tackles. The Panthers have now lost their third straight game as they continue to play without superstar running back Christian McCaffrey.

Los Angeles Chargers: Derwin James, SS / Asante Samuel Jr., CB

The Chargers traveled to Maryland in Week 6 to play the Baltimore Ravens in a primetime matchup of 4-1 squads. The Ravens throttled Justin Herbert and the Chargers on the offensive end leading to 38 minutes of defensive snaps for Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr.

James was yet again a tackling machine, leading the team with one QB hit, one fumble recovery and eight total tackles. He had to face a plethora of talented receivers yet again with Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown but the Chargers biggest issue was dealing with the Ravens ground game as they gave up three touchdowns and 187 rushing yards.

Although the Chargers had a tough performance, there were some key takeaways from the defensive line that should definitely be highlighted. They faced an o-line with very talented guards and pushed through to force three sacks, five tackles for loss and eight QB hits. Asante Samuel Jr. was a bit shaky to start the game in coverage, but held his own as the game moved forward and finished with four total tackles.

Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Sweat, DE

The Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were headlined as the Week 6 Thursday Night Football matchup. The Eagles hosted Tom Brady and the defending champions where they fell just short of a much needed victory, 28-22.

Brady and the Buccaneers offense seemed to get everything they wanted against the Eagles secondary and also had tremendous success in the run game. They had the ball for 40 minutes of game action while tallying 27 first downs, 102 rushing yards and 297 receiving yards. Josh Sweat and the defense had their back against the wall but still managed to keep the game to a fourth quarter decision. Sweat finished with one QB hit, one tackle for loss and six combined tackles. The Eagles fall to 2-4 and they’ll need to pick things up soon if they want to compete with NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys.

Baltimore Ravens: Devontae Freeman, RB

The Baltimore Ravens were set to face the Los Angeles Chargers in what looked like the game of the week on paper. The Ravens played an exquisite game on both sides of the ball, holding Justin Herbert and the Chargers to six points while rushing for 187 yards leading to a 34-6 blowout.

Veteran running back Devontae Freeman was the lead back in this matchup, garnering nine carries with 53 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens are now 5-1 on the season as they work through the ground game with a committee approach from Freeman, Le’Veon Bell, and Latavius Murray. Freeman should likely receive more carries as the season prolongs since he’s worked so well in the red zone and looked like the reliable third down back for the Ravens.

Cincinatti Bengals: Auden Tate, WR

The Cincinnati Bengals took sole possession of second place in the AFC North after a Week 6 victory against the winless Detroit Lions. The Bengals offense fired on all cylinders, ending the ball game with 142 rushing yards and 278 receiving yards.

Fourth year wide receiver Auden Tate hauled in his third reception of the season with a seven yard touchdown from backup QB Brandon Allen late in the fourth quarter. This was Tate’s second career touchdown and 61st career reception.