After a former Rutgers star scored his first career NFL touchdown in the opening week of the 2022 NFL season, a pair of Scarlet Knights in the secondary made an impact for their team on Sunday.
Safety Logan Ryan had a huge play in the third quarter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ win over the New Orleans Saints, punching the ball out of running back Mark Ingram’s hands to force a fumble as his team was defending inside its own red zone to keep the score knotted at 3-3. It prevented Tampa Bay from falling behind for the second time, and two drives later, the Buccaneers took the lead for good.
“We were moving the ball well, going in to take control of the game. That just can’t happen,” Ingram said. “Whether it was a good punch, whether it was a rip, whatever it is, it doesn’t really matter.”
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The forced fumble was the biggest play of a solid afternoon for Ryan, who also made three tackles and defended a pass.
Across the country, his former Rutgers teammate was not as lucky.
Raiders safety Duron Harmon made back-to-back huge plays in overtime that kept the Cardinals off the board and gave his team a chance to save a win. He made a massive tackle on third down to force a 4th-and-1, and on the following play, he made a last-second hit on Arizona receiver Marquise Brown that forced an incomplete pass and gave the ball back to Las Vegas.
But his team’s offense made his effort go to waste, surrendering a game-winning scoop-and-score to Arizona on the following drive, a crushing way for the Raiders to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Here is how the rest of the Rutgers contingent performed in the second week of the 2022 NFL season:
Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs: The rookie running back did not match the production from his dream debut in Week 1, running for just six yards on two carries and making two tackles on special teams in a win over the Chargers on Thursday. He did received some praise for solid run blocking on Derwin James that gave quarterback Patrick Mahomes time to complete a 30-yard pass.
Sebastian Joseph-Day, Chargers: The defensive tackle had four tackles in a loss to the Chiefs on Thursday. He exchanged jerseys with Pacheco following the game.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (left) exchanges his jersey with Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day (right) after an NFL football game Thursday, Sep. 15, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. AP
Michael Burton, Chiefs: The fullback gained two yards on one catch and six yards on one carry in a win over the Chargers.
Olakunle Fatukasi, Buccaneers: The linebacker did not record a stat in his team’s win over the Saints.
Tyler Kroft, 49ers: With George Kittle still out, Kroft started at tight end on Sunday for San Francisco. He suffered a knee injury in the third quarter and left the game; he did not record a stat during his time on the field.
Michael Dwumfour, Texans: The defensive tackle had one tackle in his team’s loss to the Broncos.
Devin McCourty, Patriots: The veteran safety had three tackles and a pass defended in his team’s win over the Steelers on Sunday. Perhaps more notably, he received a rare introduction to his post-game press conference from teammate Nelson Agholor, who called him the “better-looking twin.”
“Games are perfect by how you take advantage of the situation and make winning plays; I thought we did that today and the result is a win,” McCourty said. “It is always better to correct the film with a win, and we will get to do that tomorrow.”
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INACTIVE
Kemoko Turay, 49ers: The defensive end was called up to the active roster from the practice squad on Thursday, but he was inactive for his team’s win over the Seahawks on Sunday.
INJURED
Jonah Jackson, Lions: The offensive lineman was inactive for the game after suffering a finger injury in practice midway through the week.
Clark Harris, Bengals: Harris is expected to miss extended time after tearing his bicep during a Week 1 loss to the Steelers last Sunday. In his 15th NFL season, he is the longest-tenured Scarlet Knight in the NFL.
Gus Edwards, Ravens: The running back will miss at least the first four games of the regular season after head coach John Harbaugh placed him on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. But Edwards, who is still rehabbing the torn ACL he suffered last September, appears confident he’ll be back sooner than later, saying last week in a message on Instagram that he is “doing great” and is “very close” to returning.
STILL HAVE TO PLAY
Tre Avery, Titans: The cornerback and his team will face the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.
Andrew DePaolo, Vikings: His team will face the Eagles on Monday night.
Players on practice squads:
WR Bo Melton (Seahawks), DL Willington Previlon (Buccaneers), LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams (Chargers), RB Raheem Blackshear (Bills).
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Brian Fonseca may be reached at [email protected].