Bruton Fake Punt Run One of Many Big Plays For Former Irish Players

BY: Elliott Carwile

The casual NFL fan may have caught a glimpse of Kyle Rudolph – TE – Minnesota Vikings – catching nine passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in the 35-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Or Michael Floyd’s – WR – Arizona Cardinals – five receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown in a 32-20 loss to San Francisco. Maybe even the stat line of the week, Joe Fauria – TE – Detroit Lions (Transferred to UCLA) –three grabs for 34 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-17 win over the Cleveland Browns. None of these were the most electrifying play for an ex Notre Dame player in week six however.

That honor goes to David Bruton – S – Denver Broncos –the special team’s captain took a direct snap on what appeared to be a punt attempt and raced down the left sideline gaining 34 yards and firing up the home crowd in the 35-19 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Minnesota Vikings are the NFL team with the most former Irish players on their roster. Besides Rudolph four more ex Golden Domers played for the Vikings on Sunday.  John Carlson – TE – caught two passes for 10 yards in the 35-10 loss to Carolina. Robert Blanton – DB –recorded one tackle. Harrison Smith – S –had four tackles before being injured and leaving the game. And John Sullivan – OL –started at the center position along the offensive line. J.J. Jansen – LS – Carolina Panthers – saw action in the game as well.

The New York Jets fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 19-6. Darrin Walls – CB –started at defensive back and registered three tackles. Brady Quinn – QB –did not see any game action.

Tyler Eifert – TE – Cincinnati Bengals – caught two passes for 13 yards in the 27-24 overtime win over Buffalo. Trevor Robinson – OL – did not see game action. In the same contest Sam Young – OL – Buffalo Bills – saw game action.

The Houston Texans got destroyed Sunday by the St. Louis Rams 38-13, maybe they should have used Cierre Wood – RB – who did not see any game action. Teammate Ryan Harris – OL –started at tackle in the loss.

The Thursday night game saw Justin Tuck – DE – New York Giants – record three tackles and a pass deflection in a 27-21 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Theo Riddick – RB – Detroit Lions – saw action in the 31-17 win over Cleveland.

Golden Tate – WR – Seattle Seahawks – caught five passes for 33 yards in the 20-13 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Ronald Talley – DL – Arizona Cardinals (Transferred to Delaware) – saw game action in the 32-20 loss to San Francisco.

Former Irish players who were on active rosters this but did not see action were:

Will Yeatman – OL – Miami Dolphins (Transferred to Maryland) – BYE WEEK

Sergio Brown – S – Indianapolis Colts – MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Anthony Fasano – TE – Kansas City Chiefs – was inactive in 24-7 win over Oakland

Manti Te’o – LB – San Diego Chargers – MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Zeke Motta – S – Atlanta Falcons – BYE WEEK

Derek Landri – DL – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – did not see game action in 31-20 loss to Philadelphia

Ian Williams – DL – San Francisco 49ers – did not play (injured – broken ankle) in 32-20 win over Arizona.

Injured Reserve.:

Kapron Lewis-Moore – DL – Baltimore Ravens

Eric Olsen – OL – New Orleans Saints

Darius Fleming – LB – San Francisco 49ers

Practice Squad:

Jonas Gray – RB – Baltimore Ravens

Jamoris Slaughter – S – Cleveland Browns

Braxston Cave – OL – New England Patriots

The Irish had bye week Saturday and will welcome the Trojans of USC to South Bend this week.

Big Week Five For Ex Irish Players

BY: Elliott Carwile

Week five in the National Football League saw several former Golden Domers have impressive games. Starting with Golden Tate – WR – Seattle Seahawks – Tate caught five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks 34-28 loss to Indianapolis. Tate has emerged as a big time play maker and deep threat and his stat line would have been even better had quarterback Russell Wilson not over thrown him on a deep ball that would have been another touchdown.

Tate’s former pass catching partner at Notre Dame Michael Floyd – WR – Arizona Cardinals – led the team with five catches for 61 yards in a 22-6 win over the Carolina Panthers. 

Tyler Eifert – TE – Cincinnati Bengals – caught five passes for 53 yards in a 13-6 win over the New England. Trevor Robinson – OL – Cincinnati Bengals – did not see game action.

Cierre Wood – RB – Houston Texans – carried once for five yards and had one kick-off return for 20 yards in the 34-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Ryan Harris – OL – Houston Texans – started at tackle in the loss.

Robert Hughes – RB – Indianapolis Colts – one catch for six yards in the 34-28 win over Seattle. Hughes saw his first game action of the season after being signed this week to the Colts active roster. Sergio Brown – S – Indianapolis Colts – also saw game action in the win over the Seahawks.

Manti Te’o – LB – San Diego Chargers – registered five tackles in a 27-17 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

Justin Tuck – DE – New York Giants – recorded three tackles in the 36-21 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Several other Ex-Notre Dame players saw the field in week 5.

Sam Young – OL – Buffalo Bills – saw game action in a 37-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Will Yeatman – OL – Miami Dolphins (Transferred to Maryland) – saw action in a 26-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

David Bruton – S – Denver Broncos – saw action in a thrilling  51-48 win over the Dallas Cowboys to keep the Broncos season perfect at 5-0.

Theo Riddick – RB – Detroit Lions – saw action in a 22-9 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Joe Fauria – TE – Detroit Lions (Transferred to UCLA) – also played in the game.

J.J. Jansen – LS – Carolina Panthers – saw game action in a 22-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. In the same game Ronald Talley – DL – Arizona Cardinals (Transferred to Delaware) – recorded one tackle.

Here is the list of former Irish players who were on active rosters but didn’t play.

Brady Quinn – QB – New York Jets – MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.