Northwestern in the NFL, Week 7: Vitale shows out

While the Cats got trounced on Friday, a few NU alums put up impressive numbers on Sunday. Overall, the week was pretty quiet, with several former Wildcats continuing to be held out due to injury, but we’ve got a new participant in these write-ups this week, coming in from our north. Find out how all the currently professional past Northwestern players did in Week 7 of the NFL’s 2019 season:

Dean Lowry - DE, Green Bay Packers

Lowry had a relatively quiet day, only logging 2 tackles in the Packers’ 42-24 trouncing of the Raiders. The Packers did only an ok job of stopping the run, allowing only 155 yards on 31 carries, and had a mediocre overall defensive performance, failing to record a sack, and only adding one tackle for a loss.

Tyler Lancaster - DT, Green Bay Packers

The second year DT contributed three additional tackles, the second-most from the Packers’ defensive line. Lancaster continues to impress in his role as a rotational piece within Green Bay’s defensive interior.

Danny Vitale - FB, Green Bay Packers

The former Wildcat superback hauled in both of his targets on the day, gaining 22 and 21 yards respectively. 43 receiving yards for a fullback certainly isn’t something to scoff at. The Packers also did have three scores from within the three-yard line, and didn’t opt to use Vitale to punch it in from a few yards out on any of the three tries, opting to throw the ball from close to the end zone instead.

In a day where impressive performances piled up around him, things weren’t flashy for the long-haired fullback, but he put together a solid performance nonetheless.

Anthony Walker, Jr.- LB, Indianapolis Colts

The Franchise had a relatively poor week, only adding one tackle in the Colts’ 30-23 win over the Texans. While it wasn’t a great performance, Walker has 27 tackles on the season, and has had 3 pretty solid games during the year. Even when he has seemed to be a bit more invisible in his middle linebacker role, the Colts are winning, so it’s tough to imagine anybody in Indianapolis (least of all Walker) being too upset.

Sherrick McManis - CB, Chicago Bears

After spending his Friday night as the honorary captain for the Cats, McManis had a quiet day, adding two tackles in the Bears’ 25-36 loss to the Saints. The special teams ace’s status is TBA after exiting the game with an apparent head injury and being placed into concussion protocol.

Austin Carr- WR, New Orleans Saints

Carr failed to haul in either of his two targets in the win over the Bears. He was tied for 6th in targets on the team, so it doesn’t appear that Carr will be a huge part of the saints offense going forward, especially with Jared Cook and Alvin Kamara seemingly returning to the offense sooner rather than later.

Joe Jones - ILB, Denver Broncos

Jones recorded two tackles in what was an ugly game up and down, what with Patrick Mahomes injuring his knee and the Chiefs trouncing the Broncos 30-6 anyways.

Ifeadi Odenigbo - DE, Minnesota Vikings

Odenigbo failed to record a stat, as the Vikings beat the Lions 42-30 in a shootout. It was the second straight week in which the former seventh round pick did not find himself on the stat sheet as he continues to battle for playing time.

Justin Jackson - RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Jackson remains out with a calf injury that has kept him sidelined since Week 4. The Chargers seem to be in no rush to get him back with Melvin Gordon returning, and Austin Ekeler playing more than well enough to earn the backup job.

Garrett Dickerson - TE, New York Giants

Dickerson remained sidelined with a calf injury as the Giants fell to the Cardinals 27-21.

Tyrell Sutton - RB, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The long-time CFL running back returned to a team during the middle of the 2019 season, but Sutton has already made his time with Hamilton right now. In last weekend’s 33-12 win over Ottawa, his third game with the team, the veteran went for 85 rushing yards on 13 carries and an additional 64 yards on four receptions.

The ageless wonder is averaging over 100 all-purpose yards per game so far this season, with no end to the success seemingly in sight during Sutton’s 11th post-Northwestern football season (7th in the CFL).

Practice Squad Members: Nate Hall, LB, Buffalo Bills; Clayton Thorson, QB, Dallas Cowboys; Blake Hance, OT, Jacksonville Jaguars; Montre Hartage, S, Miami Dolphins

*New York Jets QB Trevor Siemian is our for the year after having season-ending surgery on his ankle.

*Packers S Ibraheim Campbell is returning to practice this week, hoping to make his way back from the PUP list at some point within the next three weeks.