Trey Burton's Eagles have clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a First Round Bye
Gators Set for NFL Postseason
Saturday, January 6, 2018 | Football
Fourteen former Gators have chance to play for Super Bowl LII
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 2018 NFL Playoffs begin this weekend and 14 former Gator football players are still competing for a chance to play in Super Bowl 52 on Feb. 4 in Minneapolis, Minn.
Florida has had a former player on a Super Bowl roster for 15 straight years, dating back to the 2003 season when offensive linemen Kenyatta Walker and Lomas Brown helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Mo Collins and the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Several Gators will have the first weekend off as their teams earned a bye in the Wild Card round. Offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert as well as defensive back Joe Haden helped the Pittsburgh Steelers earn the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Meanwhile, running back Mike Gillislee spent this season with the New England Patriots who earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Pouncey (right) and Gilbert anchored Pittsburg's offensive line, making 15 and seven starts, respectively. In his first season as a member of the Steelers, Haden made 11 starts while missing five due to injury, and collected 20 tackles, seven pass breakups, one interception and a sack.
Gillislee gained 383 yards on the ground and scored five touchdowns in his first season as a Patriot.
On the NFC side, tight end Trey Burton and defensive back Jaylen Watkins helped the Philadelphia Eagles secure the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. Former running back Mack Brown finished the season with the NFC's No. 2 seed, the Minnesota Vikings.
Burton (below) has reeled in 23 catches for 248 yards and five touchdowns thus far, while Watkins has turned in 17 tackles and two tackles-for-loss for the No. 1 seeded Eagles. Brown played in three games for the Washington Redskins in 2017, carrying the ball eight times for 29 yards before being claimed off waivers by the Vikings.
Here's a look at who to watch for during this weekend's Wild Card action:
Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs, Saturday (4:35 p.m. // ESPN)
AFC West Champion Kansas City will play host to the 9-7 Tennessee Titans, who finished 2017 with a win after a three-game-losing skid. The Chiefs are home to second-year wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, who has emerged as a reliable target with 21 catches for 212 yards.
Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams, Saturday (8:15 p.m. // NBC)
Atlanta will make its second consecutive playoff appearance on Saturday night when the 10-6 Falcons travel to Los Angeles to take on the NFC West Champion Rams. Led by the efforts of second-year additions Keanu Neal and Brian Poole in the defensive backfield, the Falcons clinched a playoff spot by claiming a 22-10 win over Carolina in Week 17.
Neal started all 16 games for Atlanta, tallying a career-best 116 tackles, six pass breakups, 3 forced fumbles and an interception. Poole (below) has appeared in 15 games, making three starts, and compiling 63 tackles, 4 pass breakups and a sack.
Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday (1:00 p.m. // CBS)
The Jaguars had a historic 10-6 season en route to clinching the AFC South Division, and will host the 9-7 Bills on Saturday. Edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. (below) made an impact in his third NFL season, playing in all 16 of Jacksonville's games and totaling 21 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles. Defensive end Lerentee McCray appeared in 13 games for Jacksonville and notched 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one pass breakup.
Buffalo, in its first playoff game since 1999, will rely heavily on wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Thompson has put together the best season of his NFL career in 2017, playing in all 16 games and making 10 starts for the Bears (five games) and Bills (11 games). The fifth-year receiver has hauled in 38 catches for 555 yards and two touchdowns.
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints, Sunday (4:40 p.m. // FOX)
The Saints clinched the NFC South title with an 11-5 record, and they play host to Bryan Cox, Jr. and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon. Cox has played in seven games as a rookie, making six tackles.
Five former Gators: Alex Anzalone (Saints), Dominique Easley (Rams), Sharrif Floyd (Vikings),Jake McGee (Steelers), and Caleb Sturgis (Eagles) finished the 2017 season either on a team's Injured Reserve list or Practice Squad.
Florida has had a former player on a Super Bowl roster for 15 straight years, dating back to the 2003 season when offensive linemen Kenyatta Walker and Lomas Brown helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Mo Collins and the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Several Gators will have the first weekend off as their teams earned a bye in the Wild Card round. Offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert as well as defensive back Joe Haden helped the Pittsburgh Steelers earn the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Meanwhile, running back Mike Gillislee spent this season with the New England Patriots who earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Pouncey (right) and Gilbert anchored Pittsburg's offensive line, making 15 and seven starts, respectively. In his first season as a member of the Steelers, Haden made 11 starts while missing five due to injury, and collected 20 tackles, seven pass breakups, one interception and a sack.Gillislee gained 383 yards on the ground and scored five touchdowns in his first season as a Patriot.
On the NFC side, tight end Trey Burton and defensive back Jaylen Watkins helped the Philadelphia Eagles secure the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. Former running back Mack Brown finished the season with the NFC's No. 2 seed, the Minnesota Vikings.
Burton (below) has reeled in 23 catches for 248 yards and five touchdowns thus far, while Watkins has turned in 17 tackles and two tackles-for-loss for the No. 1 seeded Eagles. Brown played in three games for the Washington Redskins in 2017, carrying the ball eight times for 29 yards before being claimed off waivers by the Vikings.
Here's a look at who to watch for during this weekend's Wild Card action:
Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs, Saturday (4:35 p.m. // ESPN)
AFC West Champion Kansas City will play host to the 9-7 Tennessee Titans, who finished 2017 with a win after a three-game-losing skid. The Chiefs are home to second-year wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, who has emerged as a reliable target with 21 catches for 212 yards.
Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams, Saturday (8:15 p.m. // NBC)
Atlanta will make its second consecutive playoff appearance on Saturday night when the 10-6 Falcons travel to Los Angeles to take on the NFC West Champion Rams. Led by the efforts of second-year additions Keanu Neal and Brian Poole in the defensive backfield, the Falcons clinched a playoff spot by claiming a 22-10 win over Carolina in Week 17.
Neal started all 16 games for Atlanta, tallying a career-best 116 tackles, six pass breakups, 3 forced fumbles and an interception. Poole (below) has appeared in 15 games, making three starts, and compiling 63 tackles, 4 pass breakups and a sack.
Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday (1:00 p.m. // CBS)
The Jaguars had a historic 10-6 season en route to clinching the AFC South Division, and will host the 9-7 Bills on Saturday. Edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. (below) made an impact in his third NFL season, playing in all 16 of Jacksonville's games and totaling 21 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles. Defensive end Lerentee McCray appeared in 13 games for Jacksonville and notched 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one pass breakup.
Buffalo, in its first playoff game since 1999, will rely heavily on wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Thompson has put together the best season of his NFL career in 2017, playing in all 16 games and making 10 starts for the Bears (five games) and Bills (11 games). The fifth-year receiver has hauled in 38 catches for 555 yards and two touchdowns.
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints, Sunday (4:40 p.m. // FOX)
The Saints clinched the NFC South title with an 11-5 record, and they play host to Bryan Cox, Jr. and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon. Cox has played in seven games as a rookie, making six tackles.
Five former Gators: Alex Anzalone (Saints), Dominique Easley (Rams), Sharrif Floyd (Vikings),Jake McGee (Steelers), and Caleb Sturgis (Eagles) finished the 2017 season either on a team's Injured Reserve list or Practice Squad.
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