Gators in the NFL - Week 3
Monday, September 28, 2009 | Football
There were 27 former University of Florida football players on rosters for the third week of play in the National Football League. Thirteen players earned starting positions, while 22 saw action. They totaled over 550 all purpose yards, two touchdowns and 36 tackles. Many of these former Gators claimed a spot on highlight reels.
Former teammates Ray McDonald (San Francisco 49ers) and Percy Harvin (Minnesota Vikings) faced off in Minneapolis, Minn. As time expired in the first half, McDonald blocked a Minnesota field goal attempt. The 49ers scooped up the ball and returned it for a touchdown. With his team trailing 13-17 late in the third quarter, Harvin answered with a 101-yard kickoff return touchdown to give the Vikings a 20-17 lead.
Trailing 24-20 with one minute to go in the game, Harvin came through again. On third down and one, Harvin made a short five-yard reception to move the chains. With 33 seconds remaining, Harvin caught a 15-yard pass from Brett Favre on third-and-10 to set up the Vikings in 49er territory. Minnesota would score two plays later to secure a 27-24 victory. Harvin led all players with 223 all purpose yards.
Meanwhile Andre Caldwell (Cincinnati Bengals) was working on some last second heroics of his own. With 18 seconds left in the game, Caldwell caught a four yard bullet from Carson Palmer to lead the Bengals in a come-from-behind win over division rival Pittsburgh.
Not to be out done by his fellow alums, Fred Taylor (New England Patriots) had the 49th 100-yard rushing performance of his career. His 105 rushing yards (13,447) moved him into 15th place on the NFL's all-time career rushing yards list.
Notes:
- Rookie WR's Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy are both making a big impact, they are both in the top five among rookies in total receiving yards (Murphy 4th/138, Harvin 5th/128)
- Murphy also ranks in the top five among rookies in yards per catch (4th, 17.3) and receiving yards per game (5th, 46.0)
- Harvin's 12 receptions and two receiving touchdowns are tops among all rookies
- Harvin's 101 kickoff return for a touchdown is the only kickoff return TD in the NFL this season, and is the longest this season
- Harvin's 35.8 yards per kickoff return ranks first among all NFL players that have more than one return
- LB Mike Peterson is tied for seventh in the NFL in tackles with 28
Week 3 NFL Gator Stats
· DE Alex Brown, Chicago – started at DE and registered one tackle in a 25-19 win over Seattle; 113 consecutive games played in is the second longest active streak for defensive ends
· WR Andre Caldwell, Cincinnati – caught the winning touchdown pass with 18 seconds remaining in the game as the Bengals' came from behind to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-20; led the team with six receptions for 52 yards and five kick returns for 104 yards
· OT Cooper Carlisle, Oakland – started at right guard in Oakland's 23-3 loss to Denver
· LB Channing Crowder, Miami – started at inside linebacker for the Dolphins and finished second on the team with six tackles in a 23-13 loss to the San Diego Chargers
· LB Andra Davis, Denver – started at inside linebacker for the Broncos defense who held Oakland to under 140 yards of total offense; was third on the team with three tackles
· WR Jabar Gaffney, Denver – started and led the team with 37 receiving yards on three catches in the Broncos 23-3 win over Oakland
· RB Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay – due to a hamstring injury, was not activated for the Buccaneers 24-0 loss to the New York Giants
· QB Rex Grossman, Houston – DNP
· DE Derrick Harvey, Jacksonville – started at defensive end and assisted on two tackles and deflected one pass
· WR Percy Harvin, Minnesota – had four receptions for 51 yards; also returned four kickoffs for 180 yards, the longest going 101 yards for a touchdown to regain the lead for the Vikings late in the third quarter; had two third-down conversions in the last minute to keep the game winning drive alive for the Vikings
· DE Jevon Kearse, Tennessee – started at left defensive end for the Titans, made one tackle and recovered a fumble on the second play of the second quarter; the Titans would score on the resulting posession, but fall to the New York Jets 17-24
· S Marquand Manuel, Detroit – started at strong safety and had four tackles before being injured in the third quarter of the Lion's 19-14 win over Washington
· DE Bobby McCray, New Orleans – only tackle occurred when Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards attempted to scramble for a first down
· DE Ray McDonald, San Francisco – blocked a field goal which was caught and returned by a teammate 59 yards for a touchdown; the 49ers fell to Minnesota, 27-24
· DE Jarvis Moss, Denver – was not activated this week versus Oakland
· WR Louis Murphy, Oakland – started and was the favorite target for the Raiders in the loss to Denver; had a team-high 25 receiving yards on two catches, both of which kept Oakland's only scoring drive alive
· S Reggie Nelson, Jacksonville – started at free safety and recorded six tackles in the Jaguars' 31-24 win over Houston
· LB Mike Peterson, Atlanta – started at outside linebacker and was second on the team with 11 tackles, two of which were for a loss; the Falcons lost to the New England Patriots 26-10
· CB Keiwan Ratliff, Pittsburgh – registered one tackle in Pittsburgh's loss to Cincinnati when he wrapped up former Gator teammate Andre Caldwell on the game's opening kickoff
· CB Lito Sheppard, N.Y. Jets – was not activated for the Jets' 24-17 win over Tennessee due to an injured quadriceps
· LB Brandon Siler, San Diego – only tackle on the day prevented the Miami Dolphins from scoring late in the first quarter; Miami fumbled out of bounds in their own end zone on the next play and San Diego scored on the ensuing drive
· OT Max Starks, Pittsburgh – started at left tackle for the Steelers; was instrumental in leading an offense that amassed 373 yards and two touchdowns in a last second loss to Cincinnati
· RB Fred Taylor, New England – ignited the Patriots offense with 105 yards rushing on 21 carries and New England's only rushing touchdown, also made one reception for four yards; the performance was the 49th 100-yard rushing game of his career, moving him into 15th place on the all-time NFL's career rushing yardage list with 13,447 yards
· DT Marcus Thomas, Denver – recorded one tackle in the Broncos 23-3 win over Oakland
· OT Phil Trautwein, Cleveland – did not play in the Browns 34-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens
· DT Gerard Warren, Oakland – started and recorded a tackle and one pass deflection in a loss to Denver
· RB DeShawn Wynn, Green Bay – registered one rush for one yard, made one tackle and downed a punt as the Packers defeated the St. Louis Rams 36-17
-UF-
