#StanfordNFL: Wildcard Weekend
Doug Baldwin • WR • Seattle Seahawks • 5th season • @DougBaldwinJr
In a game which yielded few big plays and was decided by costly mistakes, Seattle’s leading receiver made his presence felt with two big plays in the second half. On third-and-10 on Seattle’s first drive of the third quarter, Baldwin plucked a Russell Wilson pass out of the air with one hand in spectacular fashion. Wilson called it the “greatest catch I’ve ever seen.”
Baldwin’s biggest contribution came in the fourth quarter, when he caught the game’s only touchdown to cut into Minnesota’s lead, 9-7. It was his fourth touchdown catch in his past five postseason games, and his seventh since Week 14, the most by any NFL player over that span. Baldwin led Seattle in targets (7), receptions (5) and receiving yards (42) against the Vikings, helping the Seahawks win, 10-9. Seattle will travel to Carolina and play the Panthers, who defeated the Seahawks, 27-23, in Seattle in Week 6.
-6 degrees outside? Doug Baldwin doesn't care. He's too busy making leaping one-handed catches. #SEAvsMIN https://t.co/8pyWB1P8Ti
— NFL (@NFL) January 10, 2016
Seahawks' receiver Doug Baldwin averaged 2.47 yards per route run when lined up in the slot. No other slot receiver averaged more than 2
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) January 7, 2016
David DeCastro • G • Pittsburgh Steelers • 4th season
DeCastro started in Pittsburgh’s dramatic 18-16 win against Cincinnati, appearing on every offensive play. The All-America selection at Stanford helped the Steelers rush for 167 yards on 29 carries (5.8 yards/carry) and also made one tackle as the result of a Pittsburgh turnover.
On Friday, DeCastro was named an AP All-Pro first teamer, the first such honor on his career. DeCastro was the top performer on one of the best offensive lines in the league. Pittsburgh led the AFC with 395.4 yards per game and 287.7 passing yards/game, which were both good for third best in the NFL. DeCastro, a former first-rounder, has started 41 consecutive games and helped Pittsburgh go 21-11 in its past two regular seasons. Pittsburgh travels to Denver next weekend in a rematch of the Steelers' Week 15 comeback win in Pittsburgh.
David DeCastro! 1st team All-Pro! Pay homage! 🙌🏾
— Johnson Bademosi (@j_bademosi24) January 8, 2016
Last RT: David DeCastro has some nasty in him...I love it. #Steelers
— BTSC Steelers (@btsteelcurtain) January 11, 2016
Ryan Hewitt • H-B • Cincinnati Bengals • 2nd season • @Huey_85
Hewitt was inactive in Cincinnati’s 18-16 loss against Pittsburgh. He has not played since suffering a knee injury in Week 16 against the Denver Broncos. Hewitt has one year remaining on his three-year rookie contract which was signed in 2014.
Ryan Hewitt has a brace on his left knee, doing some foot work drills on the field. The H-Back is out for today. #Bengals
— Jim Owczarski (@JimOwczarski) January 9, 2016
Trent Murphy • LB • Washington Redskins • 2nd season • @TMurphy_93
Murphy started in Washington’s 35-18 loss against Green Bay on Sunday. He appeared on 21 percent of defensive snaps and 59 percent of special teams plays, finishing with a solo tackle and a downed punt of 50 yards. The All-American at Stanford has two years left on the four-year contract he signed as a rookie.
The kid @TMurphy_93 has quick, efficient hands and a Huge upside.... Luv him.... He's a dog too..... Watch #PackersvsRedskins #Redskins
— Chuck Smith NFL (@chucksmithnfl) January 10, 2016
Richard Sherman • CB • Seattle Seahawks • 5th season • @RSherman_25
Sherman started in Seattle’s 10-9 wildcard win against Minnesota, playing all 59 defensive snaps and 38 percent of special teams snaps. He finished the day with six tackles, all of which were solo, a tackle for a loss and a pass defended. Sherman’s tackle for a loss was a solo stop against Adrian Peterson, which helped him earn a +1.9 Pro Football Focus grade for the game.
Sherman was also named second team All-Pro by the AP, narrowly missing his fourth consecutive All-Pro first-team selection. Seattle faces Carolina next weekend, a rematch of the Panthers' dramatic Week 6 win in Seattle.
Richard Sherman comes as close as humanly possible to blocking a FG... Without actually blocking a FG. #SEAvsMIN https://t.co/5CbmQcu2S3
— NFL (@NFL) January 10, 2016
First Team All Pro CBs: Patrick Peterson, Josh Norman. Second Team: Chris Harris, Marcus Peters, Richard Sherman
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) January 8, 2016
Alex Smith • TE • Washington Redskins • 13th season
The 11-year NFL veteran caught his first pass of the season in the first quarter of Washington’s 35-18 loss against Green Bay. Smith took a Kirk Cousins pass for 16 yards, running over Packers’ linebacker Jake Ryan in the process. The catch was Smith’s first NFL reception since 2013 after being signed by Washington on Dec. 15.
🚨Truck Alert🚨 Alex Smith bulldozes over a GB defender for the 1st down. #HTTR
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) January 10, 2016
