Texas Longhorns in the NFL: Regular Season Week 4

Week 4 was highlighted by a perfect kicking performance from Justin Tucker and an unfortunate season-ending fractured leg injury to Earl Thomas. Hopefully, Thomas’ contract dilemma, mixed with injury risks, leads to a change for the better with players getting paid when they deserve it. Thomas and Tucker lead the league at their positions through four games.

Week 4 Injuries: D’Onta Foreman (PUP List), Adrian Colbert (hip)

Injured Reserve: DeShon Elliott (fractured forearm), Chris Warren III (knee), Fozzy Whittaker (ACL)

Malcolm Brown (RB-LAR)

Season Totals: 18 carries for 93 yards (5.2 YPC), 2 receptions for 18 yards

Last Week: 38-31 win vs. Minnesota Vikings

Didn’t record any stats.

This Week: at Seattle Seahawks (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Marquise Goodwin (WR-SF)

Season Totals: 5 receptions for 54 yards (10.8 YPC) - TD, 1 carry for -1 yard

Last Week: 29-27 loss at Los Angeles Chargers

In their first game without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Goodwin disappointingly only notched two receptions for 24 yards.

This Week: vs. Arizona Cardinals (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Marcus Johnson (WR-IND)

Season Totals: 2 receptions for 24 yards (12 YPC), 1 carry for -2 yards

Last Week: 37-34 OT loss vs. Houston Texans

Just one game after receiving his first touch, Johnson caught two passes for 24 yards in their crazy overtime loss. He is slowly working his way up the play-time usage and could be a key contributor for Andrew Luck going forward.

This Week: at New England Patriots (Thurs. 7:20 p.m. NFL Network)

Geoff Swaim (TE-DAL)

Season Totals: 11 receptions for 108 yards (9.8 YPC) - TD

Last Week: 26-24 win vs. Detroit Lions

Making his fourth career start at tight end, Swaim hauled in a one-yard touchdown pass to put the Cowboys up 20-10 towards the end of the third. He finished the game with three receptions for 39 yards, which included a 31-yard catch.

This Week: at Houston Texans (Sun. 7:20 p.m. NBC)

Trey Hopkins (OG-CIN)

Last Week: 37-36 win at Atlanta Falcons

Hopkins remains Cincinnati’s starting center with Billy Price out until week seven.

This Week: vs. Miami Dolphins (Sun. 12:00 p.m. CBS)

Desmond Harrison (OT-CLE)

Last Week: 45-42 loss at Oakland Raiders

Ever since his week one struggle, Harrison has shown some serious potential at left tackle for the Browns. His 72.9 offensive and 84.5 pass blocking grades were good for 11th-best among offensive tackles in week four.

This Week: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Sun. 12:00 p.m. CBS)

Connor Williams (OT-DAL)

Last Week: 26-24 win vs. Detroit Lions

Williams played well as Ezekiel Elliott had his best game thus far running behind that Cowboys offensive line.

This Week: at Houston Texans (Sun. 7:20 p.m. NBC)

Malcom Brown (DT-NE)

Season Totals: 9 tackles

Last Week: 38-7 win vs. Miami Dolphins

Didn’t record any stats.

This Week: vs. Indianapolis Colts (Thurs. 7:20 p.m. NFL Network)

Poona Ford (DT-SEA)

Season Totals:

Last Week: 20-17 win at Arizona Cardinals

The undrafted rookie may not have recorded any stats but he was the highest-rated Seahawks defender, posting an 87.6 game grade on just 17 snaps.

This Week: vs. Los Angeles Rams (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Alex Okafor (DE-NO)

Season Totals: 7 tackles

Last Week: 33-18 win at New York Giants

Okafor came up with two total tackles in a win.

This Week: vs. Washington Redskins (Mon. 7:15 p.m. ESPN)

Brian Orakpo (DE-TEN)

Season Totals: 8 tackles, FR, PD

Last Week: 26-23 OT win vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Orakpo notched three total tackles in Tennessee’s standout to move to 3-1.

This Week: at Buffalo Bills (Sun. 12:00 p.m. CBS)

Jordan Hicks (LB-PHI)

Season Totals:

Last Week: 26-23 OT loss at Tennessee Titans

Despite the defense giving up an array of fourth-down conversions in overtime, Hicks was a standout in a loss.

This Week: vs. Minnesota Vikings (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Derrick Johnson (LB-OAK)

Season Totals: 14 tackles

Last Week: 45-42 OT win vs. Cleveland Browns

Johnson totaled three tackles as the Raiders finally got into the win column.

This Week: at Los Angeles Chargers (Sun. 3:05 p.m. CBS)

Sam Acho (LB-CHI)

Last Week: 48-10 win vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Acho suffered a torn pectoral and has been ruled out for the rest of the season. This is unfortunate news for a guy that’s playing among one of the best defenses in the NFL, thus far.

This Week: BYE

Holton Hill (CB-MIN)

Season Totals: 3 tackles, TFL

Last Week: 38-31 loss at Los Angeles Rams

As Minnesota’s secondary got shredded apart all night long, Hill took advantage of some big time playing time. The rookie totaled two tackles, one went for a loss and showed he could deliver some nice hits. Thursday’s performance earned him a 77.2 Pro Football Focus game grade. Interestingly enough, Hill currently is rated as the highest graded cornerback on the Vikings. PFF has him at a 67.3 grade, while star cornerback Xavier Rhodes is down at 58.6.

This Week: at Philadelphia Eagles (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Adrian Colbert (S-SF)

Season Totals: 11 tackles

Last Week: 29-27 loss at Los Angeles Chargers

Colbert missed Sunday’s game with a hip injury and his status is still to be determined for this week. Despite the quality play from replacement D.J. Reed, Colbert should be the starting free safety if healthy, according to head coach Kyle Shannahan.

This Week: vs. Arizona Cardinals (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Quandre Diggs (SS-DET)

Season Totals: 16 tackles, 4 PDs, INT, TD

Last Week: 26-24 loss at Dallas Cowboys

Diggs recorded four tackles (two solo) and broke up a pass before leaving Sunday’s game with a fractured hand. The hand seems to be no problem for Diggs as he’s been practicing with a cast over it.

This Week: vs. Green Bay Packers (Sun. 12:00 p.m. FOX)

Adrian Phillips (SS-LAC)

Season Totals: 10 tackles, PD, INT

Last Week: 29-27 win vs. San Francisco 49ers

Phillips had one tackle in a win.

This Week: vs. Oakland Raiders (Sun. 3:05 p.m. CBS)

Kenny Vaccaro (SS-TEN)

Season Totals: 17 tackles, sack, PD, INT

Last Week: 26-23 OT win vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Vaccaro was in on two tackles and had a quarterback pressure against Carson Wentz.

This Week: at Buffalo Bills (Sun. 12:00 p.m. CBS)

Earl Thomas (FS-SEA)

Season Totals: 22 tackles, 3 INTs, 4 PDs

Last Week: 20-17 win at Arizona Cardinals

The last thing anyone wanted to see happen this season occurred on Sunday. The game’s best coverage safety was carted off the field for the second time in three seasons, this time with a fractured leg. This injury further backs up the reason why Thomas held out the whole preseason. Social media erupted in support of him and criticized the management from Seattle to go with it. Former Longhorn and current ESPN analyst Emmanuel Acho had some strong words about the situation.

This injury should lead to a larger topic of discussion on paying the game’s best players to make sure something like this doesn’t happen. Football has become more and more dangerous every year and injuries can happen at any point, the players deserve better it’s that simple.

Thomas finished the game with four tackles (three solo) and had a pass deflection.

This Week: vs. Los Angeles Rams (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Michael Dickson (P-SEA)

Season Totals: 25 punts - 48.4 YPP, 9 downed inside 20 yard-line

Last Week: 20-17 win at Arizona Cardinals

Dickson got back on the right track, putting up an average of 47.5 yards per punt this week. Two of those punts were downed inside-the-20. His ability to flip the field and pin offenses deep in close games like this is why he was the first punter selected in the NFL Draft.

This Week: vs. Los Angeles Rams (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Phil Dawson (K-ARI)

Season Totals: 1-3 FGs (33.3%), 4-4 XPs (100%)

Last Week: 20-17 loss vs. Seattle Seahawks

Dawson might have ultimately cost Arizona a win after missing a 45-yard field goal with 1:55 left in a tie game. He also missed one from 50 yards out. Now, the pressure is on for the veteran kicker, especially kicking for a 0-4 team.

He finished the game 1-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points.

This Week: at San Francisco 49ers (Sun. 3:25 p.m. FOX)

Justin Tucker (K-BAL)

Season Totals: 9-10 FGs (90%), 12-12 XPs (100%)

Last Week: 26-14 win at Pittsburgh Steelers

Tucker had himself a game under the bright lights on Monday night. After the game was tied at 14 in third, he hit four consecutive field goals to give the Ravens a 26-14 win. Tucker connected from 28, 31, 47 and 49 yards out and made both of his extra point attempts. This was an elite display from one of the best.

This Week: at Cleveland Browns (Sun. 12:00 p.m. CBS)

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