NFL Wolverines: 2013 Statistics

Denard Robinson, Chad Henne, Jordan Kovacs

Despite the football program's recent and not-so-recent struggles, Michigan continues to be well-represented in the NFL.  Here's a list by position group:

Quarterback

Tom Brady recorded an 87.3 quarterback rating, his lowest since 2003.  Still, 4,343 yards and 25 touchdowns isn't too shabby.

Chad Henne continued to show that he can be a valuable and reliable backup in the NFL.  The only problem is that Henne played a starting roll for the Jacksonville Jaguars, which resulted in a 4-13 record.  After the season, the Jags still locked up him for another two years.  Henne finished the season with a 76.5 quarterback rating, 3,241 yards passing, 13 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.

Ryan Mallett didn't see game action backing up Tom Brady.

Running Back

Denard Robinson carried the ball 20 times for a total of 66 yards.  Although that only amounted to a 3.3 yard average, he did have an impressive 24-yard run against the Buffalo Bills.  Unfortunately, Robinson fumbled at the end of the play--one of his three fumbles on the season--and the ball was recovered by Buffalo in the endzone for a safety.

Michael Cox  recorded 43 yards on 22 rushing attempts in his rookie year for the New York Giants.  He also operated as an on-again, off-again kick returner, registering a 56-yard return against the Detroit Lions late in the season.

Wide Receiver

Jason Avant is a "wonderful catcher of balls . . . and such a good receiver for all the Eagles, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," or so the song goes.  He finished the season with 38 receptions for 447 yards and two touchdowns.  Avant signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers at year's end. 

Junior Hemingway played in every game, and totaled 13 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns.  He also recorded eight tackles, presumably on special teams.

Mario Manningham played in six games but did not accrue any statistics during his injury-plagued season for San Francisco.  He later signed a one-year deal with his former team, the New York Giants.

Offensive Line

Jonathan Goodwin graded out as the second best center in the league, according to Pro Football Focus, and played in all 16 games for the 49ers.  Despite that, he has yet to be re-signed by his team and is currently a free agent.

Jake Long started and played in 15 games for his new team the St. Louis Rams.  He spent the previous five seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

Steve Schilling played in seven games as a San Diego Charger before signing with the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks.

David Baas played in three games for the New York Giants.  He is now a free agent. 

William Campbell suited up for the New York Jets but did not see game action.

Patrick Omameh did not see game action with his team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

David Molk was not in the league during the 2013 season after being cut by the Chargers; however, he recently signed with Chip Kelly and the Eagles and is listed on the team roster.

Hit the jump for the defensive players.

Former Michigan Athletes: Free Agency Update

Larry Foote re-signed with the Steelers

 Jake Long visited St. Louis, took a physical, and entered into contract negations with the Rams, but he left without inking a deal.  Long was reportedly asking for more than $10 million per year, which now appears unlikely to happen.  The five year veteran and four time Pro Bowler is expected to either sign with the Rams or stay in Miami.

The New York Giants ponied up over $2 million to put restricted free agent Stevie Brown on a one year, second-round tender.  That means that the Giants would receive the second-round draft pick from any team that outbids them for Brown's services.  Still, the Giants continue looking for more help at safety and might even strike a deal with Ryan Mundy during his scheduled visit.

Larry Foote re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after flirting with the Arizona Cardinals.  The three-year deal comes on the heels of a season that saw him rack up 113 tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles.  Teammate LaMarr Woodley restructured his contract the same day to free up over $4 million in cap space.

49er safety free agent Dashon Goldson landed a big deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and that left the door open for Charles Woodson.  The '97 Heisman winner returned to the Bay Area--where he spent the first eight years of his career as an Oakland Raider--in order to meet with the 49ers. Woodson has expressed a strong desire to play for a Super Bowl contender during his 16th NFL season, and might be available at a discount to the right team.

Steve Breaston's sudden drop in production last year can probably be chalked up to knee inflammation and early arthritic symptoms.  Breaston contemplated a knee procedure, but has decided to forgo the surgery as he tests his value on the free agent market.  Breaston visited the Steelers and Browns this week, but walked away without signing a contract.  While waiting for a new deal, Breaston is staying busy by passing out free iPads to kids at his former high school.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Stevie Brown

"Many years from now, I will be awesome." - Brown, '08

Another interception, another 40-plus yard return, a couple more items to throw on the already large pile of evidence that suggests Stevie Brown is a good starting safety with a bright, highlight-filled future.  Brown wins the NFC's Defensive Player of the Week award for the second time this year as he and his Giants wrap up their season with a blowout over the Eagles.  Brown finishes the year with eight interceptions (2nd in the NFL), 307 interception return yards (1st in the NFL, Giants' single-season record), 76 tackles, two fumbles forced, two fumbles recovered, and 11 pass break-ups.  Expect those numbers to earn him plenty of dollars and attention from teams around the league when he hits the free agent market in March.

Honorable mention:  Tom Brady threw for 284 yards and lead the Patriots to a 28-0 win over the Dolphins.

Miscellaneous:

• Following a nine-game absence, Charles Woodson is medically cleared and expected to play in the Packer's playoff game on Saturday against the Vikings.  He joins Leon Hall (Bengals), Alan Branch (Seahawks), Jonathan Goodwin (49ers), Tom Brady, and Zoltan Mesko (Patriots) as U of M's representatives in the playoffs. 

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Jason Avant

It was a strong week for our former Michigan athletes, but no one had a more eye-popping performance than Philadelphia Eagle Jason Avant. His team won 23-21 over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he finished with seven receptions for 133 yards, including one of the most impressive one-handed grabs you'll ever see. Avant has 38 receptions for 495 yards through 13 games, and his play looks to be improving alongside that of QB Nick Foles.  Teammate Brandon Graham had two tackles in the win.

Honorable mention:  Stevie Brown picked off Drew Brees twice as his Giants routed the Saints; he returned the two interceptions a total of 91 yards.  Brown is now second in the NFL with seven interceptions and is also the Giants' new single-season record holder for most interception return yards with 259.  In addition to the picks, Brown had eight tackles, 2 pass breakups, and a forced fumble in the game.

Miscellaneous: 

• Tom Brady and the Patriots beat up on the one-loss Texas by a score of 42-14.  Brady threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns and torched the Texans on play action.  He is quietly having another MVP-caliber season.
• David Molk, banged up after nearly a full NFL season, was placed on the Injured Reserve for the Chargers.  The move cleared up a roster spot that was filled by a healthy lineman, fellow Wolverine and current teammate Stephen Schilling. 
• After being released by the Seahawks, Braylon Edwards re-signed with one of his former teams, the New York Jets.
• Martell Webb was released from the Colts' practice squad.
• Cam Cameron, who coached at Michigan from '83 to '93, was fired as the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens.
• David Harris recorded 10 tackles and a sack in a win over the Jaguars.  He has a team-leading 101 tackles through 13 games.
• Steve Hutchinson was placed on the Injured Reserve for the Titans due to a knee injury.
• Jonas Mouton recorded his first career tackle against the Bengals earlier in the month.
• Chad Henne went a dismal 21/43 passing with zero touchdowns and two interceptions in his third start of the year.  Blaine Gabbert, Jacksonville's starter to begin the season, was recently placed on the IR, so Henne should get a few more games to prove he's starter-quality.   

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Stevie Brown

Stevie Brown, "Proud Michigan Man all day everyday."

If you pay any attention to Touch the Banner on Thursdays, then you know by now that Stevie Brown has miraculously transformed into the second coming of Charles Woodson.  Given that, it should come as no surprise that earlier in the week Brown made two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a team high eight solo tackles as his Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 29-26.  Brown was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week and now has five picks in the last six games.  It will be interesting to see how much playing time Brown gets going forward as starting safety Kenny Phillips is scheduled to be back in a week or two.

Honorable Mention:  Tom Brady put on a jolly good show for the fine people of London by going 23/35 for 304 yards and four touchdowns in the Patriots' 45-7 victory over the Rams.  Patrons remarked that a smashing time was had by all.

Miscellaneous:

• Steve Breaston did not have a reception in the month of October and has caught only four passes on the season.  He made 61 receptions last year.
• Brandon Graham had a season high four tackles.
• Jonas Mouton is listed as second string on the Chargers depth chart but still has not posted any stats as a pro.
• Larry Foote recorded five tackles and a sack.  He now leads the Steelers in tackles, sacks, fumbles forced and fumbles recovered.
• Mario Manningham has been battling a shoulder injury but his status has been upgraded to "probable" for the 49ers' upcoming game against the Cardinals.
• Jason Avant had a season high four receptions for 45 yards.
• Jake Long is still doing his thing.  He'll be a free agent at season's end.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Zoltan Mesko

Zoltan Mesko

Zoltan Mesko hasn't had a great statistical year.  Two weeks ago I noted that he had a punting average of 39.3 yards and a net of 36.0, which at the time ranked him last and second to last in the league, respectively.  Since then he's moved up one spot in each category.  But what he's lacked in power he's made up for in accuracy, especially in his Patriots' 29-26 overtime victory over the New York Jets.  Besides acting as the holder on the game-winning field goal, Mesko placed four kicks inside the twenty and averaged 44.8 yards per punt, up nearly four yards from his current average.  Mesko may not have posted the most impressive stats out of the former Michigan athletes, but his improved special teams play was instrumental in his team's narrow victory. 

Meanwhile, Tom Brady orchestrated the game-winning drive and threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns.  Ho-hum.

Honorable Mention:  You have to be kidding me:  Stevie Brown picked off another pass and again returned it for over forty yards - which is exactly what he has done with each one of his three interceptions this year.  His Giants polished off the Redskins, 27-23, while Brown added six solo tackles and a pass deflection.  On the season he now has 26 tackles, three pass deflections, one fumble recovery and three interceptions that he has returned for an average of 44.0 yards.

Video:  Brown Intercepts R.G. III

Stevie Brown MGoBoard Thread 

Miscellaneous:

• Charles Woodson broke his collarbone and will be out approximately six weeks.  
• LaMarr Woodley returned from his hamstring injury and picked off the fifth pass of his career.
• David Harris recorded seven tackles and a sack on Tom Brady. 
• Chad Henne saw game action for the second time this year.  He finished 9/20 for 71 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.
• Mike Martin had only one tackle as the Titans won by one over the Bills.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Jay Feely

Jay Feely missed a 38-yard field goal that would have won the game for the Arizona Cardinals at the very end of regulation.  Instead of securing the victory, his team was forced into overtime and eventually lost to the Buffalo Bills, 19-16, giving the Cardinals only their second loss of the season.  That's not a great way to get named the former Michigan athlete of the week.

Then again, Feely's team never would have been in position to win the game if not for his incredible 61-yard game tying boot just one minute before.  The kick sets Arizona's franchise record for longest field goal and is only two yards short of the NFL record.  Only five kickers in NFL history have successfully kicked a field goal of longer distance.  

"You don't think there is any way a guy is going to make a 61-yarder," Buffalo Coach Chan Gailey said, "and then you think for sure he is going to make the short one and he doesn't."

Honorable Mention:  Mike Martin recorded six tackles, a tackle for for a loss, and a hit on the quarterback, as his Titans won over the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 26-23.  Martin helped his defense hold the Steelers to only 56 yards on the ground and a mere 2.5 yards per carry.  He came in for some praise from the Titans' head coach following the performance.

"I think when we drafted him we felt really good about him, and I think we all felt he could contribute right away like Casey did, like Klug did," coach Munchak said.  "He's hard to block.  That's why we like him.  He beats double teams, he's hard to block in the zone game when the center is trying to reach him on the back. . . .He's going to be a very good football player for us.  You saw flashes of that last night.  He was making plays.  Those (defensive tackles) are doubled a lot, and I think our defensive tackles have really all year played pretty good."

Miscellaneous:  

• Tim Jamison tore his Achilles and was placed on the Texans' Injured Reserve.
• Tom Brady put the ball in the air 58 times and threw for 395 yards in a 24-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.  Braylon Edwards caught his first touchdown pass of the season in the game.
• Brandon Graham recorded one tackle and Jason Avant caught two passes for 21 yards as their Eagles lost to the Lions, 26-23.
• Stevie Brown tracker continues:  he tallied four tackles for the Giants in their shocking 26-3 beat down of the 49ers.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Stevie Brown

Stevie Brown wins this award for the second time in three weeks, and this time I'm not being generous.

Brown started Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, picked off a pass, returned it 46 yards, recovered a fumble on special teams, made three tackles, and deflected a pass as his New York Giants went on to win, 41-27.  Brown has been seeing more playing time due to perfectly staggered suspensions by the Giants' starting safeties for performance enhancing drugs.  Stevie's been making the most of that opportunity, and his play has even been causing head coach Tom Coughlin to say nice things about him like "he's speedy," and a "strong guy that can run fast."  Getting Coughlin to say nice things is not easy to do.  The Giants are now 3-2.

Honorable mention:  In a 31-21 victory over Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, Tom Brady passed Brett Farve to move into third place for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass.  With 38 straight games with at least one scoring toss, he still trails Drew Brees (48) and Jonny Unitas (47).  Brady threw for 223 yards this week and completed 74% of his passes.

Miscellaneous:

• After coming off a preseason injury last year, Jonas Mouton still has not seen any regular season action so far for the Chargers.
• Mike Martin recorded his second sack of the season; he has 18 tackles on the year.
• Mario Manningham caught his first touchdown pass in a 49ers uniform in a blowout over the Bills.
• Through five games, Zoltan Mesko has a punting average of 39.3 and a net of 36.0, which are last and second to last in the league, respectively.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Tom Brady

Courtesy of Boston.com

The Patriots were down 21-7 in the third quarter to the Buffalo Bills before Tom Brady led his team on six straight touchdown scoring drives to pull out a comfortable 52-28 win.  Brady ended the game with 340 yards through the air and three touchdowns.  The performance put him into 11th place on the NFL's all-time passing list.  The Patriots are 2-2.

Honorable Mention:  Charles Woodson, now back to playing safety full time, tallied eleven total tackles and one pass break up as the Packers rallied for a 28-27 victory over the New Orleans Saints.  His team is also 2-2.

Miscellaneous:

• Stevie Brown keeps giving me reasons to write about him.  Brown stepped in for the injured Kenny Phillips against Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football and ended the game with seven total tackles.
• Mario Manningham isn't putting up gaudy stats, but he's staying consistent.  Super Mario has at least three catches in every game so far this year.  He has 160 yards through four games.
• After catching 61 balls last year, Steve Breaston only has four catches in 2012.
• Alan Branch recorded his first sack of the year.