Tag: Badgers in NFL

Former Wisconsin legend might be the best deep-ball thrower this season

Former Wisconsin legend might be the best deep-ball thrower this season

Former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson is Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded quarterback on throws of 15+ yards this season.

Wilson’s 2024 output with the Pittsburgh Steelers is somewhat of a resurgence. After going 11-19 as the Denver Broncos starting quarterback from 2022-2023, the UW alumnus is playing some of the best football of his career this season.

In six games as the Steelers starter, Wilson has totaled 1,626 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 104.3. His 271 yards per game clip would be the highest of his career.

Wilson most recently showcased his deep ball prowess in the Steelers’ 44-38 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The nine-time Pro Bowler went 29-of-38 for 414 yards and three touchdowns to earn his fifth win as a starter.

In that contest, Wilson made several high-level deep throws. His most significant came when he a 23-yard laser to wide receiver Calvin Austin III at the beginning of the second quarter, plus a 25-yard dime to tight end Pat Freiermuth for a touchdown later in the third quarter.

Wilson might not be as dynamic of a rusher as he once was, but he can still throw the deep ball as well as any quarterback in the NFL.

At 9-3, the Steelers are in position to win the AFC North and clinch a home playoff game. They will return to the gridiron on Dec. 8 vs. the division rival Cleveland Browns.

Wisconsin legend dominates in Steelers thrilling win over Cincinnati Bengals

Wisconsin legend dominates in Steelers thrilling win over Cincinnati Bengals

Wisconsin defensive legend T.J. Watt registered another monster output in the Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

After notching just four tackles in the Steelers’ snowstorm loss against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 21, Watt returned to the forefront of Pittsburgh’s defensive attack against Joe Burrow and the Bengals at Paycor Stadium.

Watt accumulated three solo tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble in the contest as the Steelers snagged their ninth win of the 2024 season.

Watt is now responsible for 9.5 sacks on the season and 106 sacks for his career. If he secures 0.5 more sacks this season, it would be the sixth campaign of 10 or more sacks for the generational talent.

Through 12 games, he now also leads the NFL in forced fumbles with five.

The former Badger’s most dominant defensive sequence came with just under five minutes remaining in the second quarter. With the game knotted at 21, Watt maneuvered around a Bengals offensive lineman to strip-sack Burrow and flip possession.

Kicker Chris Boswell would convert a 50-yard field goal to push the Steelers ahead 24-21 on the ensuing possession.

Watt wasn’t the only Badger alumnus that showed out on Sunday. Quarterback Russell Wilson threw for the second-most yards of his career in the victory, and outside linebacker Nick Herbig also recorded a strip-sack.

Watt will likely finish this season near the top of the Defensive Player of the Year voting. His crew is back on the gridiron on Dec. 8 vs. the Browns in Pittsburgh.

Former Wisconsin quarterback throws for over 400 yards in narrow divisional win

Former Wisconsin quarterback throws for over 400 yards in narrow divisional win

Former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson threw for over 400 yards in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Wilson looked as dynamic as ever in the Steelers’ ninth win of the 2024 season. On the day, the UW alumnus completed 29 of 38 pass attempts for 414 passing yards and three touchdowns for a 126.4 quarterback rating.

The Seahawks legend recorded 257 of those passing yards before halftime, the most of any first half of his storied 13-year career.

Wilson made virtually every type of throw throughout the afternoon. He found ten different Steelers receivers and captained the team to seven scoring drives.

Arguably his most impressive throw came with under 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Up 27-24 at the Bengals’ 25-yard line, Wilson evaded pressure and launched a sidearm bullet to tight end Pat Freiermuth for a 25-yard touchdown. That extended the team’s lead to 10 entering the fourth quarter.

Wilson also found wide receiver Van Jefferson for a 43-yard gain late in the fourth frame to essentially ice the contest.

The former Badger great reminded fans of what he’s capable of. After enduring over two years of criticism for his performance as a Denver Bronco, Wilson looks like he could provide stability to a franchise in desperate need of a quarterback since the departure of future Hall of Fame QB Ben Roethlisberger.

Wilson is now 5-1 as the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2024. His sole loss came a week ago during the Thursday night snowstorm against Cleveland Browns, a game in which he completed a whopping 12 of 13 pass attempts for 203 passing yards and one touchdown on third and fourth down scenarios.

Wilson’s 9-3 Steelers will be back in action against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Dec. 8.

Wisconsin legend scores 50th career touchdown in narrow Week 13 win

Wisconsin legend scores 50th career touchdown in narrow Week 13 win

Former Wisconsin Badgers and current Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor scored his 50th career touchdown on Sunday vs. the New England Patriots.

In his tenth game of the 2024 slate with Indianapolis, Taylor reached the end zone late in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. The UW alumnus sprinted toward the right sideline and reeled in a pass from quarterback Anthony Richardson before extending the football past the goal line for a touchdown.

Taylor’s score snapped his four-game streak without a touchdown. On the ground, the former Badger registered 25 carries for 96 rushing yards alongside the one catch for seven receiving yards and his lone score.

Indianapolis wound up securing a 25-24 victory thanks to a late Alec Pierce receiving score and Richardson two-point conversion.

Despite missing three games due to injury, Taylor has paced the Colts in rushing this season. The former All-Pro has accumulated 922 total yards and six total touchdowns.

Taylor and the 6-7 Colts will face the Denver Broncos in their next game of the 2024 season on Sunday, Dec. 15.

Former Wisconsin linebacker plays integral role in Eagles big win over Ravens

Former Wisconsin linebacker plays integral role in Eagles big win over Ravens

Former Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun’s breakout season picked up even more steam on Sunday.

In the Philadelphia Eagles’ 24-19 win over the Baltimore Ravens, Baun registered 13 tackles, 1/2 sack, one tackle for loss, one QB hit and one forced fumble.

As he has been for the bulk of the 2024 campaign, Baun was everywhere against the Ravens. He made his first game-wrecking play in the second quarter to prevent Baltimore from gaining a first down.

On third-and-two with roughly seven minutes to spare in the second frame, quarterback Lamar Jackson pitched a handoff to all-world running back Derrick Henry. Baun, as versatile a linebacker as there is in the NFL, burst through the Ravens’ offensive line and made a solo tackle in the backfield.

The former Badger also pinned the Ravens near the Eagles’ 30-yard line on a third-and-five sack sequence in the third quarter. After sacking Jackson, Ravens kicker Justin Tucker missed a long field goal attempt.

While he’s unable to line up at wide receiver or running back, Baun’s impact for the Eagles is monumental. He has recorded 118 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one interception in his first year with Philadelphia.

At this pace, Baun will secure his first Pro Bowl appearance and earn his first All-Pro selection. For someone who recorded 88 total tackles in his four previous seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Baun’s progression is honestly startling.

The 10-2 Eagles will be back on the gridiron against the Carolina Panthers on Dec. 8.

Former Wisconsin star linebacker helps clinch win in instant classic vs. Bengals

Former Wisconsin star linebacker helps clinch win in instant classic vs. Bengals

Former Wisconsin star linebacker Nick Herbig continued his strong 2024 campaign in the Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Bengals on Sunday.

Herbig, one of 18 Badgers eligible for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, built off his dominant output in the Steelers’ 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 21. His five-tackle, one-sack performance in that game landed him a spot on ProFootballFocus’ Week 12 ‘NFL Team of the Week.’

This week, Herbig finished with two tackles, one sack and a forced fumble against the Bengals’ dynamic offense. The Hawaii native’s strip-sack on Joe Burrow early in the fourth quarter led to a 21-yard fumble recovery from fellow linebacker Payton Wilson.

The sequence turned the Steelers’ 34-24 edge into a 41-24 advantage with just over 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Herbig’s strip sack and the accompanying return proved to be the game-winning score.

Herbig is now responsible for 17 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and four forced fumbles through eight games in 2024. He is emerging as one of the rising stars on a team built on a defensive identity.

The UW alumnus wasn’t the only Badger who recorded a strip-sack on Sunday. All-world outside linebacker T.J. Watt tallied two sacks and one forced fumble on the day to help guide Pittsburgh to its ninth win of the 2024 slate.

If Herbig continues to play at this caliber, he could earn himself a permanent starting spot in a loaded defensive unit.

Former Wisconsin star linebacker on PFF’s ‘Team of the Week’ for NFL Week 12

Former Wisconsin star linebacker on PFF’s ‘Team of the Week’ for NFL Week 12

Former Wisconsin star linebacker Nick Herbig earned a spot on ProFootballFocus’ Week 12 ‘NFL Team of the Week’ on Tuesday.

The Kauai, Hawaii native was accompanied by Miami Dolphins edge Chop Robinson, Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler and Chicago Bears defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr.

Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David, Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon, Arizona Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams, Packers safety Javon Bullard, Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis were also selected on the defensive end.

In his second game back for Pittsburgh after recovering from a hamstring injury, Herbig dominated in the Steelers’ 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns. The outside linebacker tallied five tackles, two QB hits and a strip-sack.

That strip-sack arrived with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter during a blizzard at Cleveland’s Huntington Bank Field. The UW alumnus strip-sacked Browns quarterback Jameis Winston near Cleveland’s 20-yard line to flip possession in favor of Pittsburgh. The play shifted momentum and ultimately resulted in a Steelers touchdown.

Herbig was a 2022 consensus First-Team All-Big Ten member in his final season with the Badgers. He started 11 games that season and led Wisconsin with 11 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss.

He and the collection of former Badgers on the Steelers will be back in action next against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Dec. 1.

Former Wisconsin cornerback thinks a Badgers loss to Minnesota would be ‘lowest of the lows’

Former Wisconsin cornerback thinks a loss to Minnesota would be ‘lowest of the lows’

Former Wisconsin cornerback Faion Hicks shared a blunt message before the Badgers’ season-closing contest against Minnesota on Friday.

“I’ve been positive all year,” Hicks wrote on X. “But if we finish the year trophy-less and miss a bowl game for the first time in 22+ years. This will be the lowest of the lows. This is a MUST win game.”

Hicks, who last played with the Badgers in 2021, shared the message two days after UW lost in Nebraska for the first time since 2012. He was one of the many former Badgers to express their displeasure with the state of the program after the historic loss.

The former top cornerback isn’t necessarily wrong. The last time Wisconsin’s program finished with a losing record was 2001, the same season the Badgers last missed out on bowl season. As it stands, UW is truly in a must-win scenario ahead of its highly anticipated rivalry matchup against Minnesota.

Given the momentum surrounding Wisconsin’s program, a win is absolutely essential to save the season and provide fans with a glimpse of hope.

In Madison, Hicks appeared in 44 games over four seasons with 39 starts from 2018-21, pocketing All-Big Ten honorable mention honors in 2020 and 2021. He went 2-2 against the Golden Gophers from 2018-21.

The former Badger joined the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad in September and has appeared in two games this season.

Russell Wilson, Zack Baun headline former Badgers on 2025 NFL Pro Bowl ballot

Russell Wilson, Zack Baun headline former Badgers on 2025 NFL Pro Bowl ballot

A total of 18 former Wisconsin Badgers were included on the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games ballot on Tuesday.

On the offensive side of the ball, 11 UW alumni were featured on the NFL’s voting list. The most notable include quarterback Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers), running back Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts), running back Braelon Allen (New York Jets), full back Alec Ingold (Miami Dolphins) and tight end Jake Ferguson (Dallas Cowboys).

Offensive linemen Rob Havenstein (Los Angeles Rams), David Edwards (Buffalo Bills), Kevin Zeitler (Detroit Lions), Tyler Biadasz (Washington Commanders), Tanor Bortolini (Colts) and Joe Tippmann (Jets) were also featured.

Defensively, tackle Keeanu Benton (Steelers), inside linebacker T.J. Edwards (Chicago Bears) and outside linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel (Minnesota Vikings), T.J. Watt (Steelers), Nick Herbig (Steelers), Zack Baun (Philadelphia Eagles) and Leo Chenal (Kansas City Chiefs) were selected as eligible for the ballot.

On the surface, the most surprising inclusions on the lists are Benton and Allen. While the list is nowhere near final, these former Badgers rarely receive national attention, and they will surely fail to make the final Pro Bowl roster.

Nonetheless, they’re eligible. A total of 69 defensive tackles and 42 running backs were featured on the ballot. Since both Benton and Allen have each logged 11 games and made a statistical impact for their respective teams, they ultimately appear on the ballot.

Baun, Watt and Van Ginkel are likely shoe-ins for the Pro Bowl Games this winter. With 105 total tackles, Baun is trending towards an All-Pro appearance, Van Ginkel is among the NFL’s sack leaders with nine sacks, while Watt is a perennial Pro Bowler.

This winter’s Pro Bowl features a flag football game and several skill competitions. It is slated for Sunday, Feb. 2 at 2:00 p.m. CT in Orlando, Florida.

Former Wisconsin quarterback dices up Browns defense in Week 12 loss

Former Wisconsin quarterback diced up Browns’ defense in 24-19 loss

Former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson diced up the Cleveland Browns defense on third and fourth down during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ narrow loss on Thursday night.

Despite falling 24-19 to the Browns, the Steelers quarterback played nearly perfectly in late-down situations during the second-half blizzard at Huntington Bank Field.

The UW alumnus completed 12 of 13 pass attempts for 203 passing yards and one touchdown in those scenarios. He also recorded a 144.4 passer rating.

Given the horrid weather in Cleveland, it’s almost hard to comprehend how Wilson pulled off such a stat line. Plus, Browns’ superstar defensive end Myles Garrett recorded three sacks, three tackles for loss and three QB hits in the effort.

For the game, Wilson completed 21 of 28 passes for 270 yards and the one touchdown to wide receiver Calvin Austin III.

Facing a 18-13 deficit, Wilson stepped back and launched a 23-yard bullet to Austin down the middle of the end zone. The touchdown lifted Pittsburgh up 19-18, but became the final score for Wilson’s crew on the evening.

On multiple occasions, head coach Mike Tomlin opted to go with quarterback Justin Fields in read-option scenarios. Wilson, as any true professional would, addressed his coach’s decision with media after the game.

“Obviously, we have trust in Justin [Fields] too in what he can do and what he’s capable of,” Wilson told reporters in his postgame press conference. “I always want to be in there. That’s just the competitor in me. But at the same time, I think, like I said, we have great trust in Justin and our team and our coaches and everything we were doing.”

The Steelers are now 8-3 and face another division foe, the Cincinatti Bengals, on Dec. 1 at Paycor Stadium.