Huskers in the NFL - Week 17

Lincoln - A total of 21 former Huskers saw action in NFL games in Week 17. Of the 32 former Huskers on NFL squads, eight will have a shot at a Super Bowl as they enter the playoffs. The Big Red has had at least one representative at 11 of the last 12 Super Bowls.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

In a must win game for the Philadelphia Eagles, former Husker running back Correll Buckhalter led the Eagles in rushing and receiving, including a career-long 59-yard reception that led to the Eagles’ first touchdown. A native of Mt. Olive, Miss., Buckhalter carried the ball 10 times for 63 yards, including a season-long 33-yard carry. Buckhalter’s three catches for 59 yards averaged 19.7 yards per catch, adding a touchdown through the air in the second quarter to put the Eagles up 17-3. The Eagles went on to win the game 44-6, locking up the final playoff spot in the NFC.

 

In Tampa Bay, Barrett Ruud did all he could to get the Bucs into the playoffs, but it was not enough as Tampa Bay fell to the Oakland Raiders, 31-24. The former Husker linebacker totaled nine tackles on the day, including six solo stops. Ruud finished the 2008 season ranked No. 4 in the NFL in tackles with 137, just one behind No. 3 Jon Beason (138) of Carolina and four stops short of No. 2 tackler Patrick Willis (141) of San Francisco.

 

With a 34-21 win over the Seattle Seahawks, the Arizona Cardinals and former Husker defensive back Ralph Brown finished the 2008 regular season as the NFC West champions, finishing with a winning record for the first time in a decade. With the playoffs right around the corner, Brown played his best football of the season as he intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble and added three solo tackles. Brown’s interception in the second quarter ended Seneca Wallace’s franchise record of 184 attempts without a pick.

Offense

  Rushing ReceivingPlayer, Team Opp. ATT YDS AVG LNG TD Rec Yards AVG LNG TDBuckhalter, Correll, Philadelphia Dallas 10 63 6.3 33 0 3 59 19.7 59 1Green, Ahman, Houston DNP-IR - - - - - - - - - -Jackson, Brandon, Green Bay DNP-NA - - - - - - - - - -Purify, Maurice, Cincinnati DNP-PS - - - - - - - - - -Linemen                      Hochstein, Russ, New England Started at Fullback vs. BuffaloNicks, Carl, New Orleans Started at Left Guard vs. CarolinaPatrick, Chris, Philadelphia DNP-NARaiola, Dominic, Detriot Started at Center vs. Green Bay

Defense

  Defensive Stats Special TeamsPlayer, Team Opp. TKL AST CMB SK YDS IN YDS PD FF FR TKL AST CMB FF BL FRAdams, Titus, New England DNP-PS - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-Bingham, Ryon, San Diego Denver 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Zackary, Bowman, Chicago

DNP-IR

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Bradley, Stewart, Philadelphia Dallas 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Brown, Mike, Chicago DNP-IR - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Brown, Ralph, Arizona Seattle 3 0 3 0 0 1 0.0 1

1 0 0 0 0 0 0Bullocks, Daniel, Detriot Green Bay 3 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Bullocks, Josh, New Orleans Carolina 4 2 6 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0Carriker, Adam, St. Louis Atlanta 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Kelsay, Chris, Buffalo New England 5 2 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Moore, Jay, San Fransico DNP-IR - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Octavien, Steve, Dallas Philadelphia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Polk, Carlos, Dallas Philadelphia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0Ruud, Barrett, Tampa Bay Oakland 6 3 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Ruud, Bo, New England DNP-IR - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Shanle, Scott, New Orleans Carolina 3 1 4 1 6.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0LeKevin, Smith, New England Buffalo 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Vanden Bosch, Kyle, Tennessee DNP-NA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Washington, Fabian, Baltimore DNP-NA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Williams, Demorrio, Kansas City Cincinnati 3 3 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Special Teams

. Returns Field Goals Ex. Pts PuntsPlayer, Team Opp. KR YDS PR YDS TD ATT Made YDS ATT Made No. YDS AVG TB i20 LNGBrown, Kris, Houston Chicago - - - - - 1 1 22 4 4 - - - - - -Brown, Josh, St. Louis Atlanta - - - - - 2 2 31, 27 3 3 - - - - - -Koch, Sam, Baltimore Jacksonville - - - - - - - - - - 4 153 38.3 2 1 44Larson, Kyle, Cincinnati Kansas City - - - - - - - - - - 3 133 44.3 0 2 48

() missed field goal; DNP - Did Not Play; INJ - Injured, did not play; IR - Injured Reserve: PS - Practice Squad, S-Suspended