Minnesota Gophers in the NFL Week 18

The NFL regular season is complete and with the Steelers win over the Ravens and the Falcons win over the Saints cutting down the number of former Gophers making the post season, it will be a lean group still playing into January. Eight former Gophers made the NFL post season, 6 of them in the AFC and just Boye Mafe and Nick Kallerup repping Seattle in the NFC. All three games this weekend in the AFC will have a pair of Gophers each in them guaranteeing that at least two will still be playing next week along with the NFC duo. We will have full recaps of those games next week. Below how the players did in Week 18, and a full look at their final regular season stats.

Baltimore Ravens

Week 18 @ Pittsburgh Steelers—Sunday Night

Rashod Bateman WR

Bateman missed the season finale loss to Pittsburgh with an illness. The Ravens were eliminated from the playoffs with the loss to the Steelers.

Final Season Stats:

13 Games, 38 targets, 19 receptions, 224 yards, 2 touchdowns.

With the exception of the 2022 season where he only played 6 games, all these stats were career lows for Bateman.

Daniel Faalele RG

Faalele played 48 offensive snaps and five more on special teams in the Ravens loss.

Final Season Stats:

17 Games, 1011 snaps—12th most snaps of any RG in the NFL, 5 penalties called, 4 sacks allowed

Dallas Cowboys

Week 18 @ New York Giants

Brevyn Span-Ford TE

Span-Ford played 17 offensive snaps and 16 special teams snaps in the loss to the Giants. He was targeted three times and made two catches for 30 yards.

Final Season Stats:

17 Games, 13 targets, 9 receptions, 90 yards, 1 touchdown. 20 special teams tackles, 9 of them solo.

Houston Texans

Week 18 vs Indianapolis Colts

Wildcard Playoffs @ Pittsburgh Steelers —Monday Night 7:15

Aireontae Ersery— LT

Ersery played all 68 offensive snaps and 8 on special teams in the win over Indy.

Final Season Stats:

16 Games, 1082 snaps—8th most snaps of any OT in the NFL, 11 penalties called, 8 sacks allowed

Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 18 vs Tennessee Titans

Wildcard Playoffs vs Buffalo Bills—Sunday 12:00

Eric Murray S

Murray played just 27 defensive snaps in the blowout win over Tennessee. He had four tackles, two of them solo.

Final Season Stats:

12 Games, 54 tackles, 32 of them solo, 2 TFL, 2 QB hits, 1 sack, 1 Interception, 1 forced fumble, 12 pass defenses.

Danny Striggow DE

Striggow retuned to action with 11 defensive snaps and three special teams snaps in the win. He recorded one tackle.

Final Season Stats:

10 Games, 16 tackles, 6 of them solo, 3 QB hits, 0.5 sack, 3 Hurries, 1 fumble recovery.

Los Angeles Chargers

Week 18 @ Denver Broncos

Wildcard Playoffs @ New England Patriots 7 PM Sunday

Benjamin St. Juste CB

St. Juste played 40 defensive snaps and 15 special teams snaps in the loss to Denver. He recorded three tackles, one of them solo and added a pass defense.

Final Season Stats:

16 Games, 37 tackles, 22 of them solo, 1 Interception, 7 pass defenses.

Las Vegas Raiders

Week 18 vs Kansas City Chiefs

Cody Lindenberg LB

Lindenberg played 27 special teams snaps and did not record a stat.

Final Season Stats:

17 Games, 7 tackles, 4 of them solo, all 362 snaps played on special teams.

Miami Dolphins

Week 18 @ New England Patriots

Ethan Robinson CB

Robinson did not play.

Final Season Stats:

2 games, 9 special teams snaps, no stats.

Minnesota Vikings

Week 18 vs Green Bay Packers

Blake Cashman LB

Cashman played 45 defensive snaps in the win over the Packers. He recorded seven tackles, three of them solo and had a sack of Clayton Tune.

Final Season Stats:

13 Games, 144 tackles, 61 of them solo, 4 TFL, 3 QB hits, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 pass defenses.

Max Brosmer QB

Brosmer came in the second half after JJ McCarthy left with a reinjury to his throwing hand. He played 24 snaps and went 7-8 for 57 yards.

Final Season Stats:

7 Games, 47-71 66.2 % completion percentage, 328 yards, 0 TDs, 4 int, QB Rating of 53.0, 7 carries for 11 yards.

New England Patriots

Week 18 vs Miami Dolphins

Wildcard Playoffs vs Los Angeles Chargers Sunday 7 PM

Jack Gibbens LB

Gibbons played 49 defensive snaps and 5 more on special teams in the win over the Jets. He had five tackles, two of them solo and a pai of pass defenses.

Final Season Stats:

17 Games, 81 tackles, 43 of them solo, 8 TFL, 3 QB hits, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble, 4 pass defenses.

New Orleans Saints

Week 18 @ Atlanta Falcons

Jordan Howden S

Howden played three defensive snaps and 24 on special teams in the loss to Atlanta. He had one solo tackle.

Final Season Stats:

16 Games, 29 tackles, 18 of them solo, 1 TFL, 1 fumble recovery + 86 yd TD return.

New York Giants

Week 18 vs Dallas Cowboys

John Michael Schmitz C

JMS was placed on IR after week 16 with a finger injury and is done for the season.

Final Season Stats:

13 Games, 788 snaps—26th most snaps of any C in the NFL, 4 penalties called, 1 sack allowed

Tyler Nubin S

Nubin was placed on IR with a neck injury after Week 16 and is done for the season.

Final Season Stats:

13 Games, 78 tackles, 49 of them solo, 7 TFL, 1 fumble recovery + 27 yd TD return, 2 pass defenses.

New York Jets

Week 18 @ Buffalo Bills

Tyler Johnson WR

Johnson was inactive for likely his last game with the Jets.

Final Season Stats:

12 Games, 18 targets, 12 receptions, 197 yards, 1 TD.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 18 vs Baltimore Ravens—Sunday Night

Wildcard Playoff vs Houston Texans Monday 7:15

Esezi Otomewo DT

Otomewo played 14 defensive snaps and seven on special teams in the Steelers win over Baltimore to win the AFC North. He had one solo tackle.

Final Season Stats:

12 Games, 9 tackles, 5 of them solo, 1 TFL, 1 QB hit, 1 sack

Seattle Seahawks

Week 18 @ San Francisco 49ers—Saturday Night

Wildcard Playoff—BYE

Boye Mafe OLB

Mafe played 16 defensive snaps and one on special teams in the win over the 49ers to clinch th NFC’s #1 seed in the playoffs and the fist round bye. He recorded three tackles, two of them solo and a pass defense.

Final Season Stats:

17 Games, 31 tackles, 11 of them solo, 4 TFL, 4 QB hits, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 5 pass defenses.

Nick Kallerup TE

Kallerup was inactive for the game vs San Francisco.

Final Season Stats:

9 Games, 1 targets, 0 receptions, 2 special teams tackles, 2 of them solo.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 18 vs Carolina Panthers—Saturday

Antoine Winfield Jr S

Winfield played all 51 defense snaps in the win over Carolina, but lost the NFC South after Atlanta’s win. He recored three tackles, one of them solo and had a pass defense.

Final Season Stats:

17 Games, 93 tackles, 53 of them solo, 4 TFL, 4 QB hits, 1 sack, 2 ints, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 8 pass defenses.

Ko Kieft TE

On season ending IR with a broken leg.

Final Season Stats:

3 Games, 3 special teams tackles, 1 of them solo.