Family Men

A couple of positive examples set by ProUtes this week:

As a husband, father and player I'm embarrassed to be associated with the NFL right now!
— Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) September 11, 2014

Weddle was also a guest on the Grantland NFL podcast with Robert Mays and Bill Barnwell. Over on CBS Sports, a pair of former ProUtes were profiled:

What a story: Ex-Raven quit football to donate kidney to ex-Steeler younger brother http://t.co/2Ev47rHSzT pic.twitter.com/pDREl3hUeO
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 18, 2014

Down the Sideline

Matt Asiata raced down the sideline instead of standing on it in week two. Adrian Peterson missed the game due to a charge of child abuse, allowing Asiata to fill in as the feature back. He found tough sledding against Sealver Siliga and the New England front, rushing 13 times for only 36 yards, an average of 2.8 ypc with a long of 7 yards. Asiata was more effective as a receiver out of the backfield, taking this pass in the flat 25 yards for a score. He had five catches for 48 yards, good for third on the team, and managed Minnesota's only score. It wasn't a good day for QB Matt Cassel, the former Patriot, as he threw 4 interceptions. Cassel also fumbled, but Asiata was there to recover it. For being Johnny-on-the-spot, the ProUte of the Week goes to Matt Asiata.

Stiff Arm

Paul Kruger is the ProUte of the Week, on the strength of his two sacks, but Steve Smith, Sr. had the Play of the Day on the strength of his stiff arm!

3rd & 14 was the key number for both players; Kruger's first sack came in the red zone, forcing Pittsburgh to settle for a field goal on 4th & 18. Smith's statement also came on 3rd & 14, as he drifted behind the coverage. Do defensive backs not realize that Flacco can bomb it? Smith the savvy veteran realizes it and made the play, stiff-arming Adam Jones to the ground along the way! He finished with 7 catches for 118 yards and a TD in his first game in Baltimore.

Ben Roethlisberger is not an easy take down, but Kruger got to him twice. The second time was in the third quarter, on 3rd & 11. Roethlisberger lost the ball, and, by the time he recovered it, Kruger covered him. The Steelers were forced to punt on 4th & 24. Kruger had five tackles to go with his two sacks and wins the first award of 2014.

Andre and Dyson

That's Andre Miller and Kevin Dyson, not to be confused with Andre Dyson! Two of my favorite ProUtes of all time were inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame over the weekend. Miller is still playing in the NBA, but he is already a Hall of Famer. Dyson is a vice principal and athletic director for a high school in Tennessee, where he continues to do radio work for the Titans. Joining Dyson and Miller in the 2014 Class are Elaine Elliott, Kim Turner, Sandy Woolsey, Amy Kofoed, and members of the 1964 Liberty Bowl football team. Read more

Wild West

ProUtes made all sorts of noise in the AFC West training camps this year. Alex Smith held out and got the contract extension he wanted in Kansas City. Meanwhile Sean Smith was dropped to the second unit. Tenny Palepoi made the cut in San Diego, where the 53 man roster was a little light on defensive linemen. There wasn't enough room for Joe Kruger, however; he was cut by the Eagles as well as the Chargers. Over in Oakland they kept Tony Bergstrom and Keith McGill, but undrafted free agents Jake Murphy and Karl Williams were let go.

Miami is down to two ProUtes this season, with the departures of R.J. Stanford (cut by Cincinnati) and Paul Soliai (signed with Atlanta); Sam Brenner is back on the practice squad. Sealver Siliga secured a spot in New England, but L.T. Tuipulotu did not. Trevor Reilly will be the lone representative on the New York Jets after Caleb Schlauderaff was waived and Tevita Finau was sent back to the practice squad. Buffalo placed Stevenson Sylvester on injured reserve.

Tevita Stevens is on the practice squad in Washington, and Anthony Denham is on Houston's.    

Deep Pockets

Zane Beadles changed NFL teams, but he hasn't changed his allegiance to the University of Utah. He signed a five-year, $30 million contract with Jacksonville, and he's using his new found wealth to give back to his alma mater. Beadles is donating $750,000 towards a sports medicine center and a scholarship for an offensive lineman. It's been a banner year for football donations, and Zane's tops them all! Beadles and his deep pockets will be expected to create deep pockets for Jacksonville's rookie QB Blake Bortles!

Seventh Inning Stretch

C.J. Cron, David Freese, and Albert Pujols each hit a home run in the seventh inning in Saturday's game against the Astros. Freese struck first, bringing Cron in to score. Pujols went next, and Cron closed it out with his own three-run blast. Houston took a 5-1 lead in the third on a Chris Carter grand slam, but L.A. rallied to score eight runs in the seventh inning on their way to an 11-5 victory. The Angels won 6-1 on Sunday, finishing a four game sweep of the Astros. L.A. has won their last 10 at home and sit 3.5 games behind Oakland in the AL West.