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.    

2013 Postseason

Alex Smith passed for 378 yards and 4 touchdowns, both franchise records, as Kansas City lost at Indianapolis, 45-44. The Colts came back from a 28-point deficit to win, making Smith the only QB to throw 4 TDs and no INTs but lose in the playoffs. He did lose a fumble on a Robert Mathis strip-sack. Playing without an injured Jamaal Charles, Smith was second on the team in rushing with 57 yards on 8 carries. Sean Smith had a tackle, three assists, and a PDef. Kansas City's defense had three interceptions and a fumble recovery, yet Indy won despite the 4-1 turnover margin. Another fumble bounced right to Andrew Luck, who plunged in for a touchdown in the 4th quarter.

The other AFC West team playing on wild card weekend fared better, as the Chargers beat the Bengals, 27-10. Eric Weddle had three tackles, three assists, and a PDef in the road victory. Philip Rivers only threw for 128 yards and one touchdown, but he played error-free ball, unlike Andy Dalton. Dalton tallied 334 yards passing, 1 TD, and 2 INTs (plus a lost fumble). Cincinnati could not overcome a 4-0 margin in turnovers.

In the second round, New England played host to Indianapolis. To prepare for the speed of Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton, the Patriots signed Reggie Dunn to their practice squad. Hilton had more than 100 yards receiving in the game, but he only caught four passes and did not score. Luck threw 4 more interceptions, and this time there was no comeback. New England bludgeoned Indy, with LeGarrette Blount amassing 166 yards and 4 TDs rushing. Stevan Ridley also scored twice, and New England won easily, 43-22. Sealver Siliga contributed one tackle and two assists on defense.

San Diego got another crack at Denver, but this time Mike McCoy didn't outfox John Fox, his former employer. The Broncos built a 17-0 lead before an injury in the defensive backfield opened things up for Rivers. He completed two TDs of 16 yards apiece to rookie Keenan Allen in the 4th quarter, but a Knowshown Moreno TD run kept the final margin at seven. Denver 24, San Diego 17. No six-seed upsetting the one-seed this postseason. Zane Beadles and the Broncos advanced, while Eric Weddle (3 tackles and 2 assists) and the hard-pressing Chargers did not.

That left only two ProUtes playing opposite one another in the AFC Championship: Siliga and Beadles. Other outlets will tell you about Brady and Manning, but this one is all about the big boys in the trenches. Denver's offense totaled more than 500 yards and didn't surrender a sack. The Broncos only punted once. Siliga had five tackles, but this game was all Denver.

The only NFC playoff game to feature any ProUtes was a disappointment, as San Francisco knocked out Carolina, 23-10. Steve Smith scored on a 31-yard pass in the second quarter to give the Panthers a 7-6 lead, but, after adding a field goal, Carolina didn't score in the second half. Smith also caught a 28-yard pass in the first quarter, as he totaled 74 yards on 4 catches. Star Lotulelei made 3 tackles and 3 assists, but Jordan Gross and the O-line allowed two sacks.

Gross is at the end of his contract, and has said that may have been his final game in a Panthers uniform. If he continues to play it will be in Carolina, but he will consider retirement. He will get at least one more game in a Pro Bowl uniform, as he was named a replacement for 49er Joe Staley. Alex Smith, who is also at the end of his contract, was tabbed to replace Tom Brady. So there will be more ProUtes in the Pro Bowl (3) than the Super Bowl (1).

Third String

It's tough not to give the ProUte of Week 15 to Alex Smith when he completes 17 of 20 passes for 287 yards and 5 touchdowns - really tough. That performance really belonged to Jamaal Charles, who scored on passes of 49, 39, 16, and 71 yards, however. Alex threw another touchdown to Sean McGrath, and, aside from losing a fumble, was nearly perfect with a rating of 158.3. He would walk away with the award if not for the sudden emergence of a third-string running back.

Due to injuries to Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart, Matt Asiata got the start for Minnesota. He carried the ball 30 times for 51 yards, an average of just 1.7 yards per carry. His longest run of the day was 10 yards. Those numbers aren't exactly Quinton Ganther-like, but Asiata did punch the ball into the end zone again and again and again. He had two one-yard TDs and one from five yards out, as the Vikings demoralized the Eagles. Asiata added three receptions for 15 yards, giving him 66 yards on 33 touches to go with his 3 touchdowns. Matt Asiata busted through for his first ProUte of the Week Award!

Sealver Siliga and Sam Brenner started opposite one another, with Siliga recording a sack and two tackles for the Patriots.

Paul's Haul

A pair of Pauls and a pair of Smiths make up the candidates for the ProUte of Week 14. Paul Kruger and Paul Soliai both had sacks, Alex Smith had a 122.3 rating, and Steve Smith made a fierce touchdown grab. Steve's score came at the end of a rout by New Orleans, ending Carolina's win streak. Alex threw 20 passes, completing 14 for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns in the snow. Soliai had a sack, a tackle, an assist, and a PDef.

Kruger doubled him up with two sacks, two tackles, two assists, a PDef, and a forced fumble. It was his best game in a Browns uniform, and it got him his first ProUte of the Week Award this season.

Sealver Siliga got his first start for the Patriots, and came up with 6 assists in the comeback victory.

R.J. Stanford was placed on injured reserve by the Dolphins.

The Pick Is In

The pick for ProUte of Week 13 is in, and it's Eric Weddle. He caught his first interception of the season, which he returned 21 yards. He recovered a fumble, which he returned 27 yards. He had six tackles, an assist, and a pass defensed. That's a Weddle performance worthy of the ProUte of the Week Award.

Alex Smith played well against the Broncos, but not well enough to win the game or the week 13 award. He completed 26-42 passes for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns with one interception. He also ran 4 times for 46 yards.

Sean Smith had 5 tackles and a PDef in the loss; Koa Misi had 3 tackles and a sack in a win over the Jets.

Sealver Siliga was signed from the practice squad and played for New England, registering one tackle and one assist. David Reed was waived mid-week by Indianapolis.

Seven Up

Seven of the eight ProUtes in the same game.

Carolina came from behind to beat Miami, 20-16. It was the seventh straight victory for Carolina, but the true headline of the game was the participation of eight ProUtes! Sam Brenner got another start, and his reward was facing Star Lotulelei. Koa Misi, Derrick Shelby, and Paul Soliai were opposite Jordan Gross. That left R.J. Stanford, a former Panther defensive back, to cover Steve Smith. No offense to R.J. (who didn't see much action, or this photo op), but that's a mismatch. Smith didn't put up big numbers, but he made the big play when his team needed it.

With four minutes to go in the game, Miami was forced to punt. Carolina took over at their own 20 yard line. On first down, Smith was called for illegal formation, a five-yard penalty. With a first-and-fifteen, Ted Ginn, Jr. lost three yards. Cam Newton ran for eight yards on second-on-eighteen. Newton went back to Ginn, Jr. for an incomplete pass on third-and-ten. Facing fourth-and-ten at their own 20 yard line with two-and-a-half minutes to play, the reformed-conservative Ron Rivera went for it. And did Newton look for Ginn, Jr. when it counted? No, he did not. When you need to move the chains, you look for Steve Smith. Even when he's double covered. Put that ball in there, and only one man will come out with it. Smith caught the pass, the defenders fell down, and it turned into a 19-yard gain. That play sustained the drive, which ended with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen. Smith didn't get the score, but he got the win. He got his five catches for 69 yards, and he got another ProUte of the Week Award.

San Diego also came back to top Kansas City, 41-38, in a game that pitted Alex Smith against Eric Weddle. Alex completed 26-of-38 passes for 294 yards and 3 TDs, with one interception. Weddle didn't snag that pick but he did force a fumble, which he recovered. He also made six tackles. Sean Smith had three tackles and a PDef, but he was also beat on the game-winning touchdown. That game had rival coaches as well, with former Ute Mike McCoy squaring off against former Cougar Andy Reid. The Chiefs have lost two in a row, with a rematch with Denver looming.

Reggie Dunn was signed to another practice squad. After a stint in Green Bay, Dunn has taken his talents to Cleveland. He keeps (re)turning up!

Three Technique

There were three significant games in week 11:

Miami 20, San Diego 16
The Dolphins are once again a 5 ProUte team, having promoted Sam Brenner from the practice squad to immediate starter. Miami's offensive line is in such disarray following the Incognito-Martin fallout and the injury to Pouncey that Brenner was called into action. He was part of the unit that surrendered four sacks, including one by Eric Weddle. The Dolphins' defense held the Chargers' offense in check, but none of the ProUtes on the squad came close to Weddle's 7 tackles, sack, and pass defensed.

Denver 27, Kansas City 17
Denver handed Kansas City their first loss of the season and took over the division lead in the process. The Chiefs lead the league in sacks, but they couldn't get to Peyton Manning and his fragile ankles. Credit Zane Beadles and the Broncos offensive line for giving their aging QB time to throw. Alex Smith threw the ball 45 times, but only completed 21 passes for 230 yards. He threw a touchdown at the start of the second quarter and another one at the end of the fourth quarter, when the outcome was already decided. He also ran 5 times for 52 yards, and recovered his own fumble. Sean Smith had 2 tackles and a PDef for K.C.'s D.

Carolina 24, New England 20  
This was the biggest game of the week, and it was played on the Monday Night Football stage. Cam Newton outplayed Tom Brady, Steve Smith owned Aqib Talib, and the Panthers came away with another impressive victory. Smith's stats (4 for 62) are on par with his season, but his diss on former rival Talib, telling him to "Ice up, son," sums it up. Not a lot will be said about Jordan Gross, but Carolina converted 8 of 11 third downs. More will be said about Star Lotulelei, who lined up at the 3 technique and blew right by the blocker to sack Brady. He also had 4 tackles and an assist. Prior to the game, Star topped the Making the Leap list on NFL.com; after his big showing, he is the ProUte of the Week!

Just Win

Alex Smith eludes Paul Kruger on this running play.

Kansas City defeated Cleveland, 23-17, to remain the league's only unbeaten team. The Chiefs didn't dominate, but they won. Again. When asked about getting every teams best shot, Smith said "We love it. You want the stages to get bigger. That's why you put all the work in. You want this opportunity. You want that honor." Sounds like a quote from 2003 to me!

Alex threw his first touchdown pass of the month, and it was the first of fullback Anthony Sherman's career. Alex also threw a 28-yard TD to Dexter McCluster. He was 24/36 for 225 yards and no interceptions. Smith added 40 yards rushing on six carries. That about offset being sacked six times, including once by Paul Kruger. Smith keeps winning games and ProUte of the Week Awards!

Honorable mention goes to Jordan Gross, who was praised for his run blocking by Mel Kiper, Jr. In roster moves, Brandon Burton was released by Buffalo, while Sealver Siliga was signed to New England's practice squad. At the trade deadline New England acquired Isaac Sopoaga from Philadelphia, so that may limit Siliga's chances of making the active roster.

First Quarter

The first quarter of the 2013-14 NFL season has already been played. It's a little earlier than usual, but the time has come to praise the offensive linemen. It was a bye week for Carolina and Jordan Gross, Caleb Schlauderaff hasn't played much for New York, and Tony Bergstrom hasn't played at all for Oakland since he was placed on injured reserve.

Zane Beadles is about the only Denver offensive lineman who hasn't been hurt, which makes the Broncos' output truly impressive. Peyton Manning will get all the credit, but this is no one trick pony. Denver had 472 net yards of offense against Philadelphia's porous defense. They converted on 5 of 8 third downs and all 5 times in the red zone. Denver did give up one sack and two tackles for a loss, yet they averaged 6.6 yards per play on 71 plays. That last number is the biggest one of the game. Chip Kelly's hurry up offense ran 69 plays, two fewer than Denver's. And the Broncos scored on both a kick return and a blocked punt! That eliminated two series for the Broncos' O, yet they still ran more plays than the Eagles. Beadles is the ProUte of Week 4.

Kansas City beat the New York Giants, 31-7. Alex Smith had a good game, with 288 yards and 3 TDs, but he also had his first two interceptions of the year. San Diego defeated Dallas as the AFC West went 3-1 against the NFC East. Eric Weddle had 5 tackles, 2 assists, and 2 PDefs in the win. David Reed saw his first action for Indianapolis, returning two kicks for 44 yards (Kerwynn Williams has been waived).

Repeat Performance

Shelby in pursuit of Luck

Two ProUtes had nearly identical performances in the first two weeks: Alex Smith and Derrick Shelby. Alex had the same number of completions (21) on two more attempts (36), and the same number of touchdown passes (2). He had fifty more yards (223) passing, and a game-high 57 yards rushing against Dallas. He took more sacks (4), but he didn't fumble (he is still turnover-free). His rating was 0.6 higher (95). His total numbers improved over week one, so he ought to repeat as ProUte of the Week, right?

Not so fast - let's look at Shelby's stats first. He had another sack and forced another fumble; he also had a tackle and an assist against the Colts.

Any general manager would take consistent quarterback play over a defensive end for an entire season, and Alex's performance had a larger impact on the outcome of the game than Shelby's. Quarterbacks will always have an advantage over defensive players - particularly when that quarterback is a former #1 pick and the defensive end went undrafted.

That's what tips week two in Shelby's favor; not only did he make the team, he's making impact plays. For that Derrick Shelby is our ProUte of Week Two!

Ute Chief

It was a big opening week for several ProUtes! Zane Beadles and the Broncos started the season by beating the defending Super Bowl champs (a team that needed a huge play to knock Denver out of the playoffs last year), and then ol' Zane got a mention on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon! How many offensive lineman can say that?

Star Lotulelei has been recognized for his solid play on the defensive line, and we want to recognize a couple more: Derrick Shelby and Paul Kruger. Playing for opposite sides in the same game, both Shelby and Kruger made two tackles and a sack. Shelby's sack forced a fumble, while Kruger also added two assisted tackles. Eric Weddle had two assists to go with his nine tackles and a pass defensed, but Brice McCain (one tackle on special teams) and the Texans came back to beat the Chargers. Star's teammate Steve Smith was once again the star of Carolina's offense, scoring their only touchdown on one of his six receptions for 51 yards.

We've got to give the game ball (i.e. ProUte of the Week) to Alex Smith, who made a memorable debut with Kansas City. His numbers weren't that auspicious - 21/34 for 173 yards and 2 TDs, plus 25 yards rushing - but the final score of 28-2 has never been seen in the NFL before. His first game didn't start well, as a three-and-out resulted in a safety (one of four in week one) on a blocked punt out of the end zone, but that 2-0 lead wouldn't last for the Jags. Alex didn't put on the best performance of a quarterback in the NFL in week one, but it was one of the better performances by a quarterback in Kansas City in quite some time!

Migration

Kruger also drew interest from the Colts.

The Browns left Cleveland to become the Baltimore Ravens, but one prominent Raven is reversing the migration course: Paul Kruger has agreed to a five year, $40 million contract offer from the Browns. Kruger led the Ravens in sacks this season, but after Ray Lewis retired Baltimore made inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe their priority for re-signing. That backfired on them, as Ellerbe has agreed to a bigger offer from the Dolphins. Baltimore lost three key players, with one of them going to a division rival. It remains to be seen if they will keep safety Ed Reed, but reportedly they will be retaining receiver/special teams player David Reed.

Sean Smith may find himself in another uniform this year - Miami has made some high profile deals, but the corner has not been among them. He may have to wait a bit for the market to settle, considering the Jets are looking to trade Darrelle Revis and the Eagles have released Nnamdi Asomugha. Brice McCain will also have to bide his time to find a taker for his services.

This is the year that the Utes who were drafted after the 2009 Sugar Bowl become free agents, but the Utes who were drafted following the Fiesta Bowl in 2005 are also changing teams. The trade sending Alex Smith to Kansas City was made official today, and the Jets may be parting ways with Sione Pouha.

Arrowhead

Alex Smith didn't win championships in San Francisco, but his career path is following the great Joe Montana in another respect: he is being traded to Kansas City. Montana played for the Chiefs after the emergence of Steve Young, and Smith will have to do the same thing after the emergence of Colin Kaepernick. He will join the regime of new coach Andy Reid, who can tout bringing two #1 picks to the Chiefs in the same season. That top pick will likely be an offensive tackle whose job will be to make certain Alex doesn't sustain another concussion. Kansas City is trading the pick at the top of the second round and another later pick in exchange for Smith. The deal will be official as of March 12th, when the 2013 season opens for business.

The move will take Alex from the NFC West to the AFC West, where he will compete against the likes of Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, and whoever the Raiders run out onto the field. Could we see Eric Weddle intercepting Alex Smith this season? Could free agent Sean Smith join Alex in Kansas City, as has been rumored on twitter? The AFC West got a lot more interesting this off-season with the hiring of Mike McCoy in San Diego and the trade of Alex Smith to Kansas City! 

Super Kruger

Paul Kruger has had some big games in the Super Dome: first the Sugar Bowl victory in 2009 that launched his pro career, and now a Super Bowl victory that will assure him a big contract in free agency. Kruger had 3 tackles (one for a loss) and 2 sacks on the NFL's biggest stage. Both of his sacks came in the red zone and helped limit the 49ers to field goals. He won't get a deal as large as QB Joe Flacco's, but he earned a big pay increase after leading Baltimore in sacks. He had 9 in the regular season and half that amount in the playoffs.

Kruger's two sacks of Kaepernick were not enough to bring Alex Smith into the game, unfortunately. In 2005, Alex and the Utes rolled over Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl as Flacco watched from the sideline. In 2013 the positions were reversed, with Alex relegated to San Francisco's sideline. He will likely be traded this off-season after what had been the best year of his career.

Ma'ake Kemoeatu was out of the league for a year but came back at the right time and with the right team. He had one tackle in the Super Bowl, becoming the second Kemoeatu brother to get a ring. Maybe next year Chris will return to the NFL as well.

David Reed caught a touchdown pass in the Sugar Bowl but wasn't as involved in the Super Bowl. He played on special teams, as he has since he was activated in November. He won't get his kick returning duties back after the performance Jacoby Jones has had in that role and may be looking for another team that could use his services.

Congratulations to Paul Kruger, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, and David Reed on being Super Bowl champs!

Tale of Two Halves

Alex Smith was sensational in the first half of the season, winning three of the first five ProUte of the Week Awards (and four of the first eight). Smith had a career-high completion percentage and passer rating halfway through the year. Then he took a hit to the back of the neck that gave him a concussion. He was replaced by Colin Kaepernick, who has led the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

Steve Smith came on strong in the second half of the season, winning three of the last five awards. Steve scored all four of his touchdowns after week 8, and went over 1,000 yards receiving for the seventh time in his career. His numbers weren't quite as high as last season, but he played in every game of his twelfth year in the league.

Had Alex not been injured, he could have had the best year of his career. His four ProUte of the Week Awards were the most this season, but his fourth came in week 8. Steve shared the award with teammate Jordan Gross in week 9, giving him three and a half awards this year. Carolina finished the season strong, but it wasn't enough to overcome a slow start.

Eric Weddle won three awards this year, all in the second half of the season (evidently the injury Alex sustained opened the door for other candidates later in the year). That is not a mark of inconsistent play on his part, however; Weddle was honorable mention for the award 10 times. He contented for 13 of the 17 awards, making him the most consistent high performer.

Weddle played in all 16 games for the third consecutive season, despite also suffering a concussion. He recorded 97 tackles, the second most in his career, and one sack. His nine pass deflections and three interceptions were down from last year, but he did return an interception for a touchdown. Weddle also forced fumbles for the first time in his career. He filled in on punt returns, and converted two fake punts.

Unlike last year, when he tied for the league-lead in interceptions, Weddle was not voted to the Pro Bowl or the All-Pro team. According to NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, Weddle was among the players who got snubbed.  With Ed Reed playing in the Super Bowl that opens a slot at free safety for the AFC, although it appears the nod will be given to Brian Dawkins of the Broncos, who is injured.

Weddle may not be recognized by fans around the league, but his teammates in San Diego voted him the team MVP.  That honor means more to Weddle than any other, and to it we will add ProUte of the Year for 2012.

The Wedd Head

Eric Weddle became the latest ProUte to suffer a concussion on Sunday. He was coming up to make a tackle on Ravens RB Ray Rice when he got blocked in the back by WR Anquan Boldin. The cheap shot propelled him head first into Rice, and Weddle sustained a concussion on the play. For all of the league's talk about protecting receivers from headhunting defenders, where is the penalty/suspension/fine for Boldin on this dirty play? Weddle left the game, Rice converted a 4th-and-29, and the game went to overtime, where Baltimore prevailed. Before he was knocked out of the game Weddle had 7 tackles, 2 PDefs, and a near interception that would have iced it for the Chargers. Instead the Wedd Head is on ice. Another ProUte of the Week Award won't ease his symptoms, but he deserves it.

Paul Kruger got after Philip Rivers using his quick hands, sacking the quarterback once. Kruger now has 5.5 sacks, matching his total from last season. He also had four tackles. Koa Misi made 7 tackles against the Seahawks, but it was teammate Paul Soliai who got to the quarterback for half a sack.

Alex Smith was cleared to play following his concussion, but Coach Harbaugh went with Colin Kaepernick instead. He looked good leading the Niners to a win in the Superdome, so Smith, the 5th highest rated passer in the league, finds himself embroiled in a quarterback controversy.

Big Bird

Give me that ball, dang you!

Paul Kruger showed off his wingspan and his reaction time, batting down a Carson Palmer pass and catching it for an interception. Kruger also sacked Palmer twice (credit for one is due to Mike Brisiel for stepping on Palmer's foot on fourth-and-one - good thing it wasn't Tony Bergstrom!) and had six tackles as the Ravens walloped the Raiders, 55-20. Kruger wrapped his big mitts around the ProUte of the Week as a result.

Alex Smith was knocked out of the game with a concussion after taking a hard hit to the back of the neck. He stayed in the game and completed 5 passes including a TD while experiencing blurred vision. When his vision didn't clear up he stayed on the sideline. He was 7-8 for 72 yards and the TD when he left. The game ended in a 24-24 tie with St. Louis, as both kickers missed field goal attempts in overtime.

Sione Pouha suited up in Seattle a day after the Utes were defeated there by the Huskies. His Jets were also defeated, but Pouha had 6 tackles, a season-high, as he has been limited by back problems. 

Spread it Around

Alex Smith completed 18 of 19 passes to 9 different targets, an all-around demonstrative performance on Monday Night Football. Even when Arizona tipped a pass it still ended up in the hands of the intended receiver. The only pass to fall incomplete was dropped by a wide open receiver, but otherwise Smith's teammates made great runs after the catch and great blocks downfield to extend plays. Smith had 232 passing yards, an average of 12 yards per attempt, and 3 TDs, including one juke-and-jive 47 yards up the sideline by Randy Moss. Arizona has a solid defense and, although they sacked Smith four times, they never got him off his game. No turnovers, no looking over his shoulder. He's still the clear starter for a San Francisco team that is the clear division leader after beating Arizona, 24-3. Alex Smith is our ProUte of the Week for Week 8.

Steve Smith had the play of the day - if not the whole season - on this pass he tipped and caught. He also had a nice leaping reception for 47 yards, one of his 7 catches for 118 yards. Eric Weddle was all over the soggy field in Cleveland, making 6 tackles (one for loss), a PDef, and a forced fumble. In addition he fielded five punts, returning one 20 yards. Paul Soliai was a force for the Jets to reckon with, as he had 4 tackles (one for loss) and recovered a Mark Sanchez fumble with one arm while fending off a blocker with the other. As for the blockers, Zane Beadles and the Broncos came up big with 530 total yards (225 rushing) and no sacks allowed. Beadles made the trap block to get McGahee into the end zone for the game's first score.

Slow Start

The Carolina offense is off to a slow start this season. It's 24th in the league at 335.5 yards per game, and 29th in the league with 106 points. Cam Newton is 26th in passing yards, just behind Alex Smith, incidentally. He's tied for 28th in passing touchdowns with three Matts: Cassel, Hasselbeck, and Stafford (two of whom haven't played all 7 games). His passer rating of 79.3 ranks 23rd behind rookie Russell Wilson. He does lead the team in rushing yards with 273 (good for 31st most in the league). With an overloaded backfield paying premiums to DeAngelo Williams (47th) and Jonathan Stewart (41st) that's not a positive sign.

It's been a sophomore slump for Newton (which really began halfway through his rookie season), and his behavior has been sophomoric. Steve Smith has called him out for sulking on the sideline, a call for leadership to which Coach Ron Rivera took exception. After Week 7's 19-14 loss to Dallas, Newton said something had to change. That change came the following day with the termination of general manager Marty Hurney. How that helps Stewart, Williams, and Mike Tolbert run the ball more effectively, or Cam Newton pass the ball more efficiently, I don't know. More importantly, what does it mean for Steve Smith?

Smith had 7 receptions for 83 yards in Week 7, but he was held scoreless again. For the season Smith has 28 catches for 471 yards (16.8 yards per reception) but no TDs. Law of averages would tip in favor of him getting into the end zone soon, although it may not happen against Chicago's defense this week.

In a week when many ProUtes had a bye, Steve Smith's performance stood out as the best, yet wasn't an award-winning performance for a player of his caliber. The same can be said of Alex Smith, who was 14-23 for 140 yards, a TD and an INT. He played a tough defense and his team won against a division opponent, but his play wasn't up to the standard of the other weeks he's won the award. As such there was not a ProUte of Week 7. One player who warrants a mention for something that does not appear on the stat sheet: Matt Asiata covered up the onside kick at the end of Minnesota's 21-14 victory over Arizona. Not a game-winning play, but a play he had to make. 

Use the Force

Forced fumbles were all over the field in Week 5, especially in Cincinnati. Sean Smith forced one to go with his PDef and 8 tackles, and Koa Misi forced this fumble on one of his 5 tackles. It was quite a day for the Miami defense, as 5 ProUtes recorded tackles! Derrick Shelby got his first, R.J. Stanford had one, and Paul Soliai had 3 plus half a sack in Miami's 17-13 victory.

Eric Weddle forced a fumble and sacked Drew Brees on his record-setting day; Weddle also had 7 tackles in the contest.

Robert Johnson hauled in his first interception on this red zone tip drill, but the Vikings controlled the game to the point that Matt Asiata got his first two carries for 8 yards.

Brice McCain also had an interception in the end zone, and he returned it 86 yards to the opposite red zone. That's what you call flipping the field! McCain had 2 tackles, half a sack, and a PDef as Houston remained undefeated.

Paul Kruger had 5 tackles, 3 for a loss in a close game against the Chiefs.

So many candidates for ProUte of the Week, but one ran away with it: Alex Smith. In a 45-3 rout of Buffalo, Smith threw for a season-high 303 yards and 3 TDs. He added 49 yards rushing on 3 carries as San Francisco became the first NFL team ever to top 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing in the same game. Talk about bringing balance to the force! The 49ers aren't just a dominant defense any more. The 621 total yards was a franchise-record, and it belongs to Alex Smith and Jim Harbaugh, not Joe Montana and Bill Walsh. Alex had a perfect passer rating in the first half, and he leads the league with a rating of 108.7. He's also leading the way with three ProUte of the Week Awards in the first five weeks of the season!