Pickin' 'Em Up and Puttin' 'Em Down

Eric Weddle picked up another ProUte of the Week award in week 9. Weddle wraps up these awards like he wraps up ball carriers (8 tackles). He deflects all challengers like he defends passes (2 PDef). This week's poll had five other candidates, but none of them could get by Weddle to reach paydirt. It would take Sione Pouha (4 tackles, PDef) and Sean Smith combined (5 tackles, PDef) to surpass Weddle's numbers. Koa Misi had 6 tackles while Paul Soliai registered 3 tackles and a sack - that might win the award during Weddle's bye week, but not this week. There was a surprise contender on the offensive (and special teams) side: David Reed saw his first action this season. He rushed once for 15 yards and returned two kicks for 44 yards. That's an average of 19.66 yards per play, not bad for a rookie. But no ProUte makes more plays on the field than Eric Weddle.

Week of the DB

It was the Week of the DB in the NFL, as Brice McCain racked up another 5 tackles against Indy, Sean Smith had a tackle, defended two passes, and snagged the first interception of his career, and Eric Weddle had 11 tackles and defended a pass. Even the offensive players turned DB, as Quinton Ganther and Chris Kemoeatu each had a tackle after an interception. You voted and Sean Smith takes the award for his takeaway (see the video here)! Now he and Koa Misi each have one of their own to go with the one they shared.

Steve Smith did all he could to help his team, even returning a punt 8 yards to go with 9 receptions for 85 yards. Maybe he can play a little DB as well (Carolina throws enough interceptions Smith could have plenty of tackles)!

Misi Mixes it Up

Koa Misi won't have to share the ProUte of the Week award - this time it's all his! He seems to be a contender for the award each week and week 7 belongs to him. Misi isn't putting up huge numbers in a single category, but he has been filling up the stat sheet. Against the Steelers he had 2 tackles, half a sack, and a fumble recovery. In his first six games as a pro he has 14 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 2 fumbles recovered. This photo shows his first sack on Trent Edwards; he has also brought down Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, and Ben Roethlisberger. He recovered a Brett Favre fumble for a touchdown and in this highlight he beats fellow ProUte Chris Kemoeatu to the inside, takes on another blocker, and still falls on the ball after Roethlisberger drops it to the turf (of course the story of the game was the Roethlisberger fumble that Miami didn't recover in the end zone). In a league known as the Not For Long the rookie Misi is making some memorable plays! He wins the award over veterans Jordan Gross, OL (379 net yards, 1 sack allowed), Sean Smith (4 tackles), and Eric Weddle (5 tackles).

In other news, Quinton Ganther is back with the Seattle Seahawks following an injury to fullback Michael Robinson. Gabe Long is back with the Las Vegas Locos, but Josh Savage was released by the Omaha Nighthawks, despite leading the team with 1.5 sacks. He was slowed by a back injury, so they replaced him with Reynaldo Wynn. The Locos and Nighthawks will square off for first place in the UFL.

Weddle Gets His Groove Back

Eric Weddle finally got back to posting the numbers (12 tackles, one pdef) we're used to seeing from the ultra-productive safety in week 6. Weddle got his groove back, even if the Bolts are still looking for the Lightning Thief. This is his first ProUte of the Week award of the season, to go along with the four he won last year.

Four other candidates had noteworthy games: Chris Kemoeatu, OL (378 net yards with no sacks allowed), Koa Misi, LB (3 tackles, 1 sack), Sione Pouha, DL (4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pdef), and Alex Smith, QB (16-33, 196 yards, 2 TDs, and zero turnovers).

Homecomings

Brett Ratliff is back with the Browns as a back up to rookie Colt McCoy. Ratliff bounced around the practice squads of the Jaguars and the Patriots after he was released by the Browns. Cleveland brought him back as insurance after injuries to starter Jake Delhomme and second-stringer Seneca Wallace thrust third-stringer McCoy into action against the Steelers.

Receiver Brent Casteel, another player released by Cleveland, is back in Utah as a new member of the Blaze (AFL). The Blaze also signed former Utes quarterback Tommy Grady and lineman Garrett Smith.

Number One with a Bullet

Embattled quarterback Alex Smith is our ProUte of the Week. The boo birds were out in Candlestick Park, and detractors will say "How can he win the award when he can't win a game?" and "Pretty sad if that's the best Utah has to offer!" Those people are so focused on the few negative plays Smith made they can't see all the positive plays. Yes, he threw two more interceptions (the last one while getting drilled) to add to his league-leading tally of nine. But he also threw three TD passes, two in the fourth quarter. The fumble (which was returned for a TD) was atrocious, but fluke plays like that happen. Frank Gore fumbled twice in the game, but you didn't hear the crowd chanting for his back up. Philip Rivers isn't taking as much flak for his fumble (which was also returned for a TD) late in the Chargers' loss to the Raiders. Tony Romo threw for career high yards against the Titans, but his last pass of the game was an INT (his third), just like Smith's.

Critics aren't impressed with Smith, the former top pick, but analysts are. Just ask Peter King. He threw for 309 yards with some pinpoint precision. He deserved to be chewed out by Coach Singletary and he responded. The coach and the team still believe in him, according to this report on 49ers.com. This blogger still believes in him, too.

The costly mistakes downgraded his game from great to good, but it was good enough to win ProUte of the Week honors over Sione Pouha (5 tackles as the Jets held AP under 100) and Eric Weddle (4 tackles).

Triple D

Two teammates will share this week's ProUte award as Koa Misi (1 tackle, 1 sack) and Sean Smith (5 tackles) tied in the voting. Although the Dolphins lost to the Patriots 41-14, the final score doesn't tell the whole story. Miami's defense only allowed two touchdowns, held Randy Moss without a catch, and limited Tom Brady to 146 net passing yards. Paul Soliai also contributed a tackle for the Dolphins D.

Miami is the only team in the league with three active ProUtes, all on the same side of the ball. Carolina has two active players (although Steve Smith is out with a high ankle sprain) and one on the practice squad, while Baltimore and San Francisco both have two active and one on injured reserve.