Baylor’s NFL pipeline kept turning heads in Week 2, with Tyquan Thornton delivering the biggest moment of the group and several other former Bears making their presence felt across the league.
Thornton came through in a huge spot for the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. On just four targets, he turned in four catches for 86 yards and came up with the kind of play that sticks: a 30-yard grab on 3rd and 12 in overtime that helped set up the game-winning field goal. If this game was any indication, he’s going to keep carving out a role in that Chiefs offense as the season rolls on.
Jalen Pitre was busy for the Texans in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, finishing with four tackles. Houston’s offense managed only six points, which left the defense on the field far too often. Even so, the Texans’ defense remains a strength, and Pitre continues to be a major part of that unit, even if the offense still has work to do.
Terrel Bernard was part of a big day for the Bills in their win over the Detroit Lions as Buffalo opened its new stadium. Bernard contributed five tackles and a pass breakup, another steady outing for a player helping Buffalo keep its Super Bowl push on track.
The long snappers also did what they do best: clean, quiet work. Both former Baylor snappers had flawless games, with no fumbled snaps and no missed tackles. That consistency is exactly why both were Pro Bowlers last season.
Josh Cameron didn’t get a target at wide receiver, but he still found a way to make an impact. He handled two punts on Sunday and turned one into a 26-yard return and another into a 24-yard return. That kind of versatility keeps him in the mix and gives him more ways to contribute.
James Lynch logged seven tackles for the Bears in a rough, rainy game against the Vikings. He played more than half the defensive snaps, but Chicago fell 9-3 in a contest where neither team could get much going offensively.
In Other News...
Dave Aranda Faces A Costly Colorado Problem In Baylor's Opener
Dave Aranda spent part of Baylors buildup to the opener zeroing in on the Colorado offense, and it was easy to see why. The Buffaloes scheme under offensive coordinator Brennan Marion brings a lot to sort out, from multiple backfield looks to a run game that can force a defense to stay honest before the ball goes over the top. For Baylor, the challenge is not just lining up correctly, but doing it quickly enough to avoid getting stressed by Colorados tempo and variety.
Aranda pointed to the ways Colorados Go-Go offense can manufacture one-on-one matchups and turn them into big plays, which is exactly the kind of problem that can snowball early in a season. Baylor has to be sharp against both the run and the deep ball, because letting either part of the offense settle in can open the door to a long night. In an opener, those are the kinds of schematic issues that can decide whether a favorite controls the game or spends four quarters chasing answers. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Opens Big 12 Play With A Game Day Push Fans Will Feel
Baylor heads into Big 12 play with a 2-0 start and a familiar challenge for early-season football in Texas: making McLane Stadium a better place to spend a Saturday when the kickoff clock and the heat are both working against you. The university has been talking openly about ways to improve the fan experience around home games, a push that matters even more now as conference play begins and the atmosphere around the stadium takes on added weight.
There is also a broader fall feel around campus, with Baylor keeping tabs on volleyball, soccer and the rest of its sports calendar while the football team settles into league action. One of the more personal notes the school highlighted was a fan engagement story centered on Captain Sherwin Anderson and his family at a recent game, a reminder that the programs effort to connect with supporters is about more than the action on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Is Bringing A Shaken Young QB Into Waco
Julian Lewis walked out of his first rough outing in a Colorado uniform with the kind of film every young quarterback dreads and every coaching staff expects to teach from. Against Northwestern, he threw for 168 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, a stat line that underscored both the promise and the growing pains that come with putting a young passer in the spotlight.
Now Colorado turns to Baylor, where Lewis gets his next chance to steady himself against a Big 12 opponent that will be watching closely for how he responds. Deion Sanders made it clear the interceptions are part of the learning process, and for the Buffaloes the bigger question is how quickly their quarterback can turn a difficult afternoon into a sharper performance in Waco. [Read more 🡒]