Former Iowa State players were all over the NFL in Week 2, with 10 Cyclones logging stats and combining for 479 snaps across the league.
Brock Purdy delivered the cleanest stat line of the bunch. In San Francisco’s 35-13 win over the Miami Dolphins, he completed 20 of 22 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He also added three carries for a team-high 30 rushing yards and was on the field for 44 of the 49ers’ 52 offensive snaps.
Breece Hall did plenty through the air even if the New York Jets came up short in a 20-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Hall started and finished with 16 carries for 29 yards, plus five catches for 63 yards.
His 43-yard grab in the third quarter was the Jets’ longest play of the day. He played 48 offensive snaps.
In Houston’s 20-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Xavier Hutchinson caught three passes for 37 yards while playing 65 offensive snaps. David Montgomery also saw action for the Texans, starting and producing 10 rushing yards on six carries along with two receptions for 14 yards.
He logged 42 offensive snaps. Jaylin Noel added a little bit of everything in that same game: one catch for 31 yards, one rush for 13 yards, three fair catches, three punt returns for 32 yards and one kickoff return for 31 yards.
He played 48 offensive snaps and 12 on special teams.
Charlie Kolar started in the Los Angeles Chargers’ 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders and finished with three receptions for 21 yards. He was on the field for 42 offensive snaps and 14 special teams snaps.
Will McDonald IV was not a starter in the Jets’ loss to Green Bay, but he still contributed on defense and special teams. He played 25 defensive snaps and 10 on special teams.
Domonique Orange, known as “Big Citrus,” helped the Minnesota Vikings in a 9-3 win over the Chicago Bears. He did not start, but he recorded two tackles while playing 24 defensive snaps and three on special teams.
Jalen Travis also appeared on the Week 2 ledger for the Indianapolis Colts.
In Other News...
Jimmy Rogers Sends Iowa State A Clear Warning Before Utah
After Iowa State rolled past Bowling Green 55-7, Jimmy Rogers made sure the message in Ames was about what comes next, not what just happened. The Cyclones have looked sharp enough to climb to 13th nationally in scoring defense, but Rogers pointed out there is still room to clean things up, especially with penalties and missed tackles. For a team trying to build momentum, the win was useful, but the bigger value may have been the reminder that standard only matters if it carries over.
Utah arrives next as the No. 15 team in the country, and that is where the temperature changes for Iowa State. Rogers has been clear that the Cyclones cannot get caught admiring their start or assume the Big 12 opener will take care of itself, which is the kind of message that usually lands better before the league games begin. The challenge now is simple in theory and harder in practice: stay grounded, keep the defensive edge, and prove the performance in Week 2 was the beginning of something rather than the high point. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Raynor Debate Is Getting Harder For Iowa State To Ignore
Jaylen Raynors start under center has given Iowa State plenty to evaluate, and the early returns have been mixed in a way that makes the conversation harder to avoid. He helped guide the Cyclones to wins over Southeast Missouri and Bowling Green, and even in the close game against Iowa there were enough positive moments to keep the confidence level steady. At the same time, the volume of passing work has stayed modest, leaving the staff and fan base to wonder how much more they will need from him once the schedule tightens.
The next test comes with Utah looming, and that is where the debate figures to sharpen. Iowa State can lean on a running game that has already done its part, and the special teams showed up in the Bowling Green win as well, but the offense may need more balance to keep pace in tougher spots. Raynors play has been part of the winning formula so far, yet the questions around his role are getting louder precisely because the Cyclones have not had to ask him to do everything - at least not yet. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces A Bigger Question Than Its Bowling Green Blowout
Iowa State left no doubt in a 55-7 win over Bowling Green, finishing nonconference play with two home victories and a road loss and moving to 2-1 on the season. The afternoon also brought a scare when injured defensive back Jaheim Singletary was released from a medical center after a collision during the game, a reminder that even lopsided wins can carry their own concerns.
Now the bigger question around the program is less about what happened on the field and more about what comes next off it. A legal decision regarding former Cyclone guard Tamin Lipsey's eligibility case is expected by Friday, leaving Iowa State with another issue to monitor as it shifts from nonconference tune-up mode into the next phase of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]