Week 2 brought a little bit of everything for the former Minnesota Golden Gophers scattered around the NFL. Jack Gibbons kept rolling in Arizona, Blake Cashman made his presence felt for the Vikings, and a handful of younger ex-Gophers got their first real taste of action this season.
The most complete performance among the group came from Cashman, who was all over the field in Chicago on a rainy, muddy day. In Minnesota’s 9-3 win over the Bears, he played 66 defensive snaps and one on special teams, finishing with a team-high 10 tackles, six of them solo, plus a sack of Caleb Williams.
Jack Gibbons turned in another busy day for the Cardinals despite the loss to Seattle. He was on the field for all but one defensive snap and added 12 more on special teams, piling up nine tackles, one solo, along with a QB hit and a pass defense.
Rashod Bateman had a much bigger role for Baltimore with Zay Flowers and Ja’Kobe Lane sidelined by injuries. Bateman was targeted nine times, played 93% of the offensive snaps, and caught seven passes for 88 yards and his first touchdown of the season in the Ravens’ win over the Saints.
Boye Mafe was active in Cincinnati’s win over Houston, logging 57, or 71%, of the defensive snaps. He finished with two tackles, one solo, and added seven quarterback pressures of CJ Stroud.
There were also a few notable firsts and returns for some of the younger former Gophers. Nick Kallerup made his season debut for Seattle, playing 19 snaps on offense and 15 on special teams in the Seahawks’ win over Arizona.
He did not record a stat. Danny Striggow saw action for Jacksonville, taking 12 defensive snaps and five on special teams while making one tackle.
Eric Murray logged 60 defensive snaps and four special teams snaps for the Jaguars in the loss to Denver, finishing with two solo tackles.
At guard for Houston, Aireontae Ersery played every offensive snap and four special teams snaps in the loss to the Bengals, but the game was a rough one - he allowed five QB pressures and a sack.
Justin Walley got his prime-time introduction for Indianapolis on Sunday night against Kansas City, and the Chiefs, along with Travis Kelce, got the better of him. Walley played 68 defensive snaps and eight more on special teams, finished with five tackles, three solo, and a pass defense, but Next Gen Stats credited him with seven completions allowed for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns.
On the Dallas side, Brevin Span-Ford saw 21 offensive snaps and 14 on special teams in the win over Washington. He wasn’t targeted on offense, but he still made his presence known with three tackles, two solo, on special teams, including a MASSIVE hit stick on a punt return.
There were a few quieter weeks, too. Benjamin St.
Juste was inactive for Green Bay in its overtime win over the Jets. Cody Lindenberg returned to action for Las Vegas but only on special teams, where he played 18 snaps and didn’t post a statistic.
Jordan Howden again worked only on special teams for Minnesota, playing 18 snaps without a stat. Tyler Johnson was not called up from the Jets practice squad.
In New York, John-Michael Schmitz played all 58 offensive snaps for the Giants in their loss to the Rams, while Tyler Nubin was on the field for every defensive snap and 11 special teams snaps. Nubin tied for the team lead with eight tackles, five solo, and added a pass defense.
On practice squads, Kyler Baugh and Esezi Otomewo were not called up by Pittsburgh, Deven Eastern stayed on Seattle’s practice squad without playing, and Terell Smith was not called up by Washington. Max Brosmer also remained with the Vikings’ practice squad; he was not active, though he served as the emergency third quarterback on Sunday with Kyler Murray out. With Murray back, Brosmer will not dress this Sunday as in Week 1.
Antoine Winfield, JR played all 58 defensive snaps and four on special teams for Tampa Bay in the loss to Cleveland, finishing with four tackles, two solo, and a QB hit. Ko Kieft handled 15 special teams snaps in that same game and did not record a stat.
In Other News...
Minnesota Faces One Big Washington Question Before Big Ten Opener
Washington gets Minnesota in its Big Ten opener on Saturday, and the matchup already comes with some unusual early-season context. The Huskies will be playing their fourth straight home game, while Minnesota is heading out on the road for the first time this year, a small scheduling wrinkle that can matter in September as much as any depth chart note.
Washington is unbeaten at 3-0 even while dealing with injury issues, and the roster still carries plenty of preseason respect thanks to several players who drew All-Big Ten recognition. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. and safety Alex McLaughlin sit near the center of that conversation, but the more immediate question is how healthy the Huskies will be up front and in the middle, where center Landen Hatchett and defensive tackle Elinneus Davis are among the names worth monitoring before Minnesota arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Do The Gophers Still Look Like A Bowl Team
With conference play opening, the Big Tens bowl picture already feels a little more unsettled than it did a week ago, and Minnesota sits right in the middle of that conversation. The latest round of bowl projections for the league is still sorting through what the non-conference season revealed, from Ohio States loss to Texas to Oregons uneven start, and that has naturally spilled into how the rest of the conference is being judged.
For the Gophers, the split projections tell the story: some still have them on a path to the postseason, while others are more cautious about whether they can stay there as league play deepens. Minnesotas standing is less about one flashy result than about how well it can hold up once the schedule turns, and with the Big Ten looking more volatile than expected, every week now carries a little more weight. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesotas First Big Ten Test Puts One Early Question Front And Center
Minnesotas first Big Ten test arrives in a tough spot, with the Golden Gophers heading to Seattle to face No. 23 Washington on Saturday night. The matchup at Husky Stadium will kick off at 10 p.m. Central time and air on FOX 9, giving Minnesota an immediate chance to see where it stands as conference play begins against a team that has yet to lose.
The Gophers bring a 2-1 record into the opener, while Washington is 3-0 and already carrying a national ranking into the league slate. For Minnesota, the larger question is less about the setting than the response, because starting Big Ten play on the road against a ranked opponent has a way of revealing plenty about a teams ceiling early in the season. [Read more 🡒]