USC NFL Week 11 Roundup: Marqise Lee Delivers Breakout Performance

USC NFL action in Week 11 featured the Jaguars’ Marqise Lee putting on a show and Trojan-on-Trojan crime from Everson Griffen, plus more Projan highlights.

It was a little bit of everything for Trojan receivers in the NFL in Week 11, with a standout showing from Marqise Lee, rock bottom for Nelson Agholor and injury woes for Robert Woods.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, Everson Griffen and the Viking defense did not take it easy on Carson Palmer and the Cardinals.

Here’s how the Projans fared in Week 11 of the NFL season.

Three Stars of the Week

Marqise Lee: Slowly but surely, the finally-healthy Lee has established himself as a weapon in Jacksonville’s arsenal. On Sunday, he looked every bit the player scouts thought he might be when he was drafted in the second round in 2014, earning the Game Ball from Pro Football Focus as the Jaguars’ highest rated player against the Lions. Lee had four catches on four targets for 52 yards and a highlight-reel worthy catch, toe-tapping at the one-yard line to set up his equally impressive three-yard touchdown catch with yet another sideline toe-tap. He also returned a kick off 42 yards and ran for one six-yard gain. Unfortunately he didn’t get the win, Detroit did.
Everson Griffen: The Vikings defense was a pressure machine in their win over the Cardinals and Griffen led the charge. With nine pressures, including three QB hits and six hurries, Griffen was Minnesota’s second-highest rated player per PFF.
Malcolm Smith: Smith earned a place among the top five Raider defenders against the Texans per PFF, with ten tackles, an interception and a pass deflection.

What Other Projans Did

Nelson Agholor: The nightmare season continues for Agholor, who had zero catches on three targets, including a critical drop and penalty, in the Eagles loss to the Seahawks — though he did successfully catch a two-point conversion.. The second year receiver apologized to fans after the game, telling reporters he is fighting a mental battle.

Buck Allen: It was back on the no-touch list for Allen as the Ravens lost to the Cowboys.

Matt Barkley: Barkley did not participate for the Bears, who lost to the Giants.

Reggie Bush: Bush had two catches for 21 yards, one of which was an 18-yard gain, to help the Bills beat the Bengals.

Jordan Cameron: Cameron is on season-ending IR due to a concussion.

Jurrell Casey: Casey’s Titans fell to the Colts while he had three tackles and a pass deflection.

Matt Cassel: Cassel didn’t play for Tennessee in the loss to Indianapolis.

Su’a Cravens: The Redskins’ dominated the Packers on Sunday, but with struggling safeties in the Washington secondary there was talk suggesting that Cravens should move into the more traditional role. However, the rookie is excelling as a starter at nickel linebacker operating near the line of scrimmage, tallying five tackles and a pass deflection.

Brian Cushing: Cushing had two tackles as the Texans fell to the Raiders in Mexico City.

Rhett Ellison: For the third consecutive game, Ellison logged a catch for the Vikings, but this one went for negative yardage.

Xavier Grimble:

Grimble was inactive for the Steelers win over the Browns with a quad injury.

Wes Horton: Horton started for the Panthers for the fourth straight week since being signed midseason, logging one tackle in the win over the Saints.

Matt Kalil: The Vikings placed Kalil on IR, ending his season.

Ryan Kalil: Kalil was questionable going into the Thursday night match up and had to leave the game with a shoulder injury.

Devon Kennard: The linebacker saw his role increase for New York as they downed Chicago. He finished with four tackles and had a solid game, but did give up a touchdown to the tight end Zach Miller.

Cody Kessler: Kessler just can’t win in Cleveland, both literally and figuratively. For the second consecutive week, the quarterback was pulled midway through the game, but this time it was for a more serious reason — a concussion. Kessler wasn’t having an exceptional game, finishing with 128 yards and an interception, but he was once again better than his replacement Josh McCown. The trouble now? Kessler’s latest concussion may end his season.

Marcus Martin: Martin remains a back up at center for the 49ers.

Clay Matthews: Back from his hamstring injury, Matthews contributed just one tackle as Green Bay fell to Washington.

Rey Maualuga: Maualuga missed Cincinnatti’s game last week with a leg injury, but had returned to practice and appeared ready to suit up against the Bills. However, the linebacker was a surprise healthy scratch for unknown reasons.

T.J. McDonald: McDonald had three tackles and graded as one of the five best Ram defenders against the Dolphins, but dropped an interception.

Mike Morgan: Morgan returned to practice last week after spending much of the season on IR and got into the game for the Seahawks victory over the Eagles with three tackles.

Carson Palmer: It was a rough outing for Palmer, who faced relentless pressure as the Cardinals fell to the Vikings. Palmer threw two touchdowns and two interceptions with just 198 yards passing.

Nick Perry: Perry had four tackles for Green Bay, who lost to Washington.

Hayes Pullard: Pullard had no stats for the Jaguars in the loss to the Lions.

Silas Redd: Redd remains indefinitely banned for a violation of the league’s substance policy.

Nickell Robey-Coleman: Demoted at the nickel spot in favor of fellow Trojan Kevon Seymour, Robey-Coleman still contributed three tackles and a pass deflection in the Bills win over the Bengals.

Frostee Rucker: He was blanked on the stat sheet last week, but Rucker came out with four tackles, including two tackles for loss, for the Cardinals against the Vikings this week.

Mark Sanchez: Tony Romo’s return from injury means Sanchez was inactive for the Cowboys against the Ravens.

Kevon Seymour: Seymour got the start with two tackles and a pass deflection as Buffalo beat Cincinnati. Going forward, Rex Ryan indicated that Seymour and Robey-Coleman will share the role based on match ups.

Josh Shaw:

Shaw had three tackles for the Bengals, who lost to the Bills.

More from Reign of Troy

Tyron Smith: Smith neutralized Terrell Suggs to help Dallas to a win over Baltimore as he continued his strong season.

Randall Telfer: Telfer did not contribute any stats for the Browns in the loss to Pittsburgh.

Max Tuerk: Tuerk remains a back up at center for the Chargers.

Leonard Williams: Williams and the Jets were on a bye this week.

Robert Woods: The Bills leading receiver on the season added three receptions for 41 yards to his tally before a questionably late hit by none other than Vontaze Burfict knocked him out of the Bills win over the Bengals. Woods was diagnosed with a sprained knee and is expected to miss time.

Shareece Wright: Wright had seven tackles for the Ravens against the Cowboys, but that kind of action wasn’t a good sign. He and fellow starter at cornerback Tavon Young game up 14 catches on 17 targets, per PFF. On the plus side, Wright had two pass deflections.

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