Hokies in the NFL: Super Bowl XLVIII and Season Review

Perhaps I also should mention that this will be my last post on Gobbler Country. I've enjoyed my time here over the years, but I know going forward I won't have the time to commit to the site that I would like. I plan to still hang around for games next year, but I won't be writing any about baseball, Hokies in the NFL or the weekly viewing guide anymore. I want to thank furrer4heisman, chicagomaroon and flyers13 for the guidance throughout the years and all of you that have read my ramblings during viewing guides, these posts, and whatever else.

The Super Bowl:

Kam Chancellor, S Seattle Seahawks -- Kam and the Seahawks rolled to a win over the Broncos and he was a big part of it as the defense was outstanding against what many are calling the best offense in NFL history. Kam was all over the place, pretty much every time you see the ball down field, you saw Kam Chancellor. Kam's first contribution to the game was a big hit on Demaryius Thomas (caption not mine...but still correct):

via cdn2.sbnation.com

Then later, Kam intercepted this pass from Peyton Manning and the Seahawks scored a touchdown on the following possession:

via d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net

Kam left briefly with an injury but would return. with 11 minutes to go in the 3rd, Kam did a hell of a job to break up a pass to Wes Welker and the Broncos later punted. Kam finished the game with nine total tackles, five solo, two passes defended and the interception. Not bad for your first Super Bowl appearance. Kam didn't win the Super Bowl MVP but he certainly was a likely contender. Editor's Note: Kam was robbed---Flyers13
9 TAK, 5 SOLO, 2 PD, INT

Vinston Painter, OT Denver Broncos -- Painter was inactive for the Super Bowl, and maybe that was a good thing considering the final score.

Season-in-review:

James Anderson, LB Chicago Bears -- In Anderson's first year in Chicago, he edged Major Wright to lead the Bears in tackles with 102 combined tackles on the season. He finished the season with 85 solo tackles and 17 assisted tackles, while earning four sacks for a loss of 27 yards and nine total tackles for loss. Anderson also defended four passes and recovered a fumble. His top performance of the year was the final game of the season in which he tallied 12 solo tackles and a sack. He also had an 11-tackle performance two weeks earlier against the Browns. In all, a pretty good year for Mr. Anderson
102 TAK, 85 SOLO, 17 ASSIST, 4 SACKS, 4 PD, 9 TFL, 1 FUMREC

Nick Becton, OT San Diego Chargers -- Becton went up and down from the practice squad throughout the year, but did earn one start this year against Oakland. He was signed to a futures contract, which basically means he is going to be around next year and the Chargers are interested in his potential.

Jarrett Boykin, WR Green Bay Packers -- Boykin benefited from injuries to the Green Bay receiving corps, but an injury to Aaron Rodgers meant he had Matt Flynn throwing to him. Well, then. First, the pure numbers: Boykin hauled in 49 passes for 681 yards and three touchdowns. The big number for Boykin? 34 of his 49 catches resulted in first downs for the Packers. He also had one of the weirdest touchdowns I've ever seen:

via s3.amazonaws.com

You can actually see the aforementioned James Anderson (#50) pass by the fumble before Boykin picks it up and takes off for the endzone. So it won't show up under his normal stats, but he had four total TDs on the year. Boykin's best performance of the year was an eight-catch, 103-yards and one touchdown performance against the Browns. he topped that number in yards receiving a few weeks later with 112 yards opposite Roc Carmichael and the Eagles, but no receiving TDs in that game. He also earned three solo tackles. In all, a good year for Boykin and he's certainly emerged as a good target for Green Bay.
49 REC, 681 YDS, 3 TDS; FREC, TD; 3 TAK

Duane Brown, OG Houston Texans -- As usual, it is really tough to quantify offensive line play but earning a Pro Bowl selection should be a good indication right? Brown played in 14 games and allowed 5.5 sacks and was flagged for holding and false start twice each.

Roc Carmichael, CB Philadelphia Eagles -- Roc was given a fresh start in Philadelphia after injuries plagued his stay in Houston. He made the most of that new start and earned 16 combined tackles--14 solo, two assisted--and three passes defended in limited playing time. Carmichael had a decent year and it could be a big boost for him going forward. His top game was a five-solo tackle, one-pass defended game against the Redskins. Given that tackles aren't always necessarily a good thing for a cornerback, without remembering this game...it may have been a bad one. BUT WHATEVER.
16 TAK, 14 SOLO, 2 ASSIST

Kam Chancellor, S Seattle Seahawks -- Kam had a great year for the Seahawks, earning 99 combined tackles in the regular season with 65 as solo efforts and being a immensely physical presence in the secondary. Bam Bam also pulled in three interceptions (returned for 78 yards). He also had five passes defended and a forced fumble. His biggest regular season game was an 11-tackle, one-interception, two passes-defended performance against the Cardinals. However, Kam saved the best for the playoffs as he tallied 14 total tackles against the Saints and 11 against the 49ers, while intercepting a crucial pass against the 49ers and four passes defended. You can see what Kam did above in the Super Bowl. Congratulations to him on a great year!
99 TAK, 65 SOLO, 34 ASSIST, 3 INT, 5 PD

Corey Fuller, WR Detroit Lions -- Fuller remained on the practice squad the entire season.

Brandon Flowers, CB Kansas City Chiefs -- Flowers and the Chiefs started off incredibly hot, winning their first nine games before dropping three straight. The Chiefs were ousted by the Colts in the Wild Card round and Flowers left the game early with a concussion, ending his season earlier than he would have liked. With the Cheifs' top corner out of the game, the Colts took to the air and his absence showed. In the regular season, Flowers tallied 68 combined tackles with 63 as solo efforts and one interception, a sack, and seven passes defended. Flowers earned his first ever Pro Bowl selection.
68 TAK, 63 SOLO, 5 ASSIST, INT, SACK, 7 PD

Shayne Graham, K New Orleans Saints -- Graham was a free agent for the majority of the season until signing with the Saints late in the year. Graham appeared in just four games--two games each in regular and postseason--and made 6-of-8 total field goals on the year. Graham 2-of-2 field goals against the Panthers, but his biggest contribution was making 4-of-4 against the Eagles in the playoffs, including the game-winner as time expired. The next week out, Graham missed both opportunities, but neither was a solid chance for him to make it in wind and rain in Seattle.
6/8 FG, 10/10 XP, 46 LONG

DeAngelo Hall, CB Washington Redskins -- DeAngelo had 78 combined tackles with 57 as solo efforts and 21 assists. Hall pulled in four interceptions to put his career total at 43, fifth-most among players active in 2013. He returned two of those INTs for a touchdown. Hall also forced three fumbles, recovered one and returned it for a 75 yard TD. With that, Hall was tied for sixth on the team in scoring...as a defensive back. That's a pretty good stat to have. Hall is a free agent this coming summer. Will he go o another team with a coaching change in Washington?
78 TAK, 57 SOLO, 21 ASSIST, 4 INT, 2 INT-TD, 3 FF, FREC, FREC-TD.

Jayron Hosley, CB New York Giants -- Jayron had limited playing time this year and tallied just nine combined tackles (6 solo, 3 assist) with two passes defended and three punts returned for nine yards.
9 TAK, 6 SOLO, 3 ASSIST, 2 PD; 3 PRET, 9 YDS.

Jeff King, TE Arizona Cardinals -- King missed the entire season following knee surgery.

Will Montgomery, G Washington Redskins -- Montgomery was tagged with 2.5 sacks on the year and 73 yards on eight penalties in 16 games this year.

Josh Morgan, WR Washington Redskins -- Morgan had a strange year, being relegated to inactive basically due to Mike Shanahan being petty. Morgan played in 14 games and caught 20 passes for 214 yards with zero touchdowns. Morgan saw a lot of action as a returner, returning 12 kickoffs for 239 yards and eight punts for 59 yards. He also added 2 carries for 13 yards. Unfortunately, he did not score a point this year and for a guy that cost the Redskins $5.1 million in capspace, he wasn't utilized well.
20 REC, 214 YDS; 2 ATT, 13 YDS; 12 KRET, 239 YDS; 8 PRET, 59 YDS

Vinston Painter, OT Denver Broncos -- Painter spent the majority of the season on the practice squad until the Championship round of the playoffs when the Broncos signed him to the active roster to protect him from being signed by the 49ers. _________________.

Eddie Royal, WR San Diego Chargers -- Eddie had a career year in touchdown receptions in his second year in San Diego. He pulled in 47 passes passes for 631 yards and eight touchdowns. Prior to this season, Royal had 10 total TDs over five seasons, so this was a huge improvement. Of Royal's 47 receptions he had 33 for first downs and a season-long of 54 yards. Eddie also rushed three times for 21 yards and returned seven punts for 41 yards. His top game of the year was against the Eagles in the second week of the season, catching seven passes for 90 yards and three touchdowns, putting his TD total through two weeks at five--matching his career high. In the playoffs, Eddie had just two receptions, but for 63 yards. That's a pretty good average. Eddie's numbers kind of dropped as the year went on due in part to the emergence of Keenan Allen, but he still had a great year and finished the season tied with Allen for most receiving TDs on the Chargers.
49 REC, 694 YDS, 8 TDS; 3 RUSH, 21 YDS; 7 PRET, 41 YDS

Andre Smith, TE Cleveland Browns -- Andre started the year with the Cowboys before being signed by the Browns off the Dallas practice squad. Andre started three games this year with his lone stat being a kickoff return. Yes, a kickoff return. He returned a kickoff for 10 yards against the Eagles.
KRET, 10 YDS

Tyrod Taylor, QB Baltimore Ravens -- Tyrod had limited action for the Ravens, despite big-money quarterback Joe Flacco turning in a pedestrian performance most of the year. The action he did see came mostly in a blowout loss to the Patriots late in the year. On the year, Tyrod completed 1 of 5 passes for two yards and one interception (returned for a TD) on the year, but had some better rushing numbers. He rushed eight times for 64 yards and caught one pass for six yards. His numbers aren't great, but he had very little chance to do anything this year.
1/5, 2 YDS, INT; 8 RUSH, 64 YDS; REC, 6 YDS

Darryl Tapp, DE/LB Washington Redskins -- Tapp finished the year with 10 combined tackles, seven solo and three assists with one sack in limited action for the Redskins. His top game of the year was against the Raiders where he registered two solo tackles and one sack. Tapp is an unrestricted free agent, so hopefully he lands somewhere next year that will give him more playing time.
10 TOTAL, 7 SOLO, 3 ASSISTS, SACK

Bruce Taylor, LB Cincinnati Bengals -- Taylor started the year in Arizona before eventually being signed by the Bengals to the practice squad. Taylor didn't play in a game

Michael Vick, QB Philadelphia Eagles -- One of the more interesting stories this year was the Mike Vick-Nick Foles transition. Vick started the year as the quarterback in new head coach Chip Kelly's offense, but after various leg injuries Nick Foles took over. Vick completed 77-of-141 passes for 1,215 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Vick also rushed 36 times for 306 yards and two touchdowns. Vick's best game of the year was one that made it look like there would be no issue for him in Kelly's offense as he threw for 428 yards and two TDs, while rushing for another in a win over Eddie Royal's Chargers. With Foles throwing for 2,891 yards and 27 TDs over 13 games, Vick looks to be the second-string guy heading into next year. Personally, I still think he has something left in the tank as a starter, but as we've seen with him in the past, you're one snap away from becoming the starter again.
77/141, 1,215 YDS, 5 TD, 3 INT; 36 ATT, 306 YDS, 2 TDS; TAK

Eddie Whitley, S New Orleans Saints -- Eddie started the season with the Eagles but was let go after an injury. He was signed by the Saints late in the season to the practice squad.

Ryan Williams, RB Arizona Cardinals -- Oh, boy. Williams was inactive for every single game this season and will likely be cut by the Cardinals in the offseason. Here's to hoping for a new start for him elsewhere next year.

David Wilson, RB New York Giants -- Wilson's season was much shorter than hoped as he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal column) and had to sit out the majority of the season. He had surgery on his neck recently and is on the road to recovery and will hopefully be able to make a return to the NFL. Wilson played just five games in 2013 and saw a lot of the bench early on after fumbling twice in the season-opener against the Cowboys. Wilson finished the shortened season with just 146 yards and one TD on 44 carries. By comparison, he had more than that in yards and TDs in back-to-back games last year. Welp.
44 ATT, 146 YDS, TD; 2 REC, 8 YDS.

Jason Worilds, LB Pittsburgh Steelers -- An unrestricted free agent next season, Worilds certainly wrote his next contract as one of the top guys for the Steelers this year. Worilds was tied for fourth on the team in total tackles, but led the team in sacks with eight on the season. He finished the season with 63 combined tackles (43 total, 20 assist), 10 tackles for loss, 22 QB hits, and forced two fumbles on the year. His top game of the year was on Thanksgiving Day as he earned two sacks, forced a fumble, and tallied 10 total tackles (6-4). A good year for Worilds who has shown he has the ability to be a great pass-rushing linebacker (makes sense for a former DE) and run stuffer at the NFL level.
63 TACKLES, 43 SOLO, 20 ASSIST, 10 TFL, 8 SACKS, 22 QBH, 2 FF

Currently a free agent:
Xavier Adibi, LB; Vincent Fuller, DB; Cody Grimm, DB; Matt Lehr, OG; Carlton Powell, DT; Ed Wang, OT; Danny Coale, WR

Outside NFL:
David Clowney, WR Montreal Alouettes; Macho Harris, DB Saskatchewan Roughriders; Aaron Rouse, S Virginia Destroyers;