The first truly convoluted week of the 2020 NFL season, which saw a postponement of the Steelers-Titans game due to COVID-19, is now behind us, and even without the play of A.J. Brown, Mike Hilton, and Jefferey Simmons, plenty of Mississippi players still had big games for their teams.
Chris Carson (Seattle Seahawks – RB)
After suffering an MCL sprain last week versus the Cowboys, Seahawks’ running back Chris Carson managed to suit up for his team in their Week 4 matchup with the Dolphins. In the 31-23 win, Carson looked up to par, rushing the ball 16 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns. The Biloxi native also pulled in three catches for twenty yards, continuing to solidify himself as a true threat out of the Seattle backfield.
Jamie Collins (Detroit Lions – LB)
Playing in his 100th career game, Jamie Collins played 90 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, contributing a game-high nine tackles. Here’s a shoutout to the Southern Miss product for being the only player in NFL history to have at least 25 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, and 10 interceptions within his first 99 games.
Greg Little (Carolina Panthers – OT)
For the second week in a row, Greg Little got the start at left tackle. Playing 61 percent of the time against the Cardinals, the 2019 second-round pick out of Ole Miss did not allow a single sack all afternoon, plus he had this awesome block on a first-quarter screen pass. Even when Pro Bowler Russell Okung returns to the lineup, expect head coach Matt Rhule and the Panthers to find a spot for Little, who is seemingly coming into his own as an NFL offensive lineman.
Bernardrick McKinney (Houston Texans – LB)
In the Texans’ 31-23 loss to the Vikings, Bernardrick McKinney recorded double-digit tackles (10) for the third consecutive week—the first time in his career that the Pro Bowler out of Mississippi State has achieved the feat. McKinney is now tied for fifth in the NFL in total tackles (38), and luckily for the veteran linebacker, the Texans’ defense will get at least a little better after Monday’s firing of head coach Bill O’Brien.
DK Metcalf (Seattle Seahawks – WR)
DK Metcalf continues to be a monster on the field. That’s the only way to put it. Metcalf has now surpassed the 100-yard mark for the second week in a row, bolstering him to the top of the NFL in terms of most receiving yards this season (403). After Metcalf’s 106-yard performance on Sunday against the Dolphins, Joe Fann of NBC Sports raved about the second-year player out of Ole Miss, saying that Metcalf is already a top-five NFL wide receiver.
Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys – QB)
Although the Cowboys continue to lose, their quarterback continues to etch his name in the record books. Dak Prescott, versus the Browns, became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 450+ yards in three straight games. Back in Week 2, Prescott became the first quarterback ever to throw for over 400 yards and rush for three touchdowns in the same game. Prescott’s final stat line from Sunday’s 49-38 loss: 41-58 (70.6%), 502 yards, 4 touchdowns, 112.9 QBR.
Darius Slay (Philadelphia Eagles – DB)
Is “Big Play Slay” back? At least one of Darius Slay’s teammates seems to think so after the Pro Bowl defensive back had himself a game in the Eagles’ 25-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Slay finished the day with five total tackles, but more importantly, he made a game-sealing pass deflection in the end zone as time expired. After four weeks of play, the Mississippi State product is giving up only 30.5 receiving yards per game.
K.J. Wright (Baltimore Ravens – LB)
In a bounce-back win for the Baltimore Ravens, the defense stepped up big, giving up a mere 17 points to Washington. Tallying eight total tackles and one forced fumble, Wright ended as the game’s highest-graded defender (90.0), according to Pro Football Focus, and one of just twelve players across the league to be graded higher than 89.9 in Week 4. The Mississippi State alum also deflected three passes, earning himself a 90.4 coverage grade.
