Bulls in the NFL: Week 16

Bulls in the NFL: Week 16

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, DEC. 30, 2020  – As the NFL enters the final week in the regular season, three Bulls are set for playoff appearances with their respective teams and one remains in the hunt to earn a playoff spot. 

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was a big factor in the hometown Buccaneers earning their first playoff appearance in 13 years, while center Austin Reiter continues to anchor the offensive line for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs that clinched the AFC West. Meanwhile, wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling's career year contributed to the Green Bay Packers clinching the NFC North. Running back/returner D'Ernest Johnson and the Cleveland Browns remain in the hunt for a playoff berth with a 10-5 record and match-up with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17 as they look to secure a playoff berth.

Pierre-Paul's productive 11th NFL season keeps getting better and better.

Just days after being selected to the Pro Bowl, the former USF star helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers book their first postseason trip since 2007 with a Week 16 blowout victory at Detroit.  
JPP contributed to the Bucs' swarming defensive effort with two tackles, two QB hits and two passes defended in a 47-7 victory at Ford Field. Dominating the Lions one day after Christmas improved Tampa Bay's record to 10-5 and put the Bucs in position to secure the NFC's top Wild Card spot.

Tampa Bay can secure the NFC's fifth overall playoff seed with a Week 17 victory over Atlanta at the site of Super Bowl LV – Raymond James Stadium. Another storyline for this Sunday's game is JPP being on the verge of putting the finishing touches on his fourth double-digit sack season as a pro.

Pierre-Paul is currently tied for ninth in the NFL with 9.5 sacks this year. He also has racked up 52 tackles, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, 14 QB hits and six passes defensed in 15 games (all starts). Heading into Week 16, Pierre-Paul was the only player in the NFL with multiple interceptions, multiple forced fumbles and at least five sacks, according to Buccaneers.com Senior Writer/Editor Scott Smith.

Making plays in numerous ways all year, JPP earned Pro Bowl honors for the third time in his career and the first time since the 2012 season. His three Pro Bowl selections are the most among players in USF history. The first Bull to make a Pro Bowl appearance was former cornerback Mike Jenkins as a Dallas Cowboy at the end of the 2009 season.
 
Find out how other former USF standouts fared in Week 16 of the 2020 NFL season below.
  • C AUSTIN REITER: The fifth-year pro made his seventh straight start as Kansas City clinched the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed with a 17-14 victory over Atlanta. Reiter has started 12 times and has played every game this season for the AFC West champion Chiefs (14-1).
  • WR MARQUEZ VALDES-SCANTLING: The third-year pro was on the field for 41 offensive snaps in NFC North champion Green Bay's 40-14 win over Tennessee. Season stats – 31 receptions for 603 yards (19.5 ypc) and five touchdowns through 15 games (12 starts).
  • RB D'ERNEST JOHNSON: The second-year pro returned three kickoffs for 79 yards (26.3 ypr) and totaled 13 more yards on two punt returns in Cleveland's 23-16 loss to the New York Jets. Season stats - 33 carries for 166 yards (5.0 ypc); three receptions for 14 yards; 10 kickoff returns for 244 yards (24.4 ypr) and three punt returns for 13 yards in 15 games.
  • DE/OLB AARON LYNCH: The seventh-year pro totaled two solo tackles (one TFL) and one QB hit in Jacksonville's 41-17 loss to Chicago. Season stats – six tackles (five solo), one sack and three QB hits in seven games.
  • DT DEADRIN SENAT: The third-year pro was not active for Atlanta's 17-14 loss at Kansas City. Season stats – four tackles (two solo) in five games.
  • RB MARLON MACK: #MackAttack's fourth NFL season unfortunately came to a close after he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 1.
Bulls on NFL Practice Squads  
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 23rd season (20th at the FBS level) in 2019. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 14 All-America selections and 29 first-team all-conference selections and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft. USF has made 10 bowl games appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
                                                                                
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