Wolverines in the NFL: Mike Sainristil notches 2 interceptions, seven former Michigan players set for championship weekend
Seven former Michigan Wolverines football players are on rosters of teams in the NFL’s championship weekend, when the Kansas City Chiefs (defensive end Mike Danna, linebacker Joshua Uche) will take on the Buffalo Bills for the AFC title and the Philadelphia Eagles (defensive end Brandon Graham, offensive lineman Trevor Keegan, linebacker/fullback Ben VanSumeren will host the Washington Commanders (cornerbacks Mike Sainristil, Benjamin St-Juste) for the NFC championship.
Here’s a look at how former Wolverines performed in the divisional round.
RELATED
• Three things we think: Should Michigan fans want Notre Dame or Ohio State to win the national championship?
• Portal Insider: Another OL target emerges, latest on remaining targets
Kansas City Chiefs 23, Houston Texans 14
Former Michigan wide receiver Nico Collins led his team with 5 catches for 81 yards on 8 targets. The Texans had more first downs (18-14), total plays (65-50) and total yards (336-212) than the Chiefs, but couldn’t come out on top at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn went 2-of-4 on field goals and missed an extra point, costing his team a better chance at pulling off the upset.
Danna started at defensive end for the Chiefs, accumulating 2 tackles in 43 defensive snaps. He ranked tied for third on the team with 3 pressures on 27 pass-rush opportunities.
Uche didn’t see any game action for the Chiefs.
Washington Commanders 45, Detroit Lions 31
Washington beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the franchise’s first playoff win since 2005, before going into Ford Field and shocking the Lions.
Rookies were the story, with first-year quarterback Jayden Daniels — the No. 2 overall draft pick out of LSU — throwing for 299 yards and 2 touchdowns with no turnovers in the victory.
Sainristil shined defensively, notching 2 interceptions — 1 in the end zone at the end of the first half and the second on a wide receiver pass by Jameson Williams with the Lions driving down 10 points in the fourth quarter. Sainristil added 5 tackles in an epic performance. He was targeted 5 times in coverage, allowing only 2 receptions for 32 yards with a 19-yard long.
St-Juste, meanwhile, came off the bench and played 5 defensive snaps.
Former Michigan offensive lineman Graham Glasgow started at left guard for Detroit. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson supported his team on the sideline as he works back from a gruesome leg injury suffered in October. The Lions finished 15-2 in the regular season, earned the No. 1 seed and had home field through the NFC playoffs, but squandered a chance at a Super Bowl with the upset loss.
Philadelphia Eagles 28, Los Angeles Rams 22
Graham and VanSumeren are out for season with injuries, while Keegan did not play after appearing in just one game in the regular season. Their team advanced with a tight win, however, on the heels of 205 rushing yards and 2 scores (including a 78-yarder) from running back Saquon Barkley, a former Penn State product who’s in contention for the league’s MVP award.
Top 10
- 1New
Way-Too-Early Top 25
Can Arch lead Texas to top?
- 2Hot
AP Poll Projection
Predicting the Top 25
- 3
Riley Leonard
Explaining why Notre Dame was the pick
- 4
Johnny Manziel
Predicting National Championship winner
- 5
Ryan Day redemption
Paul Finebaum sets stage for Ohio State
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
Former Michigan running back Blake Corum was already out for the season with a broken arm, but his team potentially could’ve used him. Starter Kyren Williams lost a fumble to Philadelphia, and the biggest issue for the Rams was turnovers. Quarterback Matthew Stafford also lost a fumble.
Cornerback Josh Wallace played 1 defensive snap and 23 special teams plays, registering 1 tackle for the Rams.
Buffalo Bills 27, Baltimore Ravens 25
Turnovers were the name of the game in Buffalo, too, with Baltimore giving the ball away 3 times in what was another tight game to cap off the divisional round Sunday evening.
Ravens outside linebacker David Ojabo — the lone former Michigan player in the game — committed a hands-to-the-face penalty and played just 10 snaps (8 defensive, 2 special teams).
Buffalo built a 21-10 lead in the first half and hung on by kicking 2 second-half field goals. Baltimore had a chance to tie the game with a two-point conversion with 1:33 remaining in the fourth, but Lamar Jackson‘s pass to Mark Andrews was dropped in the end zone.
