Gamecocks in the NFL: Week 5 recap

National Football League action from a South Carolina football-centric standpoint revolved around the league’s international series, which made its latest stop at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London this past weekend. There, a former Gamecock played a pivotal role in deciding a game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Jets.

This South Carolina football alumnus was not the only one to participate in Week 5 contests, though, as more than two dozen players are currently on active or practice squad rosters.

Here’s how they performed for their respective professional teams this past week.

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AFC East

Ahmarean Brown – Wide receiver, Buffalo Bills
Brown is currently a member of the Bills’ practice squad and did not feature in the team’s 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans. The organization signed him to its practice squad on Sept. 14. after he had been released by the Cleveland Browns, which penned him to an undrafted free agent deal, at the conclusion of preseason training camp.

Cam Smith – Cornerback, Miami Dolphins
Smith did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Dolphins’ 15-10 win over the New England Patriots. He has yet to play for the team this year, having been placed on short-term injured reserve ahead of the regular season on Aug. 27.

Marcellas Dial Jr. – Cornerback, New England Patriots
Dial Jr. saw limited action on defense (one snap played) in the Patriots’ Week 5 defeat to the Dolphins. He did tie for the team lead in special teams snaps (22) for the third week in a row, though.

Kevin Harris – Running back, New England Patriots
Harris is currently a member of the Patriots’ practice squad and did not make an appearance during Week 5.

Javon Kinlaw – Defensive tackle, New York Jets
Kinlaw had one of his most productive games of the 2024 season in the Jets’ 23-17 loss to the Vikings. He recorded three total tackles, including one solo stop, in the contest.

AFC North

Darius Rush – Cornerback, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rush did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Steelers’ 20-17 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

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AFC South

Chris Lammons – Defensive back, Indianapolis Colts
Lammons followed his most productive performance of the campaign with another solid display in the Colts’ 37-34 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He recovered a fumble for the second week in a row and logged an additional two solo tackles.

Ernest Jones – Linebacker, Tennessee Titans
The Titans were on bye during Week 5, so Jones did not play this past week.

AFC West

Nate Adkins – Tight end, Denver Broncos
Adkins caught one pass for the third consecutive game, totaling six yards on his lone reception in the Broncos’ 34-18 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. He played 43 total snaps in the contest – 31 on offense and 12 on special teams.

Nick Gargiulo – Guard, Denver Broncos
Gargiulo is currently a member of the Broncos’ practice squad and did not feature in the team’s Week 5 win.

Hayden Hurst – Tight end, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers were on bye during Week 5, so Hurst did not play this past week.

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NFC East

Rico Dowdle – Running back, Dallas Cowboys
Dowdle logged the first 100-plus-yard game of his professional career in the Cowboys’ 20-17 victory over the Steelers. He was the team’s leading rusher and saw an overwhelming majority of touches in the running back room, totaling 87 yards and one fumble (which was recovered by the Cowboys) on 20 carries. Dowdle also scored his second touchdown of the season on a 22-yard pass from Dak Prescott in the fourth quarter, capping off a two-catch, 27-yard performance through the air to reach 114 yards of offense on the night.

Israel Mukuamu – Safety, Dallas Cowboys
Mukuamu contributed on both defense and special teams in the Cowboys’ Week 5 win. He played three snaps on defense and an additional 17 on special teams.

Jalen Brooks – Wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys
Brooks found himself back on the stat sheet with a 10-yard reception, his lone catch during Week 5. He also played a season-high 37 snaps on offense in the contest.

Dante Miller – Running back, New York Giants
Miller was elevated to the Giants’ active roster on Oct. 5, one day before the team’s 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. He saw his first-ever professional action in the contest, logging one snap on offense.

NFC North

Zacch Pickens – Defensive tackle, Chicago Bears
Pickens missed his third straight contest – a 36-10 win over the Carolina Panthers – after not practicing on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday due to a groin injury. Sunday marked the fourth time this season that he has been listed as inactive for a game.

Kingsley Enagbare – Defensive end, Green Bay Packers
Enagbare rebounded from a relatively quiet Week 4 performance in the Packers’ 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Enagbare forced one fumble and logged three total tackles across 28 snaps of defensive action, in addition to 10 special teams snaps.

Keisean Nixon – Defensive back, Green Bay Packers
Nixon defended one pass and made five tackles (including three solo stops) in the Packers’ Week 5 win. He appeared on all 78 of the team’s defensive snaps and played an additional six on special teams in the contest.

Stephon Gilmore – Cornerback, Minnesota Vikings
Gilmore had his best game of the season from a statistical point in the Vikings’ 23-17 victory over the Jets. He tied a season high in total tackles (six) and made five solo stops, in addition to defending two passes. But Gilmore’s most important contribution to the win was his game-sealing interception on an Aaron Rodgers pass late in the fourth quarter, which was his first takeaway of the season.

Nick Muse – Tight end, Minnesota Vikings
Muse did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Vikings’ Week 5 win.

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NFC South

Jovaughn Gwyn – Guard, Atlanta Falcons
Gwyn did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Falcons’ 36-30 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football.

Jadeveon Clowney – Linebacker, Carolina Panthers
Clowney recorded three total tackles, including two solo stops, in the Panthers’ 36-10 defeat to the Bears. He recorded those statistics across 28 defensive snaps.

Jaycee Horn – Cornerback, Carolina Panthers
Horn made six total tackles, including five solo stops, in the Panthers’ Week 5 loss. He appeared on 70 of the team’s 74 defensive plays.

Xavier Legette – Wide receiver, Carolina Panthers
Legette was limited to just one target, which resulted in an eight-yard reception, during Week 5. This was not a direct result of any offensive inefficiency on the Panthers’ part, though – he was forced to leave the game early due to a shoulder injury. According to The Athletics’ Joe Person, Legette underwent tests on his AC joint on Monday.

D.J. Wonnum – Linebacker, Carolina Panthers
Wonnum is still recovering from offseason quadriceps surgery and remained on the physically unable to perform list, which he has been on for the entire season.

Spencer Rattler – Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
Rattler did not make an appearance in the Saints’ 26-13 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, even after starting quarterback Derek Carr left the game in the fourth quarter due to an oblique injury.

Adam Prentice – Running back, New Orleans Saints
Prentice did not record any statistics during Week 4. He did, however, play seven snaps on offense and an additional 12 on special teams in the contest.

NFC West

Deebo Samuel Sr. – Wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers
Samuel Sr. was held to a season-low 20 yards of offense in the 49ers’ 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He was targeted three times in the contest – and only one of those targets resulted in a completed pass for 11 yards. Samuel Sr. gained an additional nine yards on the ground on three rushing attempts.

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