Eight Gophers will head to the NFL Playoffs
The 2024 NFL Regular Season has come to a close. We had some great seasons whether it was their first in the NFL—Tyler Nubin, or a grizzled vet—Eric Murray. Below we go over how the former Gophers faired in Week 18, and a recap of their entire season—before we preview which eight Gophers are still playing for a chance to win the Lombardi Trophy.
Baltimore Ravens
Week 18 vs Cleveland Browns—Sat
Rashod Bateman-WR
Bateman played 50 snaps in the win over Cleveland to lock down the AFC North title. He capped off his career season with another great game. He was targeted eight times making five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Bateman ends 2024 with a career high in targets (72), touchdowns (9), and yards (756). His 45 catches were one short of his career high of 46 set in his rookie season.
Daniel Faalele-OL
Faalele played all 70 snaps on offense in the win.
He became the Ravens starting right guard this season and started all 17 games there. He committed just five penalties in 17 games, four for holding and one false start.
Chicago Bears
Week 18 @ Green Bay Packers
Terrell Smith-CB
Smith played sixteen defensive snaps and 13 special teams snaps in the upset win over Green Bay to cap the Bears season. He recorded two tackles, one solo and one for a loss and added a pass defense.
For the season Smith played in 14 games and started two for the Bears. He ended the season with 19 tackles, 14 of them solo and one interception for 23 yards against the Packers in November.
Dallas Cowboys
Week 18 vs Washington Commanders
Brevin Span-Ford-TE
Span-Ford played 20 offensive snaps and added five special teams snaps in the loss to the Commanders. He didn’t record a stat.
For his rookie season Span-Ford dressed for all 17 games and was targeted 14 times making nine catches for 88 yards. He also added three special teams tackles.
Houston Texans
Week 18 @ Tennessee Titans
Eric Murray-S
Murray played 25 snaps on defense in the win over the Titans that locked down the #4 seed. He recorded four tackles, all of them solo and one for a loss in the win.
Murray had one of the best seasons of his career in his 9th year in the league, He played all 17 games for the first time in his career starting 14 of them for the Texans. His 75 tackles is one short of his career high set in 2021. He recorded his third career interception. His 10 pass defenses is the highest in his career.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 18 @ Indianapolis Colts
Esezi Otomewo-DL
Otomewo was inactive again for the Jaguars.
Esezi played in just four games for the Jags this season and none since mid-October. He ended the season with four tackles, two QB hits and one fumble recovery.
Los Angeles Rams
Week 18 vs Seattle Seahawks
Tyler Johnson-WR
Johnson played 50 offensive snaps and five on special teams with the Rams allready have clinching a playoff spot before their game against the Seahawks meaning Cooper Kupp and Puka Nakua did not dress. Johnson was targeted seven times making four catches for 35 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Seattle.
For the season Johnson revitalized his career after two lost years. He played in15 games for the Rams starting two. He was targeted 41 times making 26 catches for 291 yards and a touchdown.
Minnesota Vikings
Week 18 @ Detroit Lions—SNF
Blake Cashman-LB
Cashman played 62 defensive snaps for the Vikings in their loss in Detroit that earned them the #5 seed in the NFC. He recorded eight tackles, five of them solo and a QB hit in the loss.
Cashman had one of his best seasons as a pro in his first year in Minnesota. He played in 14 games starting them all for the Vikings. He set a new career high in tackles with 112, QB hits with 11, and recovered one fumble for a 16 yard return. His 895 defensive snaps was the most in his career by nearly 250.
New Orleans Saints
Week 18 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jordan Howden-S
Howden played 27 defensive snaps and 14 on special teams in the loss to the Buccaneers. He recorded three tackles, all of them solo, and added a pass defense and his second interception of the season.
In his second year in the league Howden played every game for the Saints starting four of them. He set career highs in tackles (50) and interceptions (2).
New York Giants
Week 18 @ Philadelphia Eagles
Tyler Nubin-S
Nubin was off to a great rookie season before a Week 14 ankle injury ended it. He played in 13 games, starting them all. He recorded 98 tackles, forced one fumble and recovered another. Despite playing in just 13 games he was second on the Giants in tackles on the season.
John-Michael Schmitz-C
Schmitz also had a decent second season before missing the final two weeks of the year with an injury. He started 15 games for the Giants at center playing 987 snaps. He recorded just one penalty on the season, an unnecessary roughness during a squirmish.
Carter Coughlin—LB
It was a brutal season for Coughlin who suffered a pectoral tear Week 1 vs the Minnesota Vikings and missed the rest of the season. He was demoted to the practice squad and it will be interesting to see if the Giants bring him back next season.
Seattle Seahawks
Week 18 @ Los Angeles Rams
Boye Mafe- Rush
Boye played 28 defensive snaps and one special teams snap in the season ending win over the Rams. He recorded two tackles, both of them solo.
On the season Mafe played in 15 games for the Seahawks starting 11. He recorded 40 tackles and six sacks. He forced one fumble.
San Francisco 49ers
De’vondre Cambell-LB
Campbell had a very interesting year with San Francisco. He played the first 13 games of the season starting 12 of them for the 49ers. In those games he recorded 79 tackles. He wa s suspended for the last three games of the regular season after not entering the game when asked by the 49ers coaching staff and then walking off the field in the third quarter. His NFL career may be done after nine seasons in the league.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 18 vs New Orleans Saints
Antoine Winfield-S
Winfield missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury. He is questionable to return for the playoffs this weekend.
It was not a great year for Winfield who suffered two major injuries that cost him time. He played in a career low 9 games, and recorded just 60 tackles. For the first season in his career he did not have an interception, but did have one fumble recovery for a 58-yard touchdown.
Ko Kieft-TE
Kieft played 11 offensive snaps and 22 special teams snaps in the win over the Saints. He recorded one solo tackle.
Kieft saw his usage drop significantly in his third season in Tampa. While he played in all 17 games he was not targeted once on offense for the first time in his career. His three special teams snaps was also a career low.
Tennessee Titans
Jack Gibbens-LB
Gibbons had a great middle of his third NFL season before just like fellow ex-Linebacker carter Coughlin suffering a season ending injury against the Vikings. He played in 10 games starting five for the Titans. He recorded 44 tackles, with 29 of them coming in his final two games before his injury.
Washington Commanders
Week 18 @ Dallas Cowboys
Benjamin St. Juste-CB
St. Juste played 74 defensive snaps and 11 on special teams in the win over Dallas that locked up the #6 seed in the NFC. He recorded five tackles, three of them solo.
It was an up and down season for St. Juste and the Commanders. He played in a career high 17 games for Washington starting 14 of them. But until Week 18 he has been benched from his starting spot playing only on special teams. He ended the season with a career high 71 tackles, and forced one fumble and recovered another.
NFL PLAYOFF PREVIEW:
Eight ex-Gophers have advanced to the NFL playoffs, but at least two are guaranteed to see their season end this weekend. Here are the playoff matchups involving Minnesota Golden Gophers:
NFC
(6) Washington Commanders (Benjamin St-Juste) at (3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Antoine Winfield, Jr, Ko Kieft)
Sunday, 7PM NBC
(5) Minnesota Vikings (Blake Cashman) at (4) Los Angeles Rams (Tyler Johnson)
Monday, 7PM ESPN/ABC/ESPN+
AFC
(5) Los Angeles Chargers at (4) Houston Texans (Eric Murray)
Saturday 3:30 PM CBS
(6) Pittsburgh Steelers at (3) Baltimore Ravens (Rashod Bateman, Daniel Faalele)
Saturday 7 PM Amazon Prime
We will have a full recap of these 8 Gophers games next week.