Trojans in the NFL: Week 7

In an action-packed week of NFL football, let’s observe the highs and lows of these former Trojans.

Sam Darnold

The slump continued for Sam Darnold in a 25-3 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday. In his return to MetLife Stadium, Darnold had just 111 passing yards with one interception. Darnold was sacked three times before being benched at the start of the fourth quarter. Despite completing 64% of his passes, Darnold averaged a mere 4.4 yards per attempt. His interception in the second quarter was horribly thrown directly into the hands of Giants cornerback James Bradberry.

Despite showing flashes of being the Panthers’ answer at the quarterback position early on, Darnold’s struggles over the past few weeks have seemingly closed the door on that possibility. Head coach Matt Rhule stated postgame that Darnold will continue to be the team’s starter next week. Darnold’s future performance will determine whether he remains the starter in Carolina.

Michael Pittman Jr.

Michael Pittman Jr. had himself a night with four catches for 105 yards and a touchdown in a 30-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers. With fellow receivers T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell out of Sunday’s game, Pittman thrived, leading the team in yards. His 28-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter put the final nail in the coffin for San Francisco. Indianapolis has now won three of its last four games.

Robert Woods

Robert Woods finished with six catches for 70 yards in the Los Angeles Rams’ 28-19 victory over the Detroit Lions. Quarterback Matthew Stafford attempted 41 passes and targeted Woods on six of them. Woods caught all of his targets but was again overshadowed by Cooper Kupp, who had his fourth game of the season with 100+ yards or two touchdowns. Woods looks to continue serving as the team’s No. 2 receiver throughout the remainder of the season.

Ronald Jones II

In a 38-3 win over the Chicago Bears, Ronald Jones II finished the game with a season-high 63 yards on 10 carries. While it may look like a decent statline on paper, Jones’ production was a result of the massive lead that Tampa Bay held all game long. Leading 35-3 at halftime, the Buccaneers abandoned the passing game and relied heavily on the run. He lost a fumble in the third quarter, an all-too-common problem with Jones that has contributed to his lack of playing time. Barring another blowout against the New Orleans Saints next week, Jones is likely to return to the sidelines.

Leonard Williams

Leonard Williams had an impressive showing in the Giants’ 25-3 victory over the Panthers. Williams totaled six tackles, 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss. His first sack on Sam Darnold was assisted by linebacker Azeez Ojulari, resulted in a loss of eight yards and led to a punt. His second sack came on the last play of the third quarter and also forced a punt. Through seven games, Williams has totaled 4.5 sacks and leads all defensive ends with 39 tackles.

Nelson Agholor

Nelson Agholor caught just two passes for 51 yards and a touchdown in a dominant 54-13 victory over the New York Jets. Agholor’s touchdown was the result of a trick play in which fellow receiver Kendrick Bourne connected with him for a 25-yard score. Apart from that, he was targeted four times by quarterback Mac Jones. Jones and Agholor connected just once for a 26-yard completion. Even in a high-scoring game, Agholor’s role has remained relatively small.