Trojans in the NFL: Week 9

Two of the following former Trojans had impressive Week 9 performances. The other two, not so much.

Sam Darnold

Yikes. After throwing no touchdowns and three interceptions and completing less than half of his passes in a 24-6 loss to the New England Patriots, there is not much more to be said about Sam Darnold.

Even with running back Christian McCaffrey returning from injury, Darnold could not get the  Carolina Panthers offense in rhythm. His first interception was a poorly thrown ball that the defense returned for an 88-yard touchdown. On the very next drive, he threw another interception. Darnold finally led the team into the red zone on the following possession but the promising moment was short-lived — he threw his third interception of the game while targeting the corner of the end zone. Three straight Panther drives, three straight interceptions.

Wide receiver Robby Anderson was visibly upset with Darnold’s performance and could be seen yelling at him on the sideline. Darnold’s time as the team’s starter seems to be waning. Head coach Matt Rhule would not fully commit to Darnold in his postgame press conference. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Darnold will miss several weeks due to a fractured scapula in his throwing shoulder. Backup quarterback P.J. Walker will fill in for Darnold during his absence, though there’s no telling if Darnold will reclaim his starting role when he returns.

Robert Woods

Robert Woods finished with seven catches for 98 yards in the Los Angeles Rams’ 28-16 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Woods led the team in receiving yards despite being out-targeted by Cooper Kupp. Woods and Kupp operated as an impressive receiving duo in the contest, with 98 and 95 yards, respectively. Woods’ longest play of the night was a 22-yard reception in the fourth quarter that helped move the Rams out of their own territory. Even with a poor performance from quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw two interceptions, Woods managed to have a productive outing. A divisional rivalry matchup with the San Francisco 49ers next week should see Woods having plenty of involvement once again.

Michael Pittman Jr.

Michael Pittman Jr. had five catches for 64 yards and a touchdown in the Indianapolis Colts’ 45-30 win over the New York Jets on Thursday night. Even in a game dominated by running back Jonathan Taylor’s 172-yard, two-touchdown performance, Pittman once again made an offensive impact for Indianapolis. His 11-yard touchdown just before halftime gave the Colts a 28-10 lead. Pittman has now scored four touchdowns in the last three weeks as he continues to have a breakout sophomore season.

Nelson Agholor

Only one week after leading his team in receiving yards, Nelson Agholor finished Sunday’s contest against the Carolina Panthers without a single target. It’s been a hit-or-miss type of season for Agholor. The New England Patriots have had seven different receiving leaders through nine weeks of play. Quarterback Mac Jones’ spreading of the wealth has not been beneficial for Agholor with his numbers down across the board from last season.