Another week of NFL action is in the books. At first glance, it seemed possible that this may be a light week for Bearcats in the NFL. The Chiefs had a bye week, which kept the most productive Bearcat so far this season, Travis Kelce, off the field. The Bengals were pitted against a weaker defense in Carolina, which meant limited work for Kevin Huber. Then, the Sunday night game arrived.
Eagles versus the Giants. This week, the Legion of Boom title belonged to Philadelphia, and not the Seattle Seahawks. The Eagles blanked the Giants 27-0 — the defense being led by Conner Barwin. The Eagles defense racked up 8 sacks (that’s right, 8) in one week against Eli Manning, four of which came courtesy of former Bearcats. Barwin has been instrumental in the Eagle’s 3-4 defense, providing a versatility that was not present before his arrival last season. Sunday night Barwin tallied 3 sacks, five tackles total, and a forced fumble. Trent Cole added another sack and a pair of tackles. Brent Celek contributed 4 receptions for 45 yards on the offensive side of the ball. While there are many players being considered as the MVP for the surprising Eagles this year, Connor Barwin is one of the best choices, according to many.
As Bearcat fans, we are well-versed in Barwin’s versatility. Originally a TE doing a fine job as back up to Brent Celek, Barwin was switched to Defensive End his senior season. During his senior campaign, he led the team in tackles and was possibly the best defensive player on what was, in my opinion, the last great Bearcats defensive unit (2008 – the Orange Bowl year). Not to mention, the guy also played D-1 basketball for the Bearcats, too. Versatile may be an understatement.
Last, Derek Wolfe also carried the Bearcats banner by having his best game of the season for the Broncos, recording four tackles, an assist, and a pair of hurries against the Jets.
By Guest Contributor: Brad Shelley