It was a tough week for Stanford in the NFL. Only two NFL teams that feature Stanford alumni will be moving on to next week’s conference championships. Of the Cardinal who played this weekend, the Seahawks’ Richard Sherman ’10 and Doug Baldwin ’11 and the Steelers’ David DeCastro ’12 made the biggest contributions, but neither team will be continuing in the playoffs.
(SIMON WARBY/The Stanford Daily)
The New England Patriots defeated the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday morning, but rookie defensive back Jordan Richards ’15 made little mark on the game. He was only in for three snaps and recorded no tackles.
Arizona defensive end Josh Mauro ’14 registered 1 solo tackle in the first half of an overtime thriller against the Green Bay Packers. Down seven points with 1:55 left in regulation, the Packers managed two Hail Mary passes to tie the score and push the game into overtime. The Cardinals scored on the first drive of overtime for the win and will play Carolina for the conference championship next weekend.
What initially seemed like a rout came down to a nail-biting finish when the Panthers defeated the Seahawks in Charlotte Sunday morning. After taking a 31-0 lead at the half, the Panthers surrendered 24 points to Seattle, bringing the game down to the final minutes. Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin ’11 pulled in several key receptions, including three first down catches on the Seahawks’ final drive. He finished the game with 8 receptions for 82 yards.
Cornerback Richard Sherman ’10 stepped up on the other side of the ball, registering 3 combined tackles and 1 pass defended. The Legion of Boom kept the Panthers scoreless in the second half with strong contributions from Sherman.
The Minnesota Vikings waived offensive guard David Yankey ’14. He was signed by the Panthers to a future contract and will officially become part of the team at the start of the new league year on March 9.
In Sunday’s late game, the Pittsburgh Steelers were eliminated from contention by the Denver Broncos. Pittsburgh offensive guard David DeCastro ’12 recorded significant playing time, aiding the Steelers in racking up 339 passing and 85 rushing yards, despite falling to the Broncos, 23-16.
Next week, the Cardinals will take on the Panthers in Charlotte, while the Patriots will travel to Denver to play the Broncos. Four former Cardinal are active on these teams – Josh Mauro and Stepfan Taylor ’13 with the Cardinals and Jordan Richards and Cameron Fleming with the Patriots.
Contact Olivia Hummer at ohummer ‘at’ stanford.edu.