NFL Week 2: Indiana-Linked Players Post Big Defensive Numbers
The short version
- Kyle Hamilton led all Indiana-connected players with 13 tackles in Baltimore's loss to New Orleans.
- Pete Werner (Cathedral HS) had 11 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss for the Saints.
- Kick Brandon Aubrey and Spencer Shrader, both Notre Dame alum, combined to go 6-for-6 on field goals.
- AJ Barner (Indiana) rushed for a one-yard touchdown in Seattle's win over Arizona.
From Kyle Hamilton's 13 tackles to a pair of perfect kicking nights, football talent with Indiana roots filled the stat sheet in Week 2.
The second week of the NFL season brought strong showings from players with Indiana roots, and none stood out more than Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton. The Notre Dame product finished with a game-high 13 tackles plus one for loss in the Ravens' 24-17 loss to New Orleans. Kansas City linebacker Drue Tranquill, another Notre Dame alum who also played at Fort Wayne's Carroll High School, added eight tackles, two behind the line and a broken-up pass as the Chiefs edged Indianapolis 33-30.
Linebackers dominated the day. New Orleans' Pete Werner, a Cathedral High School graduate from Indianapolis, delivered 11 stops, a tackle for loss, a sack and a quarterback hit in the win over Baltimore. Detroit's Derrick Barnes (Purdue) posted seven tackles with a sack in a 41-31 loss to Buffalo, while Chicago's Austin Booker, from Center Grove High School, and Indianapolis defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, from Notre Dame, each combined a tackle for loss with a sack and a quarterback hit. Minnesota held the Bears to a field goal in a 9-3 win.
Two kickers with Notre Dame ties were perfect. Dallas's Brandon Aubrey hit all three field goals and all four extra points in a 37-20 win over Washington, and Indianapolis's Spencer Shrader went 3-for-3 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points in the narrow loss to Kansas City.
In the secondary, Atlanta teammates Jessie Bates III (Fort Wayne Snider) and Xavier Watts (Notre Dame) notched six and seven tackles respectively in a 34-3 defeat to Carolina. Tampa Bay cornerback Benjamin Morrison and Chicago safety Dillon Thieneman, a Purdue alum, each recorded seven tackles and a pass defended. Kansas City safety Alohi Gilman and defensive end George Karlaftis, who played at West Lafayette High School and Purdue, combined for ten tackles and a pass breakup against the Colts.
Elsewhere, Seattle tight end AJ Barner (Indiana University) scored on a one-yard rush and caught an eight-yard pass in a 31-7 rout of Arizona. Receivers with Indiana ties saw limited work: Washington's Terry McLaurin (Cathedral) caught two passes for 50 yards, Las Vegas's Michael Mayer three for 23, Pittsburgh's Ben Skowronek one for two, and New Orleans's Kevin Austin Jr. one for seven.
