Wolverines In The NFL: Breakthrough Week For Players On Offense

Second-year Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones has been given ample opportunity this season, and finally enjoyed his breakout game in a 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals Sunday afternoon.

Despite the lopsided final score, Peoples-Jones helped keep his team in the contest, scoring two second-quarter receiving touchdowns, including a 57-yarder on a Hail Mary at the end of the half, to make it 23-14 at halftime. The two scores marked his first two touchdowns of the season, and third and fourth of his career.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati Bengals rookie running back Chris Evans found the end zone for the first time in his professional career during the Bengals' 34-11 drubbing of the Detroit Lions, catching a 24-yard fade route after lining up out wide.

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Evans has played sparingly — just 32 snaps — this season, but may have earned more playing time with his big performance, finishing with four grabs for 49 yards and four carries for 18 yards.

His quarterback, second-year pro Joe Burrow, praised him following the win.

“I want to mention Chris Evans,” Burrow said after the game. “He’s just getting better and better every single week. You see what he can do in the pass game. He got one on one and really, really ran a great route and scored a touchdown for us. And then on the big throw to [rookie wideout] Ja’Marr [Chase] in the second half, he picked up a safety pressure off the edge that was really unbelievable.”

While it was a breakthrough performance for Evans in Detroit, it was business as usual for 22-year veteran Tom Brady in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 28-22 win over the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday night.

On a short week after winning the NFL's Offensive Player of the Week honor for his efforts during the previous game, Brady completed 34 of his 42 pass attempts (80.95 percent) for 297 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. That marked the first time he threw 40-plus passes and finished the game with a completion percentage of 80 percent or better.

For context, Brady and Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson are the only two players to have accomplished the feat this season, and it has been done only seven times over the previous five seasons.

Here's a complete Week 6 update on every former Michigan football player in the NFL:

Completed 24 of 42 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns wiith one interception in a 28-22 win over the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday night ... For the season, he has completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 2,064 yards and 17 touchdowns with three interceptions.

Missed his third straight game with a left hand injury, with the 1-5 Giants falling to the Los Angeles Rams, 38-11 ... He has been limited in practice with a 'brace/wrist' on his hand ... Appeared in three games with one start.

Started and compiled six tackles and one overtime fumble recovery in the 3-3 Steelers' 23-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks ... In five outings and five starts, he has recorded 25 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Has snapped on punts and placekicks 49 times in five contests for the 2-4 Football Team.

Registered one tackle and two quarterback hits in the 3-3 Chiefs' 31-13 comeback win over the Washington Football Team ... Starting and appearing in three contests, Clark has accumulated five tackles and one stop for loss.

Saw four offensive snaps (his first offensive playing time of the season) and also contributed on special teams in the 3-3 Vikings' 34-28 win over the Carolina Panthers ... He was used as an extra blocker/tight end on a touchdown run ... Has appeared in every game.

Returned from a shoulder injury that he suffered in Week 2 ... Started and caught four passes for 44 yards in the 1-5 Texans' 31-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts ... Registered six receptions for 83 yards in three clashes with two starts.

Started and generated two tackles and one pass breakup in the 3-3 Chiefs' 31-13 victory over the Washington Football Team ... In six games with five starts, he has totaled 15 tackles and three sacks.

Caught three passes for 49 yards and one touchdown, the first score of his NFL career, and ran four times for 18 yards in the 4-2 Bengals' 34-11 win over the Detroit Lions ... In six appearances, he's posted nine catches for 104 yards, while also contributing on special teams.

Started and notched four tackles and one quarterback hit in the 5-1 Packers' 24-14 win over the Chicago Bears ... Started all six tilts and recorded 18 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits.

Started and did not record any statistics in the 3-3 Steelers' 23-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday night ... In six games with three starts on the season, he has three catches for 21 yards.

Opened the game and played 100 percent of offensive snaps in the 3-3 Broncos' 34-24 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders ... Started four games at right guard on the season, and missed two with injuries.

Has missed the 2-4 Colts' last four games with a concussion ... Registered two tackles in two appearances thus far, primarily playing on special teams.

Out for the season with an Achilles injury suffered in Week 1 ... Compiled two tackles, including one stop for loss, before the injury.

Patrick Mahomes’ backup has not seen game action for the 3-3 Chiefs.

Saw eight defensive snaps and 21 special teams snaps in the 2-4 Football Team's 31-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, recording one tackle and one quarterback hit ... Played in all six of Washington's contests to date, with five tackles.

The 49ers had a bye over the weekend ... Recorded two stops, with one tackle for loss, in two games, after beginning the season on injured reserve.

On the 21st offensive snap of the 4-2 Titans' 34-31 win over the Buffalo Bills Monday night, Lewan appeared to have struck his head on the back of a defender, went down with an injury, was carted off the field and evaluated for a concussion ... Also missed Week 2 with a minor knee injury, and has started in all five of his appearances on the season, posting a 61.9 overall PFF grade.

Came off the bench and recorded two tackles with one quarterback hit in the 5-1 Cowboys' 35-29 win over the New England Patriots ... Started in four of his six games, totaling 16 tackles, one fumble recovery, one interception and two pass breakups.

Played off the bench and recorded one pass breakup in the 5-1 Rams' 38-11 win over the New York Giants ... Opened four of six games, with one interception, 18 tackles and three passes defended.

Has started all five games for the 2-3 Falcons, who had a bye over the weekend.

Recovering from a torn ACL suffered during his 2020 season at Michigan, McGrone remains on the reserve/non-football injury list and may miss the entirety of his would-be rookie campaign.

Missed all six games to this point with an ankle injury, but returned to practice last week.

Made one tackle on 23 special teams snaps in the 3-3 Vikings' 34-28 victory over the Carolina Panthers ... He has seen action on special teams in all six outings.

Started and totaled two tackles in the 2-4 Seahawks' 23-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night ... In five games, he has compiled 12 tackles and one quarterback hit.

Is on injured reserve with an abdomen injury.

Returned to action, playing 80 percent of offensive snaps in the 2-4 Patriots' 35-29 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, after missing the previous game with an illness ... He has started all five tilts in which he's played.

Came back after missing two straight contests with a hamstring injury, starting and notching one tackle plus his first career interception in the 2-4 Colts' 31-3 triumph over the Houston Texans ... Has started four contests, recording nine tackles, one stop for loss, one interception and a forced fumble.

Started and recorded four catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns in the 3-3 Browns' 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals ... Has three starts in six appearances on the year, recording 13 catches for 228 yards and two touchdowns with one fumble.

Started and made nine tackles and one quarterback hit in the 1-5 Giants' 38-11 setback to the Los Angeles Rams ... The team captain has started all five games in which he's played, missing Week 5 with a hamstring injury, and has accumulated 26 tackles, three quarterback hits, one pass breakup and four punt returns for 24 yards.

Started all five games for the 3-2 Saints, who had a bye this past week ... Has played every single offensive snap this year.

Made his fifth straight start at left guard for the 5-1 Packers in a 24-14 victory over the Chicago Bears ... Has started in five of six appearances.

Made his first start of the season, playing 100 percent of offensive snaps, in the 4-2 Chargers' 34-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens ... Has one start in four appearances.

His team had a bye over the weekend ... Recorded three tackles in two clashes for the 2-3 49ers.

Played 26 snaps and totaled two tackles in the 2-4 Patriots' 35-29 loss to the Dallas Cowboys ... Accumulated seven tackles with three sacks and three quarterback hits while coming off the bench in five tilts.

The 1-4 Jets had a bye over the weekend ... Totaled nine stops and one quarterback hit in four appearances with two starts.

Played only on special teams in the 2-4 Patriots' 35-29 loss to the Dallas Cowboys ... Has seven tackles and one quarterback hit in six appearances.

Opened his fifth consecutive game, totaling five tackles, a half-sack, one quarterback hit and one pass breakup in the 3-3 Steelers' 23-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks ... In six outings with five starts, he has accumulated 16 tackles, a half-sack, one quarterback hit, two pass breakups and one forced fumble.

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