Former MSU players put on week 12 show, scoring off turnovers
Turnovers were the theme of week 12 as former Mississippi State Bulldogs put on a show in the National Football League.
It started on Thanksgiving Day when Montez Sweat’s Washington Football Team routed the Dallas Cowboys 41-16. In the final moments of the game, he leapt to bat a pass at the line, held onto it and returned his first career interception 15 yards for a touchdown. It was the first interception returned for a touchdown for Washington in nearly three years.
Sweat posted a career-high 91.7 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked fifth in the league this week. He also graded out at a career-best 92.1 overall.
On Sunday, Preston Smith got in on the scoring as the Packers linebacker returned a fumble 14 yards to the end zone. It was his second career touchdown and first since week six of 2018. Smith also added a third-down sack in the game.
Sharing the sideline with Smith, Elgton Jenkins continued to prove he is one of the best offensive linemen in the league. Jenkins started at left guard for Green Bay before playing 50 snaps at center. He kept a clean pocket while playing every snap and posted the fourth-highest pass blocking grade (86.8) in the NFL in week 12.
On Monday night, K.J. Wright nearly had a turnover of his own. Wright ended Philadelphia’s first drive of the fourth quarter by batting a pass at the line on fourth down but couldn’t hold on for the interception.
Las Vegas’ Johnathan Abram also forced a turnover this week, intercepting a pass in the first quarter that led to a Raiders scoring drive. On special teams, Jacksonville’s Logan Cooke did his part in limited action. Cooke was called upon to punt three times, downing his kicks at the 8-, 6- and 2-yard lines.