NFL Pack Pros: Wilson’s return, Cole’s emergence and Thuney’s consistency

The past two weeks of the NFL season have been as exciting as ever, from a near-scoring record to multiple comeback victories. As the playoff picture slowly begins to form, new stars have emerged as former stars begin to fade, and players are trying their hardest to prove they are the best. Here are some Wolfpack alumni who have shown their star talent lately.

AJ Cole III — Las Vegas Raiders, Punter

The Las Vegas Raiders have been stagnant as of late. Injuries at quarterback threw rookie Aidan O’Connell into a tough divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. He struggled to lead the offense — only three drives resulted in points, with three ending in turnovers, and the remainder resulting in punts. 

AJ Cole III was called upon to save the Raiders, and he did everything in his power to keep them afloat. He had an outstanding game, turning five punts into 269 yards, and three of those punts reached inside the 20-yard line. His best kick was a 70-yard bomb that pinned the Chargers at their own 5-yard line. 

Although the game ended in a 24-7 loss, Cole was able to give the Raiders a fighting chance. Without his deep punts, the game was sure to result in a blowout. He has proven himself to be one of the best punters in the league and is as reliable as they come.

Russell Wilson — Denver Broncos, Quarterback

The Denver Broncos have been one of the most disappointing teams in the league. After head coach Sean Payton was hired early this year, most believed he’d turned the franchise around, but so far, he’s proved everyone wrong. Most of the issues can be attributed to the Broncos’ defense — Russell Wilson has slowly been returning to his old self. 

In week three, Denver suffered its biggest loss in franchise history with a 70-20 showing against the Miami Dolphins, but Wilson completed 60.5% of his passes for over 300 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Although it was a blowout, one can hardly be mad about a 300-yard performance. 

In week four, the Broncos found themselves losing 28-7 to one of the worst teams in the league, the Chicago Bears. However, toward the end of the third quarter, Wilson found his groove, leading the team on three straight scoring drives. Denver emerged victorious, winning 31-28. 

In that game, Wilson completed 21/28 passes for 223 yards, recorded three touchdowns, threw zero interceptions, and achieved a passer rating of 133.5. He is slowly returning to the star player he used to be in Seattle and may turn around Denver’s season after an abysmal start.

Joe Thuney — Kansas City Chiefs, Offensive Guard

After losing their first game of the season to the Detroit Lions, the Kansas City Chiefs have returned to being one of the top teams in the league, with most credit deservedly going to quarterback Patrick Mahomes II. However, offensive linemen deserve love too, and few have played better than Joe Thuney. 

Through the first four weeks of the season, Thuney has played a combined 279 snaps, allowing an astonishing zero sacks. He also only has had one penalty called on him, which is very low for a lineman with that much playing time. Thuney continues to be one of the best offensive linemen in the league and has been key to the Chief's success.