Egbuka Calls Game for Buccaneers, Former Buckeyes Shine In NFL Week 1

Several former Ohio State players delivered standout performances in the NFL last week.

Tampa Bay rookie Emeka Egbuka was perhaps the most impactful of the group. The wideout caught four passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns in the Buccaneers 23-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons Sunday.

Egbuka sealed the win with his second touchdown — a 25-yard strike over the middle to the back of the end zone from quarterback Baker Mayfield with 59 seconds remaining. Fellow Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans said that Egbuka called the touchdown in the huddle before the play. 

“Right before he caught that last touchdown, he called it. He wanted a post route. He said, ‘I’m about to game one.’” Evans told JoeBucsFan.com after the game. “We were in the huddle and (Egbuka) said we need to run this certain play and I’m going to game (the cornerback). And I was just like, ‘Maybe we do need to run it.’ And then literally he runs the post and touchdown, next play.”

San Francisco defensive end Nick Bosa also had a clutch performance Sunday. With the 49ers up 17-13 and just 45 seconds remaining, Seattle was driving at San Francisco’s 9-yard line before the former Buckeye screamed off the edge, stripped Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, and recovered the fumble himself to secure the team’s victory. 

Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson had 27 yards on the ground and six catches for 24 yards through the air in New England’s 20-13 loss to the Raiders.

In the Cardinals 20-13 win over the Saints, Arizona wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. hauled in five receptions for 71 yards and a score, while former Buckeye teammate Chris Olave racked up seven catches for 54 yards for New Orleans. 

For the New York Jets, quarterback Justin Fields was 16 of 22 for 218 yards and 3 total touchdowns (one pass, two rush), while receiver Garrett Wilson had seven of those receptions for 95 yards and a score. 

J.K. Dobbins secured the Broncos’ 20-12 win over the Titans with a 19-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. He ended the game with 16 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown, and brought in two balls for five yards.