Minnesota Football: Gophers in the NFL Week 3

NFL rookies from the University of Minnesota, including Antoine Winfield Jr., had impressive performances in Week 3.

In the first week of the 2023 NFL season, we saw some familiar faces shining for the former Gophers. Antoine Winfield Jr. showcased his skills for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, tormenting the Vikings and helping his team secure a win.

Meanwhile, Bateman had a decent amount of playing time for the Ravens, being on the field for 69% of the offensive snaps. However, he only managed to make one catch for 6 yards on three targets in the team's loss to the Colts.

Faalele also had some playing time, participating in four offensive snaps and four special teams snaps in the same game.

Terrell Smith had an impressive debut for the Bears, especially considering their injury issues in the secondary. He played a significant amount, with 57 defensive snaps and three special teams snaps. Smith made his presence known with ten tackles, seven of them solo, one for a loss, and a pass defense.

Campbell had limited playing time for the Packers, with just 11 defensive snaps and one special teams snap in their comeback victory against the Saints. Unfortunately, he injured his ankle and will be unable to play in the upcoming Thursday night game against the Lions.

Blake Cashman had an outstanding performance in his first start of the season at linebacker. He played 46 snaps on defense and added 23 on special teams. Cashman made an impact with six tackles, three of them solo, two pass defenses, and his first NFL interception, which he picked off Trevor Lawrence.

Murray returned to the starting lineup after minimal playing time in the previous week. He played 69 defensive snaps and recorded five tackles, three of them solo.

Howden had his first NFL start at strong safety for the Saints, playing all 79 defensive snaps in their crushing loss to the Packers. He made four tackles, one of them solo. This upcoming Sunday, he will face his former teammates Ko Kieft and Antoine Winfield Jr.

Coughlin contributed on special teams, playing 26 snaps and earning his first tackle of the season.

Schmitz had a full workload, playing all 50 offensive snaps and two more on special teams. He may have an interesting matchup against his former teammate Boye Mafe on Monday night.

Mafe returned after missing Week 2 due to a knee injury. He played 58 defensive snaps and added six more on special teams. Although he only recorded one tackle, it was an impactful sack on Carolina QB Andy Dalton.

Ko had limited playing time for the Buccaneers, participating in 10 offensive snaps and 14 on special teams in their loss to the Eagles. However, he did not record any stats or targets.

Antoine Winfield Jr. had a standout performance, playing all 80 defensive snaps for the Buccaneers. He recorded eleven tackles, five of them solo.

Unfortunately, it was a tough day for Tennessee as they were crushed by the Cleveland Browns with a score of 27-3. Gibbons had a significant role in the game, playing 57 defensive snaps and 15 on special teams. He made eight tackles, five of them solo, and had a QB hit on Deshaun Watson.

The Washington defense, including BSJ, struggled in their game against the Bills, resulting in a 37-3 loss. St. Juste played the entire 68 defensive snaps and made seven tackles, five of them solo, along with a pass defense.