Frank Clark and Matt Wile on NFL Top-10 lists, other Wolverine alumni updates

Seattle’s Frank Clark is one of the league’s top sack artists.

He currently is tied with Carolina’s Mario Addison for No. 9 in quarterback takedowns this season with 7.5. He contributed one to that total in the Seahawk’s 25-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

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The former Wolverine end is in his fourth year in the NFL, and has compiled 29.5 sacks already. 4.5 of those have come in the last three weeks against the Chargers, Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders.

He also has 16 total tackles, three forced fumbles, a recovery and an interception in 2018.

Clark isn’t the only former Michigander making top-10 stat lists. Minnesota punter Matt Wile is a special teams weapon for the Vikings.

In a 24-9 victory over the Lions, he booted four punts for 163 yards (40.8 average) with a long of 45. He landed three inside the 20-yard line, giving him 18 on the year.

That lands him at the No. 7 spot in the league at pinning opponents behind their 20. He’s also in one of the 10 best in net punting (40.7) and in total yardage (1,781).

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

The highlight of the week for Michigan pro alumni, of course, was Tom Brady. In a battle of future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, he out-dueled Aaron Rodgers in a 31-17 Patriots triumph over the Packers.

He completed 23-of-35 throws for 294 yards and a score, which was a game-clinching 55-yarder to embattled wide receiver Josh Gordon.

The win was the sixth straight for New England, which also continued Brady’s dominance against other elite signal-callers.

Brady has 2,494 passing yards on the season, and stands 1,347 away from becoming the fourth quarterback to reach 70,000 career yards (Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre). At 505 touchdowns to just 99 interceptions, he’s impressively over a 5-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio for his 19-year career.

As if you didn’t know he was good already.

OTHER NOTES

• Jabrill Peppers still shows versatility as a box safety in Cleveland. Among his six tackles in a 37-21 home defeat to Kansas City, he also demonstrated relentless effort on this perimeter blitz to pressure Patrick Mahomes.

He also fielded a single punt, falling forward for a yard.

• Former Wolverine and Auburn Tiger Blake Countess fielded three kicks for 88 yards — including a long of 37 — in the Los Angeles Rams’ 45-35 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
• Backup Seahawks safety Delano Hill played the entire second half against the Chargers. He filled the stat sheet with three tackles, including one for loss, and a pass deflection.

He filled in for the injured starter, and earned praise for his performance.

• Panther wide receiver Devin Funchess hauled in four catches for 44 yards in a 42-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’s totaled 445 yards on 36 receptions for the year, including three touchdowns.
• Former teammates Taco Charlton (Dallas) and Chris Wormley (Baltimore) each tallied lone tackles in their respective contests. Charlton’s Cowboys dropped a 28-14 decision to the Tennessee Titans on Monday night, while Wormley’s Ravens fell 23-16 to rival Pittsburgh.

The former has 16 total stops on the year, while the latter has 11. Charlton’s Dallas teammate Jourdan Lewis did not make the box score.

• Viking linebacker Ben Gedeon acquitted himself well in coverage against the Lions, breaking up a pass on a wheel route to prevent a score.

He has been participating mostly out of head coach Mike Zimmer’s nickel packages this season, after racking up 37 tackles in 2017.

• Rookie defensive tackle Maurice Hurst is one of the few bright spots on the 1-7 Oakland Raiders.

He fought his way to three tackles in a 34-3 Thursday night drubbing to the San Francisco 49ers. He has 17 total stops on the year, including two sacks and three batted passes.

Teammate Leon Hall failed to record a statistic from his nickel corner position.

• Jehu Chesson made another tackle on special teams for the Redskins in a 38-14 rout to the Atlanta Falcons. This is the second-straight week he’s done that for Washington since becoming activated from the practice squad.