Local NFL players roundup: Cordarrelle breaks one for a touchdown

Cordarrelle Patterson has been somewhat marginalized this season, in part by his struggles in the Minnesota Vikings, and also the NFL’s continued devaluing of the kickoff.

But Patterson showed his worth Sunday with a devastating 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that reminded fans and viewers that the former Northwestern Trojan is a perfectly-built speed machine.

Oakland had just scored to take a 14-13 lead in the third quarter when Patterson gathered a short kickoff, wiggled past a tackler near the 20 and raced down the left sideline, blowing past teammates and tacklers alike.

Adam Thielen got enough of a block on the first Oakland player to approach Patterson.

“It was such a good cut that I really didn’t have to do too much,” Thielen told reporters. “When I turned around after the block, I saw this huge wall of Vikings players. I knew Cordarrelle was gone.”

According to NFL.com, Patterson hit 21.33 miles per hour on his way to the end zone for his first kickoff return touchdown in over 30 games.

“Everybody did their jobs,” Patterson told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “And that’s all I really have to say about it.”

Johnathan Joseph, Houston- another former Northwestern Trojan had a nice performance on Monday Night Football as the Texans stifled previously unbeaten Cincinnati in a 10-6 win. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton overthrew his receiver on a third quarter pass and Joseph tracked down the ball, juggling it before reeling in the interception.

"All I kept saying to myself while I was juggling it was, ‘I can’t let this ball get away from me. I will kill myself,'" Joseph told the Texans’ web site after the game.

Joseph certainly has Cincinnati’s number. He’s intercepted Dalton passes each of the last four times the Texans have played his former team.

Jadeveon Clowney, Houston- Joseph’s teammate and fellow Rock Hill native, Clowney, didn’t play in the Monday Night game against Cincinnati because of a lower back injury. Texans coach Bill O’Brien said he expects the team’s former No. 1 pick to return this week.

Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo- Gilmore had another good outing during the Bills’ 22-17 win over the New York Jets last Thursday, making two tackles and breaking up a pair of passes, while shadowing the Jets’ top receiver, Brandon Marshall, for most of the game. Marshall caught three passes for 23 yards and a touchdown, but was targeted 10 total times.

Gilmore has established an effective cornerback pairing with Florida State rookie Ronald Darby. Gilmore told Syracuse.com, “I think we're the best cornerback tandem in the league. You watch the film, we handle our guys. (Darby) came in and I took him under my wings.”

Jonathan Meeks, Buffalo- Meeks, the former Clemson and Rock Hill High standout, made two tackles for the Bills during their win over the Jets.

Vance Walker, Denver- Fort Mill grad Walker made a season-high six tackles - with three solo efforts - during the Broncos’ 29-13 loss to Kansas City.

Ben Watson, New Orleans- Watson’s hot streak offensively somewhat came to an end as the Saints were blasted by Washington 47-14. The Northwestern High grad caught three passes for 19 yards, but was also flagged for offensive pass interference on two separate occasions

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 4:05 PM with the headline "Local NFL players roundup: Cordarrelle breaks one for a touchdown."