Local NFL players roundup: Watson caps career year with touchdown

Benjamin Watson caught six passes for 59 yards and a touchdown during New Orleans’ 20-17 win over Atlanta on Sunday.

The solid performance capped the best individual season of Watson’s career; he finished with 74 catches for 825 yards and six scores, all career-highs. With standout tight end Jimmy Graham in New Orleans, Watson only had 39 combined grabs the previous two years, but the 35-year old former Northwestern Trojan flourished in Graham’s absence. Watson is a restricted free agent this offseason.

“You relish every year at this point,” Watson told ESPN Radio. “Whatever happens next year will take care of itself.”

Johnathan Joseph, Houston- The Texans blew out Jacksonville 30-6 to win the AFC South with Joseph contributing a solid performance in the defensive secondary. The former Northwestern Trojan made no tackles, but broke up four passes as the Texans’ defense held Jacksonville’s passing offense fairly quiet, thanks in no small part to the nearly unstoppable pass rush of J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus.

Joseph finished the regular season with 22 passes defended, a career-high total that he can add to when the Texans face Kansas City on Saturday in the playoffs.

“It is a good feeling, but you can’t get complacent and hang your hat on that,” Joseph said earlier this week. “We have plenty more football to play, you just have to take it one week at a time the way we did when we were back in that hole earlier in the season. You have to grind it out one week at a time.”

Joseph’s teammate, South Pointe’s Jadeveon Clowney, was inactive because of a foot injury. He’s still listed as day-to-day for Saturday’s game.

Jonathan Meeks, Buffalo- Rock Hill High’s Meeks played 23 snaps and recorded a tackle as the Bills ruined the New York Jets’ season with a 22-17 win that keeps the Jets out of the postseason.

South Pointe’s Stephon Gilmore was inactive for the Bills, his fourth consecutive game out after a season-ending shoulder injury.

Phillip Adams, Atlanta- Adams played 28 snaps on defense against New Orleans but didn’t record any stats in the Falcons’ season-ending loss.

Vance Walker, Denver- Walker made three tackles as the Broncos topped San Diego 27-20 to finish the regular season 12-4.

Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota- The Vikings broke Green Bay’s grip on the NFC North division, with Patterson returning a kickoff 70 yards before being stripped by Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby. The former first round draft pick has one year remaining on his four-year rookie contract with the Vikings.

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Local NFL players roundup: Watson caps career year with touchdown."