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Football

NFL Hokies: Week 7 primer

With Week 6 in the NFL officially in the books and a lot to look forward to with Week 7 on the horizon, there's a bunch to take a glance at regarding what former Virginia Tech football players are up to at the professional level. With plenty of maroon and orange scattered across the league, there continues to be opportunity after opportunity to see a multitude of Hokies perform on Sunday's in the fall. 
 
What's on-tap for Week 7? For a full rundown, read Wednesday's edition of NFL Hokies, presented by Coca-Cola.
 Notable Week 6 Performances

S Terrell Edmunds
Pittsburgh fifth-year safety Terrell Edmunds had quite the day in the Steelers' narrow 20-18 victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon. 
 
The 2018 first-round draft pick racked up 10 total tackles, with six coming on his own, to lead the way in a monster victory for the black and gold inside Acrisure Stadium, putting together arguably his strongest performance so far in the 2022 campaign. 
 
Up next for Edmunds and company is a trip to Miami to take on the Dolphins in this week's edition of Sunday Night Football. Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET and will be televised on NBC. 
 
LB Tremaine Edmunds
Sticking with the Edmunds brothers theme as we look back at Week 6, Terrell's younger brother, Tremaine, certainly lived up to his end of the deal on Sunday afternoon with his performance for the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills. 
 
Much like his brother, Edmunds also tallied 10 total tackles (5 solo) in the major 24-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. And with the former first-round pick continuing to pile up the consistent production, the ex-two-year starter with the Hokies may be destined for already his third Pro Bowl appearance in just his fifth season suiting up at the professional level. 
 
Edmunds and the rest of the Bills now get to enjoy a week off after a strong 5-1 start to the season, and will prepare themselves for another key matchup the following Sunday evening with Green Bay at 8:20 p.m. on NBC.
 
RB Khalil "Juice" Herbert
It's no surprise to see Chicago running back Khalil Herbert make another appearance under notable performances for what's already the third time in 2022. 
 
The 2021 sixth-round draft pick has kept on impressing ever since arriving in the backfield in the Windy City, with this past weekend's 12-7 loss to Washington serving as no exception. The 5-foot-9, 212-pounder rushed for 75 yards on just seven carries, including a breakaway 64-yard run that moved the ball inside the opposing 10-yard line and eventually set up a score.
 


Chicago now eyes to get back on track in primetime this upcoming weekend, as they travel to New England to face off against the Patriots at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN's Monday Night Football. 
 More Week 7 Matchups

Thursday, Oct. 20
New Orleans at Arizona - 8:15 p.m. - Amazon Prime Video
The Cardinals and rookie offensive lineman Lecitus Smith look to get back to their winning ways on Thursday Night Football when they welcome in the New Orleans Saints tomorrow evening inside StateFarm Stadium. 
 
Smith, a sixth-round pick in this past April's NFL Draft, didn't appear in this past Sunday's loss to the Seahawks up in Seattle, but has shown he can be a valuable asset when needed out in the desert in his two appearances so far this season. 
 
Sunday, Oct. 23
Detroit at Dallas - 1 p.m. - CBS
Fellow rookie James Mitchell and the Detroit Lions attempt to avoid their fourth consecutive loss this upcoming Sunday when they travel to Dallas to face off against the Cowboys inside AT&T Stadium. 
 
Prior to the much-needed bye week, the 2022 fifth-round draft pick began to get more involved in Detroit's offensive flow after lining up the past two weekends, appearing on five offensive snaps in the Lions' loss to New England a little under two weeks ago.
 
Mitchell now seeks to haul in his first career reception at the professional level, and will have ample opportunities to do so if he continues to show off his capabilities that were on full display during his four years in Blacksburg. 
 
Indianapolis at Tennessee - 1 p.m. - CBS
Two former Tech cornerbacks in Brandon Facyson and Caleb Farley prepare to fight for first place in the AFC South when the Indianapolis Colts meet up with the Tennessee Titans in Nashville this upcoming weekend. 
 
Prior to a bye, Farley recorded a single tackle two weeks ago in Tennessee's victory over Washington up in the nation's capital. While Facyson, a first-year member of Indianapolis' secondary, followed suit in the Colts' touchdown win over Jacksonville in America's Crossroads this past weekend.
 
Both former members of the maroon and orange could potentially have big impacts for both respective teams moving forward in the divisional race. And with many believing there's still potential in both that's yet to be unraveled, don't be surprised if both Facyson and Farley do big things the rest of the way in 2022. 
 
Green Bay at Washington - 1 p.m. - FOX
Cornerback Kendall Fuller, placekicker Joey Slye and the Washington Commanders hope to keep the momentum going this upcoming weekend when they play host to both Yosh Nijman, the newly-claimed Luke Tenuta and the rest of the Green Bay Packers inside FedEx Field.
 
Fuller's efforts certainly didn't go unnoticed in the 12-7 win over Chicago last Thursday evening. The seventh-year pro tallied a solid five total tackles in the slim five-point victory, while Slye booted through two of his three field goal attempts to pace the Commanders in a low-scoring affair. 
 
Nijman, on the other hand, saw limited action for the Packers in last week's loss to the New York Jets. The 2018 undrafted free agent played just four snaps on Sunday afternoon, but finished the day with a strong 78.7 pass-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus, even with the small sample size. 
 
Despite sitting on the Colts' roster the prior six weeks of the season, Tenuta still aims to make his professional debut after latching on with Green Bay back on Monday. And with the rookie offensive lineman's track record and pedigree, NFL personnel expect to see the former Tech staple become a reliable depth piece in the NFL in 2022 and beyond. 
 
Tampa Bay at Carolina - 1 p.m. - FOX
Running back Raheem Blackshear returned kicks for the second consecutive week for the Carolina Panthers in the loss to the Rams this past weekend. After being signed off the Bills' practice squad a smattering of weeks ago, the former undrafted free agent has quickly found his niche suiting up down I-77, and has made a major impact on special teams, too. 
 
Fellow first-year Amarè Barno may have not appeared this past week on the gridiron, but the 2022 sixth-round pick was finally able to make his NFL debut the weekend prior in the loss to San Francisco at Bank of America Stadium. 
 
With both putting together impressive careers during their time suiting up for the maroon and orange, be on the lookout for the two former college teammates start to blossom if more and more opportunities come their way for a struggling team in the NFC South. 
 
N.Y. Giants at Jacksonville - 1 p.m. - FOX
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor returns to full strength this upcoming weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars after being limited the past few weeks in concussion protocol. 
 
The former three-time ACC Champion during his time with the Hokies has appeared in just one game so far this season, but has shown the ability in the past to come through in big situations if needed off the bench for the New York Giants.
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Cleveland at Baltimore - 1 p.m. - CBS
Former Tech four-year starter Wyatt Teller played just 15 snaps in the Browns' loss to New England on Sunday afternoon after being forced to leave the game due to an apparent calf injury. 
 
The 2021 Pro Bowler did earn a respectable 75.6 run-blocking grade during his limited time on the field, according to Pro Football Focus, but now faces major question marks about whether or not he'll be a good to go for Sunday's matchup with Chuck Clark and the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. 
 
Totaling six total tackles in last week's loss to the Giants, Clark has continued to show why he's long been a staple in Baltimore's secondary. And with his play-making ability that's been on full display ever since breaking into the league in 2017, don't expect any of that to be changing anytime soon. 
 
N.Y. Jets at Denver - 4:05 p.m. - CBS
Offensive lineman Duane Brown has quickly been thrown into the fire just two games into his 2022 campaign after being sidelined the previous four games with an unspecified injury. 
 
The 15-year veteran hasn't missed a snap in both games played so far this season, posting a 70.6 run-blocking grade in last week's victory over Green Bay at Lambeau Field.
 
Brown and company look to keep the train moving this upcoming weekend, as the Jets make the trip to Denver to face off against the Broncos in search of their third straight victory on Sunday afternoon. 
 
Houston at Las Vegas - 4:05 p.m. - CBS
It's quite impressive to see what Las Vegas second-year linebacker Divine Deablo has done ever since breaking into the league a little over a year ago.
 
The former Tech standout safety had another strong day at the office the last time the Raiders were in action two Sundays ago, leading the team with 10 total tackles and six solo stops in the heartbreaking loss to Kansas City on Monday Night Football. 
 
It's fair to say the bye week couldn't have come at a better time for Las Vegas after a 1-4 start, with sights now set on steering the ship in the right direction when it plays host to Houston this weekend inside Allegiant Stadium.