Hawks in the NFL | Week 5

Former Iowa football safety Jake Gervase helped the Los Angeles Rams execute a trick play Sunday, catching a pass from punter Riley Dixon on fourth down.

Katie Stratman — USA Today Sports

Aug 27, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Rams safety Jake Gervase (39) and linebacker Jake Hummel (59) tackle Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Trenton Irwin (16) in the first half at Paycor Stadium.

Grant Hall, Sports Reporter
October 11, 2022

Former Iowa football players made their marks on Week 5 of the NFL season in unconventional ways.

Against the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jake Gervase converted a fourth down just before halftime. He caught a pass from punter Riley Dixon and crossed the Rams’ 35-yard line to move the chains. The Rams ultimately lost to the Cowboys, 22-10.

After a 179-yard, two-touchdowns performance last week, Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson took a step back against the New England Patriots. Hockenson hauled in just one pass for six yards in Detroit’s 29-0 blowout loss.

Tight end Noah Fant caught three passes for 49 yards, including a season-long, 32-yard reception, in the Seattle Seahawks’ 32-29 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Safety Geno Stone notched two tackles for the Baltimore Ravens in a 19-17 Sunday Night Football victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Broncos linebacker Josey Jewell racked up seven tackles, half a sack, and forced a fumble in Denver’s 12-9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday Night Football.

A pair of former Hawkeyes helped the Houston Texans steal a win from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. Linebacker Christian Kirksey recorded seven tackles, while defensive back Desmond King added six tackles and an interception.

All-Pro tight end George Kittle racked up five catches for 47 yards for the 49ers this week. He also lost a fumble during the first quarter of San Francisco’s 37-15 win over the Carolina Panthers. Kittle celebrated his 29th birthday Sunday.

Safety Amani Hooker was ruled out before his Tennessee Titans took down the Washington Commanders, 21-17. The 2019 fourth-round pick has missed Tennessee’s last two games with a concussion.

Smith-Marsette struggles

Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette fumbled with just over one minute remaining in the fourth quarter of the Chicago Bears’ 29-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Smith-Marsette had the ball wrenched from his grasp by cornerback Cameron Dantzler.

Smith-Marsette’s fumble came near the Minnesota 40-yard line. The miscue cost the Bears a chance to score a go-ahead touchdown on their final drive of the game.

Smith-Marsette, who was a fifth-round pick by the Vikings in the 2021 NFL Draft, was also flagged for an illegal block with about 12 minutes left in the game. The penalty negated a 52-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Justin Fields.

Epenesa ejected for elbowing referee

Edge rusher A.J. Epenesa was sent to the locker room in the final minutes of the Buffalo Bills’ 38-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh’s rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett, took a shot from Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson late in the fourth quarter. In the ensuing scrum, Epenesa’s elbow made contact with referee John Hussey, who subsequently disqualified the 6-foot-5, 260-pounder from the contest.

Daniels defends quarterback

Former Iowa offensive lineman James Daniels engaged in a separate scuffle in the Bills-Steelers matchup.

Daniels, who signed with Pittsburgh this offseason after spending the first four years of his NFL career in Chicago, shoved Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin to the ground during the third quarter. Daniels reacted to a late hit Hamlin applied to Pickett post-slide.

Daniels was confronted by several Bills after he pushed Hamlin. The 6-foot-4, 327-pounder walked away from the situation with an unnecessary roughness penalty to his name.