Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Look! It’s NFL Week 6 and frequently fragile Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden is still in the lineup.

The injury prone McFadden (Oak Grove, Arkansas) was Oakland’s leading rusher with 70 yards and a touchdown in a 23-20 loss to the undefeated Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. However, seeing McFadden carry 27 times and scratch out an average 2.6 yards a touch, it’s remarkable he’s still healthy, especially when his teammates are doing stuff like this.

But it wasn’t a losing Sunday, or Thursday, for all the Pro-Arkansans.

Jordan Babineaux (SAU) had a team-high seven tackles, five unassisted, as Tennessee edged Pittsburgh 26-23 on a last second field goal by Rob Bironas on Thursday night. Titans wide receiver Damien Williams (Springdale) chipped in two catches for 14 yards.

Demario Davis (Arkansas State) made a tackle and recovered a fumble as the New York Jets whipped the Indianapolis Colts 35-9. Davis came up with the last of the three turnovers that ended Indianapolis’ final three possessions.

Chris Houston (Arkansas) started at cornerback for the Detroit Lions and made two tackles, intercepted a pass and broke up another as the Lions edged the Philadelphia Eagles 26-23 on a field goal in overtime. Defensive tackle Cedric Thornton (Star City, SAU) came off the bench and made two tackles for Philadelphia.

Miami Dolphins reserve fullback Charles Clay (Little Rock Central) got playing time and had an 8-yard reception and backup guard Nate Garner (Pulaski Robinson, Arkansas) got in the game as the Dolphins nipped the St. Louis Rams 17-14 … somehow. Miami gained just 192 yards to St. Louis’ 462, but three missed field goals and a fumble were too much for the Rams to overcome.

A missed field goal in the closing seconds also sank the Dallas Cowboys against the Baltimore Ravens, though Felix Jones (Arkansas) was Dallas’ second-leading rusher with 92 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in Baltimore’s 31-29 victory. Jones scored on a 22-yard run in the first quarter and gained 11 yards on Dallas’ last-ditch drive.

Buffalo Bills defensive end Alex Carrington (Arkansas State) assisted on a tackle in limited playing time as his team beat the Arizona Cardinals 19-16 in overtime on yet another game that hinged on a field goal, this time a 25-yarder by Rian Lindell that won it for the Bills.

In New England, let the Ryan Mallett watch begin. How much longer can the Patriots go with the eroding skills of Tom Brady after the Seattle Seahawks stunned the Pats 24-23?

Just kidding of course. Brady had 395 yards and two touchdowns, though he was plagued by two interceptions. It may be better for Mallett (Arkansas) that he didn’t play, because he might have had to be the one to put up with this from the skilled but talkative Seattle defensive back Richard Sherman.

New York Giants backup guard Mitch Petrus (Arkansas) saw action as the defending Super Bowl champions stunned the San Francisco 49ers 26-3, rolling up 342 yards, 149 on the ground, in a rematch of last year’s NFC championship game.

Defensive tackle Kevin Williams (Fordyce) started for Minnesota and had four tackles, three unassisted, in the Vikings’ 38-26 loss to the Washington Redskins.

In the Arkansas State alumni game of the week, former Red Wolves’ safety M.D. Jennings came off the bench for Green Bay and had seven tackles, six unassisted, and made a special teams tackle as the Packers handed the Houston Texans their first loss, convincingly, 42-24. ASU alumnus Derek Newton started at right tackle for the Texans and helped them to 321 yards, though the line gave up three sacks.

Finally, not because there is an Arkansas connection but because stuff like this is funny, here is NFL Network reporter Ian Rappaport doing his best Marsha Brady impression before the Packers-Texans game.