Sept. 22, 2014

Week Three of the NFL season is almost in the books, as four former Huskies remain on NFL rosters. Meanwhile, two NIU alums are making a splash north of the border in the Canadian Football League.
 
NFL
Jimmie Ward (DB, San Francisco 49ers): Ward tallied two tackles and two passes defensed in the 49ers' 23-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Covering former All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald for a good portion of the game, Ward held the eight-time Pro Bowler to three catches for 34 yards on seven targets. In total, the safety played on 29 defensive snaps (43 percent of all defensive plays) and five special teams snaps (23 percent).
 
Doug Free (OL, Dallas Cowboys): Free started at right tackle in Dallas' 34-31 come-from-behind win over the St. Louis Rams. Free helped the Cowboys' score 24 second-half points - rallying from a 21-10 halftime deficit - and rack up 340 yards of total offense.
 
Ken Bishop (DT, Dallas Cowboys): Bishop was again active for the Cowboys, this time in Dallas' 34-31 win in St. Louis. The defensive tackle posted two solo stops in the win and saw action in 24 defensive plays (32 percent) and one special teams snap (four percent).
 
Larry English (DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers): English earned his first start of the 2014 season at defensive end in the Buccaneers' 56-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons Thursday. The veteran posted two tackles on the night and played in 35 defensive snaps (52 percent) and four special teams plays (12 percent).
 
CFL
Courtney Stephen (DB, Hamilton Tiger-Cats): Stephen recorded two tackles, a special teams stop and an interception in the Tiger-Cats' 25-23 win over the Edmonton Eskimos Saturday. The interception, which helped spark the Hamilton rally, was the Brampton, Ontario, native's second in as many games. He also was credited with a rouge point, as he tackled the Edmonton punt returner in the endzone. Stephen has 27 tackles and two interceptions for the East Division-leading Ti-Cats.
 
Chris Smith (DB, Montreal Alouettes): Smith did not record any stats in the Alouettes' 31-15 win over the Calgary Stampeders Sunday. In five games, the former Huskie has 13 tackles.
 
Note: Cornerback Rashaan Melvin was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Monday.
 
Next Week
NFL (Full Schedule)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Larry English) at Pittsburgh Steelers - Noon (Fox)
Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers (Jimmie Ward) - 3:25 p.m. (Fox)
New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys (Doug Free, Ken Bishop) - 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
CFL (Full Schedule)
Montreal Alouettes (Chris Smith) at Ottawa REDBLACKS - 6 p.m. (ESPN3)
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Courtney Stephen) at Winnipeg Blue Bombers - 5:30 p.m. (ESPN3)