Spartans in the pros: Dennard snags first pick, misses game-winning tackle

LANSING — That gorilla on Darqueze Dennard’s back finally lost his grip.

But he’s still kicking himself.

The good: The fourth-year corner and 2014 first-round draft pick picked off Marcus Mariota Sunday afternoon in Nashville. It’s his first interception of the season and second of his career.

Dennard returned the arrant Mariota pass 20 yards down to the Titans three-yard line, setting up a Joe Mixon touchdown run one play later. More importantly, Cincinnati was back in the game, trailing 14-13 late in the first half.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. And the deciding touchdown happened at Dennard’s expense.

The bad: With 36 seconds remaining, Mariota hit Titans’ running back DeMarco Murray with a dump pass at the two-yard line. Murray took care of the rest, plowing over Dennard and extending the ball over the goal line to give Tennessee a last-minute 24-20 win.

“He checked the ball down and we rallied to it,” Dennard told Bengals.com after the game. “I’ve got to somehow get him down on the ground so he’s not in position to be able to lunge with the ball. I’m beating myself up right now. I was there. I felt like I got a good hit on him. It just wasn’t enough … Somehow, some way I have to tackle him. Somehow I have to get him down.”

Dennard has been one of the Bengals’ top tacklers this season, tallying 37 solo stops and 13 assists. He also has a pair of sacks and two deflected passes through nine games.

Here’s how the rest of the Spartans in the NFL fared during Week 10:

Le’Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers — For the fourth straight game, Le’Veon Bell carried the ball at least 25 times. The Steelers are also on a four-game winning streak? Coincidence? You bet. Bell toted the rock 25 times for 80 yards Sunday in a 20-17 road win over the Colts. Bell also caught five passes for 32 yards in the victory. Bell is the NFL’s leading rusher with 840 yards through nine games.

Garrett Celek, TE, San Francisco 49ers — Many Fantasy Football experts saw a big week ahead for former Spartan Garrett Celek. Unfortunately, that prognosis had more to do with who he was lining up against than anything. The Giants had given up a touchdown to an opposing tight end in nine straight games. Make it 10. Celek rumbled 47 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of a 31-21 win over New York Sunday in San Francisco. Celek finished with four receptions for 67 yards, breaking a streak of five consecutive games with only one catch. Another streak went down Sunday, too — The Niners’ nine-game losing skid.

Jack Conklin, T, Tennessee Titans — Behind the blocking of tackle Jack Conklin, Titans’ running backs combined for 180 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Marcus Mariota threw for 264 yards and a score Sunday in a 24-20 home win over the Bengals. The Plainwell native has only four penalties through nine games and has allowed 1.5 sacks.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins — A week after leading Washington to an improbable road win in Seattle, Kirk Cousins accounted for three touchdowns Sunday — one passing, two rushing — but the Redskins fell at home 38-30 to the NFC North leading Vikings. Cousins, a Holland native, completed 26 of 45 passes for 327 yards and threw his fifth interception of the season. It was the fifth time in nine games that Cousins was held to one or fewer touchdown passes.

Kurtis Drummond, S, Houston Texans — The Texans’ injuries are starting to take a toll. Sunday, Houston dropped its third straight game without the services of All-Pro JJ Watt and rookie sensation, quarterback Deshaun Watson. Kurtis Drummond, the third-year safety from Youngstown, Ohio, racked up three tackles out of the Texans secondary in a 33-7 drubbing at the LA Coliseum, courtesy of the red-hot Rams. Drummond has 12 solo stops and has assisted on three tackles through eight games to go along with a sack.

Bennie Fowler, WR, Denver Broncos — Bennie Fowler’s stat line Sunday night mirrored the Broncos number in the win column the last five weeks – goose egg. Fowler failed to haul in a pass for the second straight week during Denver’s 41-16 loss to defending Super Bowl champion Patriots at Mile High. In fact, he wasn’t even targeted by newly installed quarterback Brock Osweiler. Fowler has 20 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns for the 3-6 Broncos.

Brian Hoyer, QB, New England Patriots — Backing up Tom Brady isn’t such a rough gig, huh? Brian Hoyer saw action under center in garbage time during the Patriots’ 41-16 rout of the Broncos Sunday night in the Mile High City. The ninth-year quarterback completed all three of his passes for 37 yards in his first game since being traded by the 49ers Nov. 1.

Domata Peko, DT, Denver Broncos — Remember six weeks ago when the Broncos had the most feared defense in the NFL? My how the times have changed. Domata Peko and the once-vaunted Denver D were gashed for the fifth straight week in a 41-16 loss to the Patriots Sunday night at Mile High Stadium. Peko, a 12th-year defensive tackle, managed only one tackle in the Broncos’ fifth straight loss. Peko now has 16 tackles, three “stuffs” and a sack this season.

Drew Stanton, QB, Arizona Cardinals — A week after leading the Cardinals to a win in his season debut, Drew Stanton could find himself on the bench next to Carson Palmer after spraining his knee Thursday night in a 22-16 home setback to the Seahawks. Stanton completed 24 of his 47 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown in the loss. In his two starts, Stanton tossed three touchdowns and a pick. Blaine Gabbert is expected to get the start in Houston this Sunday if Stanton can’t go.

Trae Waynes, CB, Minnesota Vikings — Trae Waynes tallied one tackle Sunday in a 38-30 road win against former MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Redskins. Waynes, a third-year cornerback from Kenosha, Wisconsin, now has 43 tackles and two interceptions on the season.

Jerel Worthy, DT, Buffalo Bills — Jerel Worthy and the Buffalo defense didn’t have any answers for Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara Sunday afternoon in western New York. The Saints’ tailback combo combined for 237 yards and four touchdowns, including three from the former Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama, Ingram. To add insult, Trey Edmunds rushed for 48 yards on nine carries and also found the end zone. So did quarterback drew Brees. Of course, this wasn’t all Worthy’s fault. The former Spartan racked up three tackles on the afternoon and now has five stops on the season.

* Spartans who didn’t play this weekend because of injury: Taybor Pepper (Green Bay), Tony Lippett (Miami), Demetrious Cox (Carolina), Jack Allen (Saints), Dan France (Carolina), Donavon Clark (Chargers) and RJ Shelton (Vikings) have all been lost for the 2017 season. Joel Heath (Texans), Montae Nicholson (Redskins), William Gholston (Buccaneers), Dion Sims (Bears) and Lawrence Thomas (Jets) have also missed time with injuries.

— Cody Tucker