As the playoff field dwindles, so do our remaining ProCanes in the postseason. At this point, with four teams remaining, there are three ProCanes left, with two on the Buffalo Bills, one on the Green Bay Packers, and zero on the Kansas City Chiefs or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
During the Divisional Round, ProCanes did not stand out too much. Browns TE, David Njoku, had a season-best for yards and receptions as he strung together a 4 catch, 59-yard effort in Cleveland’s 22-17 loss to KC. Njoku ended up with the best Pro Football Focus grade (PFF) for the Browns for the day at 87.2. The Browns TE3 has reportedly been on the trading block in Cleveland and this could possibly be his last game in a Browns uniform.
The highest-graded #Browns on offense and defense vs. #CHIEFSKINGDOM (min. 25 snaps):
— PFF CLE Browns (@PFF_Browns) January 18, 2021
David Njoku - 87.2
Karl Joseph - 78.0 pic.twitter.com/X85KCG7yer
As mentioned, the ProCanes in the Divisional Round were not necessarily stealing the headlines. However, Bills LG, Jon Feliciano, played all 57 offensive snaps for Buffalo and has an overall PFF Grade of 64.0 throughout the playoffs thus far. Feliciano has been a staple for the Bills since he came back in late-October from a pectoral injury that was expected to sideline him for the season.
I'm pretty sure Jon Feliciano (76) openly celebrated after even Bills run play yesterday.
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) January 18, 2021
This isn't even a joke. pic.twitter.com/GkhM3BlrBB
For the Divisional Round ProCane of the Week, I am going to go a different route and honor a former Canes/ProCanes legend, LB Dan Morgan. And there is a nexus to the Conference Championship as Morgan is currently the Bills Director of Player Personnel.
Last week, Morgan was rightfully inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame after a career where he amassed a whopping 532 tackles and was the first player in college football history to win the Butkus Award (nation’s top LB), the Bronko Nagurski Award (defensive player of the year awarded by FWAA), and the Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year awarded by the Maxwell Football Club) in the same season (Manti Te’o is the only other player to do so).
Morgan joined the Bills in 2018 after he had a solid career with the Panthers, which included the Super Bowl record for tackles in the game with 18 combined tackles. He has built his way up through NFL’s management ladder starting as a scout with the Seahawks in 2010. Since 2018, he has built up a strong Buffalo defensive core, which includes a savvy secondary. Interestingly, Bills slot CB, Taron Johnson, who had a 101-yard interception returned for a TD to put Buffalo up 17-3 last week, was drafted the same year Morgan was hired. Congratulations Dan and I’m sure we’ll see you in a GM role in no time.
Sunday Games:
NFC Championship, 3:05 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5) (+3.5) @ Green Bay Packers (13-3)
The only ProCane is Jonathan Garvin, who was inactive, or played a minimal role, for most of the Packers final games. Miami’s 2019 OL Coach, Butch Barry, also serves as a Senior Analyst for Green Bay.
ProCanes Updates Divisional Round:
Packers:
DE Jonathan Garvin - Inactive
Buccaneers:
No ProCanes.
AFC Championship, 6:40 p.m. ET
Buffalo Bills (13-3) (+3.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)
As mentioned above, LG, Jon Feliciano, will be expected to lead an OL that will be tasked with containing and protecting their QB, Josh Allen. It should be noted that former Miami QB, Ken Dorsey, is also the current QB coach for the Bills, where Allen has clearly been thriving. Like Morgan, he’s been a fantastic addition and may be in the running for an OC position in the NFL soon. Jaquan Johnson will mostly be featured on ST duties.
ProCanes Updates Divisional Round:
Bills:
S Jaquan Johnson - 16 ST Snaps
OL Jon Feliciano - 57 Offensive Snaps (100%) (67.2 PFF Grade)
Chiefs:
No ProCanes.
There u have it! Brady (TB) @ Rodgers (GB) Allen (BUF) @ Mahomes (KC). Congrats to the 3 remaining @proCanes@CanesFootball players who have a chance to play in the @NFL SB!@AuthenticMade_Q@MongoFeliciano@JonathanGarvin
— CanesPhins 305guru (@TheU305FinsGuru) January 18, 2021
Will be great Conf. Championships! #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/IYRWTJTv3Y
Divisional Round Departures:
Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
ProCanes Updates Divisional Round:
Ravens:
DE Calais Campbell - 2 Tackles, 1 PD
RB Gus Edwards (transferred to Rutgers) - 10 carries, 42 yards, 1 Fumble
Cleveland Browns (11-5)
ProCanes Updates Divisional Round:
Browns:
DE Joe Jackson - Inactive
S Sheldrick Redwine - 10 ST Snaps
TE David Njoku - 4 Receptions for 59 Yards
DE Olivier Vernon - Inactive (Season-Ending Injury Week 17)
New Orleans Saints (12-4)
ProCanes Updates Divisional Round:
No ProCanes.
Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
ProCanes Updates Divisional Round:
Rams:
No ProCanes.