Badgers in the NFL Update
December 19, 2006 | Football
Below is UWBADGERS.COM's weekly look at how some former Badgers fared in their NFL games. For a complete list of former UW players in the NFL, please click the "Badgers in the NFL" link on the right-hand side of the main football page.
Tauscher Set to Return
After missing the last five games with a severe groin pull, Green Bay guard Mark Tauscher is set to return to the field Thursday night against Minnesota.
While the seven-year veteran returned to practice last week, he was still hampered by the injury and decided to hold off his return until he was closer to 100 percent.
"There comes a point where you have to kind of look at if you're going to be effective, and I needed to get a couple days to kind of feel where I was at," Tauscher told packers.com. "I don't necessarily think I would have been as effective as I would have been coming in this week, so I'm hoping that the extra couple of days is going to help me play better.'
While Tauscher had been plagued by the groin injury throughout the season, the nagging injury turned potentially serious in the Packers' last Minnesota game, a Nov. 12 victory at the Metrodome. While the injury was initially feared to be season ending, Tauscher spent the last month rehabilitating and is now being rewarded with the chance to start the Packers' final two games.
Tauscher's return could not come at a better time for Green Bay as the Vikings boast the league's top rated run defense, a unit that held the Packers to just 47 yards rushing previously this season. The Packers will look to be the first team to rush for more than 100 yards against the Vikings since Week 2.
Dayne Provides Lone Bright Spot
In an otherwise disheartening 40-7 loss against the Patriots in New England, Houston running back Ron Dayne provided the team with an encouraging performance.
Going up against the NFL's No. 4 rushing defense, Dayne powered his way to 94 yards on 18 carries and also scored the Texans' lone touchdown.
Since taking over as the featured running back for the Texans three weeks ago, Dayne has rushed for 276 yards on 57 attempts, making it the finest stretch of his career. Dayne also found the end zone three times during his recent run of success.
While Houston head coach Gary Kubiak has been impressed by Dayne's recent performances, he feels the seven-year veteran and former first-round pick still has room for improvement.
'He's really been very good,' Kubiak told houstontexans.com. 'You know what, in my opinion, I'm hard on Ronnie, but I think he can even be better. I think he could have run even better (against New England).'
Plagued by turf toe and a knee injury earlier in the season, Dayne is showing the Texans ' coaching staff why he could be part of their long term plans at running back.
'I feel like maybe Ronnie's career is starting to take off again, ' Kubiak said. 'That would be a dang good thing for our football team, because if he can stay healthy and play like that, and we get him some help back there, from that standpoint, I think he'll only get better because he's very tough to tackle.'
Fletcher Sets Career Mark
In a return to the Badger State, Detroit cornerback Jamar Fletcher nabbed his third interception of the season, the most of his career in Sunday's game against Green Bay. Fletcher's previous best occurred in 2002 as a member of the Miami Dolphins when he had two picks.
During that season Fletcher also had 37 tackles, a career high. This season the six-year veteran has 31 tackles, giving him an opportunity to set a career mark in that category as well.
Weekly Roundup
Buffalo safety Jim Leonhard had one punt return for nine yards in the Bills' 21-0 victory over Miami ' Leonhard's teammate, wide receiver Lee Evans, had three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown in the game ' Also in the game, Dolphins' wide receiver Chris Chambers had one rush for 11 yards ' Detroit linebacker Alex Lewis had six tackles as the Lions dropped a 17-9 contest against Green Bay ' Jacksonville cornerback Scott Starks had two tackles in the Jaguars ' 24-17 loss to Tennessee ' Starks' teammate, linebacker Nick Greisen, also had two tackles in the game ' Houston tight end Owen Daniels caught one pass for 9 yards in the Texans' loss to New England ' Oakland defensive tackle Anttaj Hawthorne had two tackles in the Raiders' 20-0 loss to St. Louis
