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WVU in the NFL: Wild-Card Weekend

Worley made six tackles during Carolina's 31-26 loss to the Saints.
Worley made six tackles during Carolina's 31-26 loss to the Saints.

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The playoffs are in full swing, but only one former Mountaineer from wild-card weekend will be moving on to the divisional round.

Tennessee Titans offensive guard Quinton Spain was questionable heading into the team’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road with back issues, but Spain started the game anyway and helped pave the way for 202 rushing yards and a 6.5 yards per carry average during the team’s 22-21 comeback win.

Spain and the Titans will next face the top-seeded New England Patriots this Saturday at 8:15 p.m. The game will be televised on CBS.

Carolina Panthers cornerback Daryl Worley played 51 of the defense’s 58 snaps and racked up six tackles and a pass deflection during the team’s 31-26 wild-card loss to the New Orleans Saints. Worley finished his second NFL season with 64 tackles, two interceptions and one sack.

In the other NFC wild-card playoff game, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin played just two snaps, which ties for the fewest in his career and had no touches during the team’s 26-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at home.

Rams head coach Sean McVay said the reason for Austin playing just a couple of plays was due to the offense’s slow start.

“I think it does have to do with we didn’t get a whole lot of plays off early on,” McVay said. “Then both, at the end of the half and at the end of the game, you’re kind of in the two-minute type of situation where you’re not really operating in your normal first and second down offense.”

Austin finished his fifth NFL season with 47 receiving yards on 13 receptions as well as 270 rushing yards on 59 carries with one touchdown and a fumble.

Aside from Spain, Rasul Douglas, Najee Goode, Wendell Smallwood, Shelton Gibson and the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Falcons in the divisional round at Lincoln Financial Field for a 4:35 p.m. kickoff. The game will be televised on NBC.

In other news regarding former Mountaineers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed cornerback Maurice Fleming to a future contract and the Seattle Seahawks signed defensive lineman Noble Nwachukwu to one as well.

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