Oct. 28, 2012

BERKELEY - Several of the 31 former Cal players (second among Pac-12 teams) currently on active NFL rosters continued their strong seasons during Week 8 of the league's 2012 season on Sunday. Among the Golden Bears making the biggest impact are reigning AP NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers (top-rated quarterback in the NFL), Marshawn Lynch (second-leading rusher), and Tony Gonzalez and Thomas DeCoud (playing key roles for lone NFL unbeaten team Atlanta). Here's the latest look at all of the former Cal players currently in the NFL.

• Lorenzo Alexander, LB, Washington Redskins (3-5) - Has played in all eight games off the bench, contributing 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery ... posted a season-high-tying five tackles, all 1.5 of his sacks and a fumble recovery in a Week 6 win over Minnesota, and then equaled the five tackles in a Week 7 loss at the New York Giants

• Tyson Alualu, DT, Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6) - Has started each of the first seven games and contributed 19 tackles and 1.0 sack, highlighted by a season-high six-stop contest in a Week 2 loss to Houston, and four tackles and 1.0 sack in a Week 1 loss at Minnesota

• Bryan Anger, P, Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6) - Eighth in the NFL with a 48.3 yards per punt average, punting 45 times for 2,173 yards to rank second in the league in both categories, while also posting a 41.3 yard net punting average that is 11th ... has pinned opponents inside their own 20-yardline nine times and also forced nine fair catches ... had one punt of 60 or more yards for four consecutive games from Weeks 2-5, including a career-long 66-yarder in a Week 3 win at Indianapolis, and one of at least 55 yards in all seven of his contests ... punted a career-high-tying nine times in a Week 2 loss to Houston and a Week 7 overtime loss at Oakland

• Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) - Has 23 tackles, an interception and seven passes defended in seven games played (all starts), with his lone interception and a season-high-tying three passes defended in a Week 6 overtime loss to Detroit, a season-high eight tackles in a Week 5 loss at Pittsburgh and a season-high-tying three passes defended in a Week 1 win at Cleveland

• Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions (3-5) - Has not played in first seven games ... currently on the physically unable to participate (PUP) list

• Desmond Bishop, LB, Green Bay Packers (5-3) - Has not played in first eight games and is on the injured reserve list

• D.J. Campbell, S, Carolina Panthers (1-6) - Has not played in first seven games

• Andre Carter, DE, Oakland Raiders (3-4) - Has played in each of the last three games, contributing a tackle both in a Week 6 loss at Atlanta and a Week 7 overtime win against Jacksonville before not recording a stat in a Week 8 win at Kansas City ... signed with Oakland prior to a Week 4 loss at Denver but did not play in his first contest on the Raiders' roster ... has returned in 2012 from an injury that ended his strong 2011 season with New England after 14 games (52 tackles, 10.0 sacks, one pass defended, two forced fumbles) ... has career totals of 496 tackles, 76.0 sacks and 17 forced fumbles in his 12th NFL season during a career that has seen him in San Francisco (2001-05), Washington (2006-10), New England (2011) and Oakland (2012)

• Chris Conte, S, Chicago Bears (6-1) - Has 40 tackles, one interception that he returned 35 yards and three passes defended while starting each of the team's first seven games ... posted his interception and both passes defended against Indianapolis and former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck in the season opener ... had a career-high 11 tackles in a Week 4 Monday Night Football victory at Dallas, while contributing a combined 14 stops in his last two games with eight in a Week 8 win vs. Carolina after six in a Week 7 victory vs. Detroit

• Brian De La Puente, OG, New Orleans Saints (2-5) - Has started all seven games

• Thomas DeCoud, S, Atlanta Falcons (7-0) - Tied for third in the NFL with four interceptions that he has returned 37 yards ... has started all seven games for the only remaining unbeaten NFL team, also contributing 36 tackles, 1.0 sack and six passes defended to go along with his four picks ... posted a season-high, team-high and game-high-tying nine tackles as well as his first sack of the season in a Week 8 win at Philadelphia ... had a game-clinching interception late in the fourth quarter of a Week 5 win at Washington and returned it 24 yards ... had a huge performance in a Week 3 win at San Diego, with two interceptions and a fumble recovery ... returned his other interception 15 yards in a Week 2 win vs. Denver ... posted seven tackles in a Week 1 win at Kansas City

• Justin Forsett, RB, Houston Texans (6-1) - Has played in all seven games off the bench, rushing 23 times for 120 yards, including a season-high and team-high 47 yards on seven carries in a Week 6 loss vs. Green Bay that was the team's first defeat of the season and then 32 yards on six carries in a Week 7 win vs. Baltimore

• Scott Fujita, LB, Cleveland Browns (2-6) - Has played in four games with three starts, contributing 14 tackles and 1.0 sack, including a season-high six stops and his lone sack of the season in a Week 4 loss at Baltimore

• Matt Giordano, S, Oakland Raiders (3-4) - Has started each of the last five game and played in all seven, making 22 tackles and recording one interception that he returned 21 yards in a Week 8 win at Kansas City ... posted a season-high eight stops in a Week 4 loss at Denver

• Tony Gonzalez, TE, Atlanta Falcons (7-0) - Has started all seven games for the only remaining unbeaten team in the NFL and is seventh in the league with 46 receptions for 459 yards and four touchdown catches ... had season lows of three catches and 29 receiving yards in a Week 8 win at Philadelphia ... had a 13-yard reception to set up Matt Bryant's game-winning 55-yard field goal with 0:01 remaining in a 23-20 Week 6 win over Oakland, finishing with four catches for 42 yards ... had season highs of 13 receptions and 123 receiving yards with a touchdown catch for the fourth time in the first five games of the season in a Week 5 win at Washington ... previous season highs were nine catches and 91 receiving yards with a touchdown reception for the third consecutive game during a Week 3 win at San Diego ... also had seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown in a Week 2 win vs. Denver; five catches for 53 yards and a touchdown in a Week 1 win at Kansas City; and five catches for 51 yards in a Week 4 victory vs. Carolina ... ranks among the NFL's all-time leaders in receptions (1195, No. 2), touchdown catches (99, No. 8T) and receiving yards (13797, No. 10) in 245 games (227 starts), having only missed two contests in his 16th NFL campaign

• Nick Harris, Detroit Lions (3-4) - Signed with Detroit following the third game and has combined to punt 24 times for 994 yards and a 41.4 yard average over the last four contests, including a season-best 44.0 yards per punt in his most recent contest in a Week 8 win over Seattle ... in his 12th NFL season, including a previous eight-season stint with the Lions (2003-10) as well as two-plus campaigns with Cincinnati (2001-03) to begin his career and one with Jacksonville (2011)

• Lavelle Hawkins, WR, Tennessee Titans (3-5) - Has four catches for 20 yards, playing in four of the first eight off the bench

• DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) - Has 34 catches for 524 yards and an average of 15.4 yards per catch in seven games (all starts), including season bests of seven receptions and 114 yards receiving in a Week 2 win vs. Baltimore ... added six catches for 99 yards and a touchdown on a 19-yard reception in a Week 4 win vs. the New York Giants; five grabs for 74 yards in a Week 6 loss to Detroit; five for 59 in a Week loss to Atlanta; four for 77 in a Week 1 win at Cleveland; four for 58 in a Week 5 loss at Pittsburgh; and three for 43 in a Week 3 loss at Arizona

• Marvin Jones, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (3-4) - Has played in five of seven games off the bench, making three catches for 26 yards ... had career bests of two catches and 21 receiving yards, and a career-long 16-yard catch in a Week 6 loss at Cleveland ... made his first NFL catch for five yards in a Week 4 win at Jacksonville

• Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints (2-5) - Has started all seven games and contributed 30 tackles, 3.0 sacks, one pass defended and one forced fumble ... had a career and game-high 11 stops in a Week 1 loss to Washington ... has notched 1.0 sack each in a Week 7 win at Tampa Bay, a Week 5 victory vs. San Diego, and a Week 2 loss at Carolina, adding a forced fumble against the Buccaneers

• Mychal Kendricks, LB, Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) - Has played in all seven games, starting the first six, and compiled 29 tackles and four passes defended, with a career-best six tackles in a Week 3 loss at Arizona and a career-high two passes defended in a Week 2 win against Baltimore

• L.P. Ladouceur, LS, Dallas Cowboys (3-4) - Has played in all seven games off the bench but has not recorded any stats ... has not missed a game since 2005, playing in all 103 regular-season contests during the last seven campaigns

• Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (4-4) - Second in the NFL in rushing with 757 yards and three touchdowns on the ground over 159 carries in eight games (all starts) ... has four 100-yard rushing games, with 26 carries for 122 yards in a Week 2 win over Dallas, 118 yards on 20 rushes in a Week 4 loss at St. Louis, 105 on 12 carries including a career long 77-yard touchdown run in a Week 8 loss at Detroit, and 103 yards on 19 carries in a Week 7 loss at San Francisco ... added season bests of four receptions and 37 receiving yards against the Rams ... also had 25 rushes for 98 yards in a Week 3 win vs. Green Bay and 21 attempts for 85 rushing yards twice, both in a Week 1 loss at Arizona and a Week 5 victory at Carolina ... has at least 85 rushing yards in seven of his eight games, with the only exception a season-low 41 yards in a Week 6 win against New England ... has fumbled only once in 2012 in the season opener at Arizona ... has added 11 catches for 84 yards, and has at least one catch in every game other than a Week 2 win against Dallas

• Alex Mack, C, Cleveland Browns (2-6) - Started his 56th consecutive regular-season NFL game (all 55 games possible since beginning his NFL career in 2009) and eighth contest of the season in a Week 8 win vs. San Diego

• Brandon Mebane, DT, Seattle Seahawks (4-4) - Has 32 tackles, 3.0 sacks and three passes defended in eight games (all starts), with a season-high seven of the tackles coming in a Week 6 win vs. New England, 2.0 sacks in a Week 3 victory over Green Bay and two of his passes defended in a season-opening Week 1 loss at Arizona ... had six tackles and 1.0 sack in his most recent contest in a Week 8 loss at Detroit

• Cameron Morrah, TE, Seattle Seahawks (4-4) - Has not played in the team's first eight games and is on the injured reserve list

• Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers (5-3) - The NFL's highest rated quarterback (107.9) who leads the league in touchdown passes (21) and completion percentage (205-297, 69.0%), while throwing only four interceptions ... also among NFL leaders in completions (205, 2nd) and passing yardage (2165, 3rd) ... was 22-of-35 for 186 yards with two touchdowns in a Week 8 win vs. Jacksonville to move into second place on Green Bay's all-time list for touchdown passes with 153 ... posted a season-high 342 passing yards and a season-best 81.1 completion percentage (30-37), with three touchdown passes and no interceptions for a 132.2 quarterback rating in a Week 7 win at St. Louis ... had a career-high and Green Bay franchise-record-tying six touchdown passes with no interceptions for a season-high 133.8 quarterback rating in a Week 6 win at Houston in which he was 24-of-37 for 338 yards ... had three TD throws in a Week 5 loss at Indianapolis in which he completed 20-of-32 passes for 235 yards and also ran for a season-high 57 yards on five carries ... posted four TD passes in a Week 4 win vs. New Orleans in which he completed a season-high 31-of-41 passes for 319 yards ... completed 26-of-39 passes for 223 yards in a Week 3 loss at Seattle ... completed 22-of-32 passes for 219 yards with a touchdown in a Week 2 win over Chicago ... was 30-of-44 for 303 yards, with two TD passes in a Week 1 loss to San Francisco ... has added 27 rushes for 129 yards ... has started all eight games in 2012

• Mitchell Schwartz, OL, Cleveland Browns (2-6) - Has started each of the first eight games of his NFL career in 2012

• Craig Stevens, TE, Tennessee Titans (3-5) - Has 15 receptions for 188 yards and a touchdown, with at least one catch in each of the first eight games (all starts), including his first touchdown catch of the season and fourth of his career in a Week 4 loss at Houston ... had season highs of five catches and 63 yards receiving in a wild 44-41 Week 3 overtime win vs. Detroit and a season-long 46-yard reception at San Diego in Week 2

• Nick Sundberg, LS, Washington Redskins (3-5) - Played in a Week 1 victory at New Orleans off the bench but has not played since and is on the injured reserve list

• Shane Vereen, RB, New England Patriots (5-3) - Has rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries ... scored on a fourth-and-one play from the Rams' one-yard line among his seven carries for 22 yards and one reception for a career-high 17 yards in a Week 8 win at St. Louis ... rushed for a career-high 49 yards on a career-high-tying eight rushes and caught one pass for 10 yards in the first start of his career in a Week 7 win over the New York Jets ... scored on a one-yard run in a Week 5 win over Denver ... played for the first time in 2012 during a Week 4 win at Buffalo, catching his first career pass for five yards and rushing one time for no gain