Nov. 26, 2012

BERKELEY - Big plays highlighted the performances of former Cal football players in the NFL during Week 12 of the 2012 season that will conclude with a Monday Night Football Game between the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The week's two biggest plays by former Golden Bears both came on Thanksgiving Day, with Justin Forsett scoring on a controversial 81-yard run in a 34-31 Houston overtime victory against Detroit and Shane Vereen catching an 83-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the Patriots' 49-19 victory over the Jets.

Several others among the 32 former Cal players (second among Pac-12 teams) currently on active NFL rosters have made a major impact throughout the 2012 season, including reigning AP NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and Marshawn Lynch, the top-rated passer and third-leading rusher in the NFL, respectively. Thomas DeCoud (Atlanta Falcons), Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons) and Forsett each play on teams with 10-1 records that are tied for best in the league.

Here's the latest look at all of the former Cal players currently in the NFL.

• Lorenzo Alexander, LB, Washington Redskins (5-6) - Has played in all 11 games off the bench, contributing 27 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 (2-9) - Has started each of the first 11 games and contributed 30 tackles, 2.0 sacks and one pass breakup ... posted a season-high six stops in a Week 2 loss to Houston; had five tackles, 1.0 sacks and one pass breakup in a Week 10 loss to Indianapolis; and four tackles and 1.0 sack in a Week 1 loss at Minnesota

• Bryan Anger, P, Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) - The NFL's second-ranked punter, who has totaled 3,088 yards on 64 punts to rank second and third in the league, respectively, while also forcing opponents into 17 fair catches to rank tied for fourth, posting a 41.9 yard net punting average that is eighth, posted a 48.3 yards per punt average to rank ninth and pinned opponents inside their own 20-yardline 18 times ... tied for the longest punt in the NFL in 2012 when he booted one 73 yards in a Week 9 loss vs. Detroit ... has at least one punt of 55 yards in all 11 of his contests and at least one of 60 on seven occasions ... has averaged over 50.0 yards per punt four times, including a career-high 53.5 in both a Week 1 loss at Minnesota and a Week 3 win at Indianapolis, as well as over 40.0 in each of his 11 games ... has forced his opponents into at least one fair catch in each of his 11 games, while pinning opponents inside their 20-yardline at least once nine of 11 times, including a career-high four times in five punts in his most recent outing in a Week 12 win vs. Tennessee ... punted a career-high-tying nine times in a Week 2 loss to Houston and a Week 7 overtime loss at Oakland, picking up a career-high 470 punting yards and a 52.2 average against the Texans

• Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Philadelphia Eagles (3-7) - Has 29 tackles, an interception and nine passes defended in 10 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 ... will next play in a Week 12 Monday Night Football Game vs. Carolina

• Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions (4-7) - Has not played in first 11 games ... currently on the physically unable to participate (PUP) list

• Desmond Bishop, LB, Green Bay Packers (7-4) - Has not played in first 11 games and is on the injured reserve list

• D.J. Campbell, S, Carolina Panthers (2-8) - Has not played in first 10 games

• Andre Carter, DE, Oakland Raiders (3-8) - Has played in each of the last seven games off the bench, contributing nine tackles, 1.0 sack and one forced fumble ... had a season-high four tackles in a Week 10 loss at Baltimore ... had two tackles along with his sack and first forced fumble of the season coming in a Week 9 loss vs. Tampa Bay ... also had one tackle in a Week 12 loss at Cincinnati, a Week 6 loss at Atlanta and a Week 7 overtime win against Jacksonville ... 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 503 tackles, 77.0 sacks and 18 forced fumbles over 170 games 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 (8-3) - Has 53 tackles, two interceptions that he has returned for 70 yards that he returned 35 yards and eight passes defended while starting each of the team's first 11 games ... posted his first interception and first two passes defended against Indianapolis and former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck in the season opener, while his second pick and two more passes defended came in a Week 12 victory over Minnesota ... had a career-high 11 tackles in a Week 4 Monday Night Football victory at Dallas, contributed eight stops in a Week 8 win vs. Carolina and six in a Week 7 victory vs. Detroit ... had a season-high three passes defended in a Week 9 win at Tennessee

• Brian De La Puente, OG, New Orleans Saints (5-6) - Has started all 11 games

• Thomas DeCoud, S, Atlanta Falcons (10-1) - Tied for fourth in the NFL with four interceptions that he has returned 37 yards ... has started all 11 games for a team that has an 10-1 record that is tied for the best mark in the NFL, contributing 48 tackles, 1.0 sack and six passes defended ... 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 and six in a Week 10 loss at New Orleans

Justin Forsett

• Justin Forsett, RB, Houston Texans (10-1) - Has played in all 11 games off the bench for a team that has a 10-1 record that is tied for the best in the NFL ... has rushed 45 times for 300 yards and one touchdown ... lone score came on a controversial 81-yard run in a Week 12 overtime win at Detroit as he finished with five carries for a season-high 87 yards ... had a season-high-tying seven carries for 59 yards, including a game-long 30-yarder in a Week 11 overtime win vs. Jacksonville ... has had the game's longest run for each of the past two contests ... posted a team-high 47 yards on a season-high-tying seven carries in a Week 6 loss vs. Green Bay; 32 yards on six carries in a Week 7 win vs. Baltimore and 27 on four carries in a Week 10 victory at Chicago that included a 25-yard rush

• Scott Fujita, LB, Cleveland Browns (3-8) - Placed on injured reserve on Oct. 27 after having played in four games with three starts over the season's first five weeks, 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 (3-8) - Has started each of the last nine games and played in all 11, making 39 tackles, recording one interception that he returned 21 yards in a Week 8 win at Kansas City and totaling two passes defended, adding one in a Week 12 loss at Cincinnati ... posted a season-high eight stops in a Week 4 loss at Denver, while adding seven in a Week 12 loss at Cincinnati and a Week 3 victory over Pittsburgh

• Tony Gonzalez, TE, Atlanta Falcons (10-1) - Has started all 11 games for a team that has 10-1 record that is tied for the best in the NFL ... tied for sixth in the league with 69 receptions for 712 yards and six touchdown catches ... scored the 100th and 101st receiving touchdowns of his career to move into sixth place on the NFL's all-time list for touchdown receptions and become the first tight end to crack three digits in scoring catches in a Week 10 loss at New Orleans, moving past a pair of legendary NFL wide receivers in Steve Largent and Tim Brown who are now tied for seventh with 100 each ... finished with 11 catches for 122 yards against the Saints in what was the first blemish of the season on Atlanta's 2012 record ... 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 ... had season highs of 13 receptions and 123 yards receiving with a touchdown catch for the fourth time in the first five games of the season in a Week 5 win at Washington ... had nine catches and 91 receiving yards with a touchdown reception for the third consecutive game during a Week 3 win at San Diego ... has five or more catches seven times including each of his first five games, adding seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown in a Week 2 win vs. Denver; five catches for 62 yards in a Week 12 win at Tampa Bay; 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 (1218, 2nd), touchdown catches (101, 6th) and receiving yards (14050, 7th) in 249 games (231 starts), having only missed two contests in his 16th NFL campaign and two starts over the last 15 seasons after coming off the bench in every game as a rookie with Kansas City in 1997 ... his 14,050 all-time receiving yards rank second among all active NFL players behind only the 15,124 by Randy Moss of the San Francisco 49ers

• Nick Harris, Detroit Lions (4-7) - Has combined to punt 43 times for 1,738 yards and a 40.4 yard average over the last eight contests after signing with Detroit following the third game of the 2012 season ... has a net punting average of 36.9 yards per game ... posted a season-best 49.5 yards per punt in a Week 9 win over Jacksonville, while punting a career-high-tying eight times both in a Week 7 win at Philadelphia and a Week 12 overtime loss vs. Houston ... has pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line on 13 occasions, including a season-high four times in his first game of the campaign in a Week 4 loss vs. Minnesota and in his most recent outing in a Week 12 overtime loss to Houston ... has forced 17 fair catches, including at least one in seven of eight games ... had his longest punt of the season with a 58-yarder in a Week 7 loss at Chicago ... 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 (4-7) - Has four catches for 20 yards, playing in four of the first 10 games off the bench

• DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (3-7) - Has 44 catches for 691 receiving yards and two touchdowns receptions, with an average of 15.7 yards per catch in nine games (all starts), including season bests of seven receptions and 114 yards receiving in a Week 2 win vs. Baltimore and his second 100-yard receiving game in a Week 9 loss at New Orleans when he had an even 100 yards receiving on three catches, including a season-long 77-yard touchdown reception that was his NFL-leading third touchdown reception of 75 or more yards since 2008 ... 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 62 in a Week 10 loss to Dallas; 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 ... will next play in a Week 12 Monday Night Football Game vs. Carolina

• Marvin Jones, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (6-5) - Has played in six of 11 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 (5-6) - Has started all 11 games and contributed 46 tackles, 6.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defended ... had a huge game in a Week 9 win over Philadelphia, with a career-high 3.0 sacks among his six tackles while adding his second forced fumble of the season ... had a career and game-high 11 stops in a Week 1 loss to Washington ... 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 (3-7) - Has played in all 10 games with nine starts and compiled 48 tackles, 1.0 sack and four passes defended, with a career-high-tying seven tackles in each of his last two games in a Week 10 loss to Dallas and a Week 11 win at Washington, adding his first career sack against the Cowboys ... also had six tackles in a Week 3 loss at Arizona and a career-high two passes defended in a Week 2 win against Baltimore ... will next play in a Week 12 Monday Night Football Game vs. Carolina

• L.P. Ladouceur, LS, Dallas Cowboys (5-6) - Has played in all 11 games off the bench but not recorded any stats other than participation ... has not missed a game since 2005, playing in all 107 regular-season contests during the last seven campaigns

• Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (6-5) - Third in the NFL in rushing yards (1051) and second with 231 carries, while posting five rushing touchdowns ... went over the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive season and fourth time in his career in a Week 10 win over the New York Jets, rushing a season-high 27 times for a season-high-tying 124 yards after also totaling 124 yards on 26 carries in a Week 9 win against Minnesota, with a rushing TD in each game ... has six 100-yard rushing games, adding 122 yards on 26 carries in a Week 2 win over Dallas; 118 yards on 20 rushes in a Week 4 loss at St. Louis;105 yards 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 ... 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 nine of 11 games, with the only exceptions 46 yards in his most recent contest in a Week 12 loss at Miami and a season-low 41 yards in a Week 6 win against New England ... has added 16 catches for 138 yards, with at least one catch in every game other than a Week 2 win against Dallas, season bests of four receptions and 37 receiving yards in a Week 4 victory at St. Louis and a season-long catch of 26 yards in a Week 10 win over the New York Jets

• Alex Mack, C, Cleveland Browns (3-8) - Started his 59th consecutive regular-season NFL game (all 59 games possible since beginning his NFL career in 2009) and 11th contest of the season in a Week 12 win vs. Pittsburgh

• Brandon Mebane, DT, Seattle Seahawks (6-5) - Has 46 tackles, 3.0 sacks and three passes defended in 11 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 a sack among his six tackles in a Week 8 loss at Detroit and also had six tackles in a Week 10 win over the New York Jets

• Cameron Morrah, TE, Seattle Seahawks (6-5) - Has not played in the team's first 11 games and is on the injured reserve list

• Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers (7-4) - The NFL's top-rated passer (105.6) for all with at least two attempts per game who is also among NFL leaders in touchdown passes (28, 2nd), completion percentage (252-379, 66.5%, 6th) among those with at least two attempts per game, completions (252, 9th) and passing yardage (2838, 12th) ... has thrown only seven interceptions, tied for the fourth lowest total for quarterbacks with at least 300 passing attempts ... was 14-of-25 for 219 yards, with a touchdown and an interception in a Week 12 loss at the New York Giants in his most recent outing ... was 19-of-27 for 236 yards, with two touchdown passes and an interception in a Week 11 win at Detroit ... threw four touchdown passes in a 31-17 Week 9 victory over Arizona (14-30-218-4 TD-1 INT) for his third game of four more touchdown tosses in 2012, while adding a season-high eight rushes for 33 yards ... 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 ... 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 39 rushes for 187 yards ... has started all 11 games in 2012

• Mitchell Schwartz, OL, Cleveland Browns (3-8) - Has started each of the first 11 games of his NFL career in 2012

• Craig Stevens, TE, Tennessee Titans (4-7) - Has 19 receptions for 233 yards and a touchdown, with at least one catch in each of the first 11 games (all starts) ... had 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 (5-6) - Has returned from the injured reserve list to play in a Week 11 win vs. Philadelphia and a Week 12 victory at Dallas ... has played in a total of three games off the bench, also playing in a Week 1 victory at New Orleans off the bench before missing the next eight games on the injured reserve list

• Will Ta'ufo'ou, Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) - Made his NFL debut in a Week 9 loss vs. Detroit and has played in four games off the bench, making his first career NFL catch for five yards in a Week 12 victory vs. Tennessee

• Shane Vereen, RB, New England Patriots (8-3) - Has rushed for 159 yards and three touchdowns on 43 carries, while adding seven receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown ... had a career-long 83-yard touchdown catch in his most recent outing in a Week 12 win at the New York Jets, finishing with 10 catches for 42 yards and two catches for 91 yards ... has rushed for a touchdown in three of the last five games he has played in ... rushed a career-high 11 times for 40 yards and a score, while adding one catch for 11 yards in his most recent outing in a Week 11 win vs. Indianapolis ... had five rushes for five yards and one catch for 11 in a Week 10 win over Buffalo ... 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 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