The NFL season ends February 5th, as the New England Patriots take on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI.

Stunning, surprising events have unfolded in the playoffs, like the Packers (15-1 in regular season) losing to the eventual NFC Champion New York Giants in the NFC Divisional round. One would think that Green Bay fans were more stunned and saddened than anything else, but who is actually surprised that the Giants–unfazed on the road over the years under head coach Tom Coughlin–made it to the Super Bowl yet again with a modest regular season record?

Over the past few years, the teams that punch their ticket to the playoffs in the final frantic games of the regular season have proven to be most dangerous.  Teams like Pittsburgh (2006 playoffs), Green Bay (last year), and the Giants have twice now arrived at the Super Bowl after winning multiple games–if not all their games–on the road.

Only one team will be content going into the 2012 season.  For everyone else, this time of the year is about contract extensions, trades, making Pro Bowl appearances, injury rehabilitation, and maybe taking a day cruise on Lake Minnetonka with some friends from Stiletto’s.

With the University of Iowa football team having 34 former players in the NFL (according to espn.com), we at KRUI Sports want to honor the Hawks who had some of the finer statistical performances of the year among their black and gold club members.

With apologies to those who’s impacts were more subtly felt on their respective team (Tyler Sash, small Giant projectile), here are some former Iowa Hawkeyes who produced the numbers (in alphabetical order):

Pat Angerer, Linebacker, Indianapolis: Angerer finished with 148 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and an interception for the 2-14 Colts.  Angerer’s numbers will surely keep him in the league, especially for teams who’s main priority is stopping the run.  Angerer was all over the field for the Colts in 2011–their record certainly not indicative of Angerer’s effort and contribution to the team.

Scott Chandler, Tight End, Buffalo: Before the 2011 season, journeyman tight end Scott Chandler had 1 catch for 8 yards before impacting the Bills in the highest.  Bills’ head coach Chan Gailey discovered that Chandler’s height (6’7”) was most useful around the goal line and in short-yardage passing situations.  Chandler could be considered a former Hawkeye/NFL Comeback Player of the Year after snaring 38 passes for 389 yards and 6 touchdowns.  As a Hawkeye, Chandler was arguably nothing special compared to former tight ends like Dallas Clark, Tony Moeaki, and Brandon Myers, who played under Kirk Ferentz.  It seems he has found his groove as a Bill, and now at least has some stats to sell to another team should he be traded.

Adrian Clayborn, Defensive End, Tampa Bay: Disappointed as Hawkeye fans were with Adrian Clayborn’s performance in 2010 (his senior year: sacks dropped from 11.5 in ’09 to 3.5 in 2010), it would be hard to convince Tampa Bay’s incoming coach Greg Schiano that Clayborn is not worth keeping around.  As a rookie, Clayborn tallied 42 tackles, forced 3 fumbles, and produced 7.5 sacks for the underachieving Bucks.  Schiano will expect more sacks from Clayborn, but overall it was an ingratiating rookie season for the defensive end.

Shonn Greene, Running Back, New York Jets: By his third season in the NFL–all with the New York Jets–Shonn Greene has finally had the type of season that most Hawkeye fans expect him to.  Greene set career highs for rushes (253),  yards (1,054), and touchdowns (6).  Though perhaps meager numbers for a starting NFL rusher, the former Doak Walker award winner is just beginning his career in the league and could have used more help from a Jets offensive line that fizzled–a reflection of his team that finished 8-8.  Fajitas sizzle, Alka-Seltzers fizzle.  Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan knows as much.

Chad Greenway, Linebacker, Minnesota: The Vikings’ upper management can look at Chad Greenway as one of the safest first-round draft picks in the past decade for the organization.  Yet again, Mr. Greenway led the team in tackles with 154 in 2011.  Since coming back from a torn knee ligament at the beginning of his rookie season in 2006, Greenway has been piling up more tackles than anyone else on the team.  And although he did not chip in any forced fumbles or interceptions, his nearly ten tackles per game were good enough to get him a Pro Bowl invitation as a substitute.

Karl Klug, Defensive Tackle, Tennessee: So many factors work against Klug in the NFL.  He plays one of the most exertive positions in the NFL (defensive tackle, or any position on either line for that matter), he’s undersized for such a position, weighing in at 275 pounds.  He is probably heavier than that, but is no where near the weight of flesh plugs B.J. Raji or Vince Wilfork.  Add in the fact that he was a rookie in 2011, and most would accept a “learning” year from Klug.  Not so, as Karl amassed 7 sacks and 2 forced fumbles on 20 tackles for the Titans as a reserve tackle.  What’s notable is that Klug played as a substitute and notched 7 sacks, which is high even for a starting defensive tackle.

Amari Spievey, Safety, Detroit: No observant football fan would confuse the 2011 Detroit Lions defense to, say, the 2011 defense of the Baltimore Ravens.  That being said, Spievey turned in a solid second year in the league.  He set career highs in tackles (70, which is on the high end for a defensive back) and interceptions (3).  If the Lions don’t want to lean on Spievey to contain big plays down field, they should work on getting their linebackers and defensive lineman more tackles–which would naturally make them a better defense.

Casey Wiegmann, Center, Kansas City: Wiegmann did not make the Pro Bowl for this past season’s work, not even close, and Kansas City stumbled to a 7-9 record.  Why is Wiegmann here?  Because he’s the last Hawkeye in the NFL who played all of his college years for only Hayden Fry.  Wiegmann finished 2011 as his 16th year in the league, and has some ridiculous records for consecutive snaps played.  He could have played with Nile Kinnick on the 1939 Iron Man team, he’s that tough and durable.  Wiegmann will likely retire this offseason, but don’t be surprised if he gives it one more year.

Marshal Yanda, Guard, Baltimore: Yanda is a hot commodity for the Ravens.  Before the season started, he signed a nice contract extension.  He thanked the Ravens for the deal with a season of results that earned him a starting Pro Bowl invitation.  He’s the only Hawkeye in the NFL who made the Pro Bowl as a starter.

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Elsewhere in the world, former Hawkeye cornerback Jovon Johnson won the Canadian Football League’s Defensive Player of the Year.  The Winnipeg Blue Bomber trapped 8 interceptions (returned 2 for touchdowns) to go along with 53 tackles.  Johnson is the first defensive back to ever take the defensive POY honor.  His team lost to the B.C. Lions in the Grey Cup this past November.

Former Hawkeye quarterback Drew Tate signed a contract extension with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders.  Tate took over the starting job for the last three regular season games, winning all of them, before losing in the first round of the CFL playoffs.

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Now, here are some pictures of Kirk Ferentz shirtless.

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The post Hawkeyes in the NFL: Best of 2011 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It’s been a while since we at KRUI have done a “Hawks in the NFL” piece.  The fact of the matter is, it really hasn’t been a great year for Iowa alums in the League.  Some of the NFL’s most consistent contributors who once wore the black jersey have either been injured or now play for loathsome teams.

Dallas Clark, for instance, has had little come his way because of Peyton Manning’s absence.  Curtis Painter (the Colt’s backup quarterback) just can’t seem to get the ball out of his hands in an accurate and timely manner without getting crushed by an opponent.  Break-out player of 2010, Tony Moeaki, has been on the Kansas City Chiefs’ injured reserve before the season began with a torn knee ligament.  Aaron Kampman is still working his way back from a torn ACL.  Bob Sanders is gone with some injury, again.  So without further ado, here are some of the better game and seasonal performances by former Hawkeyes in the NFL.

–Jonathan Babineaux got his first sack of the year in his Falcons’ 31-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.  Babineaux sacked the aforementioned Mr. Painter, likely Mr. Painter’s multiple endured sack of the game.

–Pat Angerer notched 8 tackles for the Colts in their loss to the Falcons.  On the year, Angerer has 98 tackles and one forced fumble for the winless Colts.

-Double-chinned journeyman tight end Scott Chandler leads the Buffalo Bills in receiving touchdowns (6), but did not snare a score in the Bills’ 27-11 loss to the Jets on Sunday.  He did have 3 catches for 24 yards.  For proof of jowly double-chin, visit here.  For a surprise Hawkeye double-chin, visit here or here.

–Shonn Greene lugged the rawhide 19 times for 76 yards for the Jets in their win over the Bills.  As the Jets’ starting tailback, Greene has 502 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the year.

-In a fantastic, record-ending win over the New England Patriots, New York Giant safety Tyler Sash made two tackles, both solo, to help the Giants beat New England at Gillette Stadium, 24-20. Both of Sash’s tackles forced fumbles.  The Giants forced four total turnovers in the win, breaking the Patriots’ 20-game regular-season home win streak. Tom Brady, not of the double-chin variety, left the game notably upset.  Rumor has it he was greeted by Gisele outside the Patriots’ locker room with a fur coat and a glass of aged Pinot Noir.

–Amari Spievey, former Hawkeye cornerback and current safety on the born-from-the-ashes Detroit Lions, had 6 solo tackles in their 45-10 win at Denver on October 30th.  In 2011, Spievey has 32 tackles and three interceptions.

The post Hawks in the NFL: Catching Up appeared first on KRUI Radio.

There are over thirty former Hawkeyes in the NFL.  Here are a few instances of Hawkeye alumni having a nice moment or a glowing stat line in Sunday’s National Football League action.

–Jason Baker averaged 41 yards a punt, landed two punts inside the 20 yard line, and hit a long of 56 yards in his Carolina Panthers’ loss to the Arizona Cardinals, 28-21.

–Bob Sanders, returning to action at safety for the first time in many moons (now a Charger), recorded six tackles, including three solo tackles in the Chargers’ 24-17 win over Minnesota.  Viking Chad Greenway, who recently signed a lucrative 5-year contract, tallied eight tackles (all solo) and two tackles for loss.

-Safety/corner Amari Spievey led his fellow Detroit Lions in tackles with seven (all solo) in the Lions’ 27-20 win over Tampa Bay.

–Matt Roth lassoed Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck into a sack in the Jaguars 16-14 win over Tennessee.

-Colts second-year linebacker Pat Angerer recovered a fumble and led the Colts’ defense with thirteen total tackles (nine solo) and one tackle for loss.  Veteran Pro-Bowl NFL tight end Dallas Clark had four catches for 39 yards.  Both performances were virtually fruitless, however, as the Houston Texans dismissed the Colts by halftime, building a 34-0 lead.

-Here’s a name you haven’t seen for a while, if ever: Scott Chandler, the starting tight end for the Hawkeyes from 2004-2006, caught five passes for 63 yards and TWO touchdowns.  Amazing, considering he had one career catch for 14 yards.  Chandler started his career with San Diego and Dallas before being cut by both teams.  Astonishingly, the guy who was dependable but never spectacular for the Hawkeyes breaks into the starting role for the Bills.  Former Coe College running back Fred Jackson rushed twenty times for 112 yards for the Bills.  Cheers to Jackson, who has had a longer and more overwhelming journey to NFL stardom than Chandler and pretty much anyone else I can recollect.

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