BuckeyeGrove.com - In the league: week seven

October 27, 2009

Ari Wasserman
Staff Writer

If there is one player the Ohio State football team is missing this season, it is former running back Beanie Wells, who used his perfect blend of power and speed to be quite the lethal back for the Buckeyes.

What's Ohio State's loss is the Arizona Cardinals' gain.

After there was some doubt as to whether he would actually make the jump to the NFL after his junior year, Wells decided to indeed pursue his career in the next level in the Cardinals selected him with the last pick of the first round in last year's NFL Draft.

While Wells has been part of the Cardinals game plan the entire year - gaining a good amount of carries in nearly every game this season - he had yet to really have a big breakout game.

On Sunday, that changed.

In Arizona's big 24-17 victory over the New York Giants, Wells rushed 14 times for 67 yards and scored his first rushing touchdown in his NFL career. His touchdown run, which went for 13 yards to give Arizona its first score of the game, sported Wells' patented stiff arm that made him so effective with Ohio State.

On top of his carries, Wells caught three passes out of the backfield for 10 yards and got 10 more carries then any other back in the Cardinals' backfield, looking as if Wells' role will continue to expand with each given week.

Dolphin duo not enough to top Saints

Perhaps the most entertaining game of the NFL weekend was the Saints' victory over the Dolphins in which New Orleans came back from 21 points down to salvage the win and stay unbeaten on the season.

The problem? Both former Buckeyes were on the other sideline.

Miami has former teammates Brian Hartline, now a rookie, and Ted Ginn Jr. in their receiving corps and both have become consistent options for quarterback Chad Henne, a former Michigan Wolverine.

Hartline, who many thought was making a poor decision by skipping out on his senior year in Columbus to jump to the NFL, has become one of Miami's starters and has sported the ability to make plays.

On Sunday, Hartline was Miami's leading receiver with three catches for 94 yards, including a big 67-yard reception from Henne. Meanwhile, Ginn caught two passes for 16 yards and rushed the ball once for five yards.

Miscellaneous performances

- Minnesota cornerback Antoine Winfield missed the game on Sunday with an injury to his right foot and the Vikings fell to the Steelers after a tough fought game. There are rumors circulating that Winfield could miss as long as a month with his injury. For the Steelers, Santonio Holmes caught two passes for 59 yards.

- Former linebacker James Laurinaitis posted four tackles for the Rams on Sunday though St. Louis lost big to Indianapolis, 42-6.

- In Atlanta's loss to the Cowboys Sunday, former wide receiver Michael Jenkins caught two passes for 22 yards.

- Former defensive back Ashton Youboty had a tackle for the Bills, who topped Carolina 20-9 on Sunday.

Ari Wasserman is a staff writer for BuckeyeGrove.com. He can be reached at Ari@BuckeyeGrove.com.

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