Ohio State Buckeyes in the NFL, Week 16: Nick Mangold injury woes underscore tough weekend

It was somewhat of a quiet week for former Buckeyes in the NFL. The Eagles took on Washington on Saturday night and lost a stunner on the road, making their road to a potential playoff spot much more difficult. Safety Malcolm Jenkins, a former Buckeye, contributed two tackles and two sacks for the Eagles. Jenkins also forced a fumble for Philadelphia, but the Eagles lost, 27-24.

The Panthers, trying to maintain a narrow lead in the NFC South, welcomed Cleveland to Bank of America stadium and got a win. For the Panthers, former Buckeye Philly Brown had two receptions for 22 yards. Safety Donte Whitner had five tackles and three assists for the Browns. Johnny Manziel left the game with an injury, and Brian Hoyer's efforts in his stead were not enough to carry Cleveland to a victory. The Panthers won, 17-13.

The Texans, with Case Keenum under center, got a big win against the Ravens at home on Sunday. Former Buckeye John Simon had one assist for the Houston defense. The Texans won, 25-13.

The Jets lost a very close one at home to the Patriots, falling 17-16 to New England, and former Buckeye and current Jets center Nick Mangold suffered what appeared to be a very serious ankle injury and was carted off the field in the second quarter. There's no love lost between the Patriots and Jets, but members of both teams surrounded Mangold to show their support as he was placed onto the cart. Initial x-rays revealed no fracture, and Mangold will undergo further tests to determine the extent of the injury tomorrow.

The Chiefs traveled to Pittsburgh and dropped a game to the Steelers, allowing the Steelers to clinch a playoff spot. For the Chiefs, safety Kurt Coleman had four tackles. Pittsburgh's Will Allen had three tackles and three assists and rookie Ryan Shazier added two tackles. Defensive end Cameron Heyward had two tackles, two assists, three quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks for the Steelers, who won, 20-12.

The Packers beat the Bucs in Tampa Bay with a final score of 20-3. Former Buckeye A.J. Hawk had two tackles for the Packers in the victory. With the win, Hawks' Packers clinched a playoff bid.

The New York Giants improved to a 6-9 record with a victory over the Rams in St. Louis. For the Giants, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins contributed one assist. The Rams' James Laurinaitis had five tackles and four assists in the 37-27 loss.

The Colts really struggled on the road against the Cowboys. Dan "Boom" Herron had three net rushing yards on seven attempts, and while Herron did get the most opportunities in the Colts' run game, the Cowboys were dominant to the point that the Colts were forced to take to the air early. Herron also added 37 receiving yards for Indianapolis. The Colts lost with a final score of 42-7.

It was a very long night for the Cardinals on Sunday Night Football as the Seahawks dominated them in Arizona. Former Buckeye Ted Ginn, Jr. finished the day with 60 kick return yards on three attempts, including a long of 29.

Keep an eye out for former Buckeyes Bradley Roby and Mike Nugent as Roby's Broncos and Nugent's Bengals face off tonight on Monday Night Football.