The 2020-21 NFL season has kicked off with South County playing talent once again on board.
Mater Dei Catholic High School alumnus Jason Myers converted all five point-after touchdowns he attempted in Sunday night’s 35-30 victory by the host Seattle Seahawks over the New England Patriots.
Myers is 10-for-10 with a 42-yard field goal in two games for the unbeaten Seahawks (2-0).
Myers kicked five PAT conversions and tacked on a field goal in Seattle’s 38-25 win at Atlanta on Sept. 13.
This is Myers’ sixth season in the NFL and his second with the Seahawks after previously logging time with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2015-17) and New York Jets (2018).
He signed a four-year $15.45 million contract with Seattle in March 2019.
He appeared in 38 games with the Jaguars during which he made 76 of 88 PAT conversions (88.4 percent) and 64 of 79 field goal attempts (81 percent). He appeared in 16 games for the Jets with 30 of 33 successful extra-point conversions (90.9 percent) and 33 of 36 field goals attempts made (91.7 percent).
In 18 games in Seattle, Myers has kicked 50 of 54 extra-point conversions (92.6 percent) and made 24 of 29 field goal attempts (82.8 percent).
In 72 career NFL games, he has made 156 of 175 extra-point conversions (89.1 percent) and 121 of 141 field goal attempts (84 percent). He was voted to the 2019 Pro Bowl.
Myers played four years of football and soccer and three years of baseball at Mater Dei Catholic, winning San Diego Section Division IV and Southern California regional state boys soccer titles in 2009 to cap his senior season.
He earned Mesa League Kicker of the Year honors in football as a senior in 2008 after earning South Bay League Kicker of the Year honors as a junior in 2007.
He capped his prep career by earning the section’s Division IV boys soccer player of the year award.
Myers attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. where he served as the team’s primary kicker. He kicked a 49-yard field goal in a 2011 game at Davidson to set a school record.
He was an All-Pioneer Football League honorable mention as a sophomore, junior and senior. He led the team in scoring with 41 points as a junior after scoring 43 points as a sophomore.
In Sunday’s nationally televised game, Myers came on the field to add an extra point in the scoring column each time following a touchdown pass by quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson threw five touchdowns in the game — all to different receivers.
Wilson finished the game with 288 passing yards with touchdown passes to D.K. Metcalf (four catches, 92 yards), Tyler Lockett (seven catches, 67 yards), David Moore (three catches, 48 yards), Chris Carson (three catches, 36 yards) and Freddie Swain (one catch, 21 yards).
Wilson leads the league with nine touchdown passes in two games.
But the outcome was decided on a defensive play as New England quarterback Cam Newton was tackled short of the goal line on the final play of the game.
Newton had set up the Patriots for a potential comeback victory after completing a pass to the one-yard line with three seconds left on the game clock.
New England fell to 1-1. Julian Edelman recorded a personal best performance by reeling in eight passes for 179 yards. Newton finished the exciting contest with 397 passing yards while passing for one score and rushing for two touchdowns.
Joe Cardona, a 2010 graduate of Granite Hills High School, is in his sixth season as the long-snapper for the Patrioits and has won two Super Bowl championships with New England.
Including Monday’s game, Cardona has appeared in 82 career games for the Pats.
NFL star watch
Helix Charter and Bonita Vista Middle School alumnus Alex Smith made the 53-man roster for the Washington Football Team after successful rehabilitation from a compound leg fracture suffered during the 2018 season. He missed all last year while undergoing 17 surgeries to prevent amputation. He participated in pregame warmups but did not see action in the team’s 27-17 win over the visiting Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.
Smith, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the 49ers, played seven seasons in San Francisco, with an appearance in the 2013 Super Bowl, before moving over to the Kansas City Chiefs for five seasons.
He passed for 2,180 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in the 2018 season with Washington after passing for 4,042 yards with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2017 with the Chiefs to earn the league’s top passer rating (104.7).
His career numbers include 34,068 passing yards with 193 touchdowns and 101 interceptions.
He played college football for the Utah Utes, earning the 2004 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year honors while leading the Utes to a Fiesta Bowl victory. He finished 21-1 as a starter.
Matadors’ Cory Littleton — from a Ram to a Raider
Mount Miguel High School alumnus Cory Littleton was credited with two tackles in the Las Vegas Raiders 34-30 road win over the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 13 in the teams’ season opener.
Littleton, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Washington, signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 2016 and played four seasons there, including the team’s trip to the Super Bowl in 2019.
He signed a three-year $36 million contract with the Raiders on March 25.
He grew used to winning with the Rams and so far it’s been no different with the Raiders, who christened their new home Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with an impressive 34-24 victory against the high-powered New Orleans Saints on Monday night.
Middleton contributed three tackles as his new team improved to 2-0 atop the AFC West.
Matador pride
Littleton earned First Team All-San Diego Section honors as a junior and senior at defensive end for the Matadors. He also earned accolades as the Grossmont Valley League Defensive Player of the Year his junior and senior years at the Spring Valley school.
Littleton helped guide the Matadors to an 8-2 record and a berth in the section’s Division IV quarterfinal playoffs as a senior in 2011.
The Matadors finished 8-2-1 his junior year and also reached the section quarterfinals.
He also played basketball while a Matador.
Next level
In four years at the University of Washington, Littleton logged 99 unassisted tackles, 176 total tackles, with 12 sacks and three forced fumbles.
He made four tackles, receiving credit for a half-sack in the Huskies’ win over BYU in the Fight Hunger Bowl as a sophomore in 2013.
He played in all 14 games as a junior and started all 13 games as a senior, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 to cap his college career. He had six tackles and one pass break-up in the team’s win over Southern Miss in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.
He was named the L. Wait Rising Front 7 Man of the Year and won the Chuck Niemi Big Hit Award at the team’s postseason awards ceremony.
Despite the college honors, he went undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft and later signed a three-year $1.63 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $15,000 signing bonus.
He proved to be a bargain over the duration of his contract with the Rams.
He finished his rookie season with 20 tackles, including 15 solo stops, in 16 games and one start. He collected a season high eight combined tackles in a 26-10 loss at the New England Patriots.
Those numbers earned him honors as the Carroll Rosenbloom Memorial Award as the team’s rookie of the year.
He came back stronger in his second pro season with 36 total tackles, including 22 unassisted tackles, four pass deflections, one sack and one interception in 16 games and four starts.
In Week 16 of the 2017 regular season, he made seven total tackles, deflected a pass, recorded his first NFL ack and interception in a 27-23 road game victory at the Tennessee Titans.
Littleton earned a role as a starting inside linebacker to start the 2018 season and made 13 tackles (11 unassisted), had one pass break-up and interception in a 33-13 road win at the Oakland Raiders.
He was credited with the first safety of his NFL career when he blocked a punt out of the end zone in a Week 7 39-10 road victory at the San Francisco 49ers.
Littleton earned praise from Rams head coach Sean McVey and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips for his stellar play in helping lead the Rams to a 13-3 regular season record and an eventual berth in the Super Bowl.
Littleton finished the regular season with 125 tackles, a career high four sacks, 13 pass deflections, three interceptions, one forced fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown in 16 games – all starts.
He had seven tackles in a 30-22 playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys and 12 tackles in a 26-23 overtime win over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC championship game.
In a 13-3 loss to the Patriots in the Super Bowl, the former Matador logged 10 tackles, two passes defended and an interception.
He was voted to participate in the 2019 Pro Bowl Game as a special teams starter.
He signed a one-year $3.095 million contract as a second-round restricted free agent for the 2019 season.
He continued to excel on the field with a career-high 134 tackles, 3.5 sacks, nine pass deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 16 games — all starts.
He recorded 14 tackles and intercepted Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in a 30-27 road win to kick off the season.
Derek Carr (Fresno State) led the Raiders with 282 passing yards and three touchdowns in Monday night’s showcase win over the Saints after being out-played on both sides of the ball in the first quarter while trailing 10-0.
Carr passed for 239 yards with one touchdown while Joshua Jacobs rushed for 93 yards and three scores in the Raiders’ season opening 34-30 win at Carolina.
Despite the history-making occasion of the new stadium opening, there was no in-person attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Extra points
Joe Cardona, a 2010 of Granite Hills High School, is in his sixth season as the long snapper for the Patriots.
Cardona has won two Super Bowl championships with New England.
Including Monday’s game, Cardona has appeared in 82 games for the Pats in his career.
Aztecs in the NFL
The 2020-21 NFL season has kicked off with a number of former San Diego State University players in tow.
Returners include long snapper Aaron Brewer (2012 free agent) with the Arizona Cardinals, cornerback Demontae Kazee (2017 draft) with the Atlanta Falcons, outside linebacker Calvin Munson (2017 free agent) with the Miami Dolphins, outside linebacker Daniel Brunskill (2017 free agent) with the San Francisco 49ers, defensive end Alex Barrett (2017 free agent) with the 49ers, fullback Nick Bawden (2018 draft) with the Detroit Lions, running back Rashaad Penny (2018 draft) with the Seattle Seahawks, offensive tackle Ryan Pope (2019 free agent) with the Green Bay Packers, tight end Kahale Warring (2019 draft) with the Houston Texans.
Newcomers include left cornerback Luq Barcoo (2020 free agent) by the Jacksonville Jaguars and offensive center Keith Ismael (2020 draft) by the Washington Football Team.
•Kazee (2013-16) drew the start at safety for Atlanta in its season-opening 38-25 loss against Seattle. The former two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year made four solo tackles in the game, while playing all 62 snaps on defense as well as five on special teams.
Kazee came back to lead Atlanta with eight tackles (seven unassisted) in its dramatic 40-39 loss at Dallas in Week 2. He started the game and appeared in 77 defensive snaps and 11 special teams snaps that saw the Falcons surrender a 39-24 lead in the fourth quarter.
•Brunskill (2013-16) started at guard for San Francisco in its 24-20 season opening loss to the Cardinals and was on the field for all 62 offensive snaps, plus four on special teams.
Brunskill drew the start at right guard and saw action for 53 snaps on offense and five on special teams in San Francisco’s 31-13 win over the New York Jets in Week 2.
•Brewer appeared in 10 special teams snaps for the Cardinals in their win over the 49ers while Munson (eight snaps) and Warring (nine snaps) also saw special teams play against New England (21-11 loss) and Kansas City (34-20 loss), respectively.
Brewer (2008-11) recovered a Steven Sims fumble on a punt in the first quarter in Arizona’s 30-15 win over Washington in Week 2 to set up the Cardinals’ second touchdown in the game. Brewer played 10 snaps on special teams in the game.
Munson (2013-16) made one tackle in Miami’s 31-28 loss to Buffalo while playing eight defensive snaps and 18 special teams snaps.
•Rookies Ismael (2017-19) and Barcoo (2018-19) did not play in wins for their respective teams in Week 1 and also did not see any game action in Week 2, while Penny (2014-17) is on the physically unable to perform list for Seattle and Bawden (2014, 2016-17) is on injured reserve for Detroit.
•Green Bay recently assigned Pope (2016-18) to their practice squad, while Houston placed Warring (2017-18) on injured reserve. Warring is eligible to return in Week 5.
MLB on Deck: Pads in the postseason
The San Diego Padres used a three-run 11th inning rally on Sunday to defeat the Seattle Mariners, 7-4, at Petco Park to officially clinch a berth in Major League Baseball’s upcoming 2020 championship playoffs.
The Padres improved to 34-20 as they approach the end of their 60-game regular season schedule and currently are the No. 4 ranked team in the eight-team National League playoff pool. They would face the No. 5 ranked team in the best-of-three wild card series.
It will be the Padres’ first playoff appearance in 14 years.
Padres-Cardinals playoff preview
The San Diego Padres and Valhalla High School alumnus Greg Garcia are headed to Major League Baseball’s 2020 playoffs.
The Padres finished 37-22 in second place in the National League West Division standings in the shortened 60-game regular season to secure their postseason berth. It marks the first time in 14 years that the Padres have qualified for the playoffs.
Based on their record, the Padres secured the No. 4 ranking among NL teams and will meet the fifth-ranked St. Louis Cardinals in the best-of-three opening round series. The Cardinals (30-28) finished second in the NL Central Division.
The Padres, as the higher-seeded team, are scheduled to host Game 1 on Wednesday (Sept. 30) and Game 2 on Thursday (Oct. 1), with a possible Game 3 at Petco Park on Friday (Oct. 2).
The Padres will be out to erase some frustration after being bounced from the playoffs by the Cardinals in 1996, 2005 and 2006.
The Padres’ 5-4 win in San Francisco on Sunday bounced the Giants from this year’s playoffs as San Francisco finished third in the NL West with a 29-31 record. The Milwaukee Brewers finished with the same record but earned the tiebreaker against the Giants based on records against teams in their respective divisions.
The Pads’ .617 winning percentage is the best in franchise history, topping the .606 mark the team set in 1998 en route to an appearance in the World Series.
Garcia appeared in 35 regular season games for the Padres this season while hitting .200 with three doubles, 11 RBI, one stolen base and six runs scored.
This is Garcia’s second year with the Pads after hitting .248 with 13 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 31 RBI last season as the Friars failed to qualify for postseason play.
Garcia collected one RBI in Sunday’s regular season finale.
Wil Myers led the Friars with two RBI, including a solo home run in the second inning. Jorge Mateo and Mitch Moreland also drove in runs.
It took the combined effort of seven pitchers to eliminate the Giants from the playoffs. Adrian Morejon led the group with four strikeouts in two-and-two-thirds innings while Trevor Rosenthal, throwing a 100 mph heater, struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth inning to preserve the win.
Manny Machado, who appeared in all 60 regular season games, led the Padres with a .304 hitting average among active players while Myers ranked second with a .288 average. Machado topped the team with 47 RBI, followed by Fernando Tatis Jr. (.277) with 45 RBI and Myers with 40 RBI.
Zach Davies led the Padres with seven wins in 12 starts while Drew Pomeranz posted a 1.45 earned-run average in 20 game appearances.
Hilltop High School alumnus Greg Allen, acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline, was added to the Padres’ 40-man playoff pool following the conclusion of regular season play on Sunday.
Allen played in one game for the Friars this season, reaching base three times in four plate appearances, before being assigned to the team’s alternate camp.
Teams had to submit their 28-man playoff rosters by 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. Included on the list were 14 pitchers, seven infielders, four outfielders and two catchers.
Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet were both left off the 28-man playoff roster but included in the 40-man playoff pool after being sidelined for the wildcard series with injuries.
The Padres listed 12 righthanded pitchers on their 28-man wildcard playoff series roster: Austin Adams, Dan Altavilla, Davies, Pierce Johnson, Chris Paddack, Emilio Pagán, Luis Patiño, Garrett Richards, Rosenthal and Craig Stammen.
Four left-handed pitchers included Tim Hill, Morejon, Drew Pomeranz and Matt Strahm.
Infielders included Jake Cronenworth, Garcia, Eric Hosmer, Manny Machado, Mateo, Moreland and Tatis.
Outfielders included Trent Grisham, Myers, Tommy Pham and Jurickson Profar.
Rack them up
Eight teams in both the National League and American League earned postseason berths. Division leaders automatically qualified as did the runner-up team in each division plus the two teams with the next best records.
Divisions champions included the Los Angeles Dodgers (43-17) in the NL West, Chicago Cubs (34-26) in the NL Central, Atlanta Braves (35-25) in the NL East, Tampa Bay Rays (40-20) in the NL East, Minnesota Twins (36-24) in the NL Central and Oakland Athletics (36-24) in the NL West.
The Dodgers compiled the best record among National League teams while the Rays compiled the best record among American League teams.
Division runners-up included the Padres in the NL West, St. Louis in the NL Central, Miami Marlins (31-29) in the NL East, Cleveland Indians (35-25) in the AL Central, New York Yankees (33-27) in the AL East and Houston Astros (29-31) in the AL West.
Playoff qualifiers also included the Cincinnati Reds (31-29) in the National League and the Chicago White Sox (35-25) and Toronto Blue Jays (32-28) in the American League.
Other wild card series matchups include the top-ranked Dodgers against the eighth-ranked Brewers, the second-ranked Braves against the seventh-ranked Cubs in the National League and the top-ranked Rays against the eighth-ranked Blue Jays, second-ranked Athletics against the seventh-ranked White Sox, third-ranked Twins against the sixth-ranked Astros and fourth-ranked Indians against the fifth-ranked Yankees in the American League.
The Dodgers entered the playoffs as the hottest team in the National League with an 8-2 record in their last 10 games while Tampa Bay was the hottest team in the American League with an 8-2 record in its last 10 games.
The Padres carried a 5-5 record in their least 10 games into Wednesday’s playoff opener while the Cardinals were 6-4. The Padres did enter postseason play with some momentum after sweeping their three-game series in the Bay Area to close out regular season play.
