This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Wrapping up how Utah's players on active NFL rosters performed in Week Seventeen, and during the regular season. Due for more action in the playoffs are Star Lotulelei, Sealver Siliga, Brice McCain and Steve Smith Sr.

Minnesota running back Matt Asiata • Asiata's 91 rushing yards in the Vikings' 13-9 victory over the Bears was a season high. Provided an opportunity by the 15-game suspension for Adrian Peterson, the undrafted Asiata finished with 570 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns (in a five-way tie for third-most in the NFL), as well as 312 receiving yards and a touchdown, and he fumbled just once on 145 carries. After Sunday's finale, he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he has "no doubt" he can be Minnesota's starter next year if Peterson can't return.

Jacksonville offensive lineman Zane Beadles • A 23-17 loss to the Texans ended a frustrating 3-13 season for the Jaguars, but Beadles — who started every game and had played in every snap entering the final week — told The Florida Times-Union's Gene Frenette that he expects to see significant improvement next season.

Oakland guard Tony Bergstrom • Bergstrom was a healthy scratch for the Raiders' 47-14 loss to the Broncos, as he was for every game this season.

Houston tight end Anthony Denham • Denham did not record any stats in his fourth NFL game since earning a late-season callup from the Texans' practice squad. He finished the season without a reception but with two tackles.

Cleveland wide receiver Josh Gordon (Utah scout team) • The oft-troubled Gordon was suspended for the Browns' 20-10 loss to the Ravens after missing the season's first 10 games. He finished with 24 receptions for 303 yards and no touchdowns — far from his sophomore total of 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games. Per the Akron Beacon Journal, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam had strong words for Gordon and rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert.

Cleveland outside linebacker Paul Kruger • Kruger's strip-sack of Joe Flacco gave him a career high 11 for the season — the most by a Browns player since 2006 and the fifth-most in Cleveland history. He tied Green Bay's Clay Matthews for the 12th-most in the NFL, and he also forced four fumbles. The Cleveland Plain-Dealer named Kruger its most improved player, and earlier this week Kruger did a Q&A with Cleveland Browns staff.

Carolina defensive tackle Star Lotulelei • After a season with few standout performances statistically, Lotulelei filled the stat sheet in the Panthers' 34-3 blowout of the Falcons, making seven solo tackles, including two sacks (the first two-sack game of his career) and three tackles for a loss while helping to secure the NFC South title. He finished the regular season with 25 tackles.

Pittsburgh cornerback Brice McCain • McCain, whom the Pittsburgh Post Gazette called "an afterthought at the start of the season," continued his star turn in place of injured Ike Taylor, making not one but two interceptions to up his career total to eight in a 27-17 win against the Bengals. McCain also made three tackles to boost his season total to 25.

Oakland cornerback Keith McGill • McGill was responsible for one of the few highlights by those in silver and black, returning a fumble 18 yards for a score and making a career-high five tackles to bring his rookie season tally to nine.

Miami linebacker Koa Misi • Misi had three tackles and a pass deflection despite leaving in the third quarter of the Dolphins' 37-24 loss to the Jets in Miami. At middle linebacker for the first time in his career, he finished with 66 tackles despite missing time and playing through a variety of nagging injuries. Afterward, he told the Palm Beach Post he had no answers for the defense's struggles.

San Diego defensive tackle Tenny Palepoi • Palepoi didn't record any stats as the Chargers fell to the Chiefs, 19-7, but he finished with 16 tackles after fighting to make the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent.

New York Jets outside linebacker Trevor Reilly • Reilly recorded three tackles, ending his rookie campaign with 15. He spoke earlier this week with 1280 The Zone.

Miami defensive end Derrick Shelby • Shelby's lone tackle gave him 26 for the season, to go with three sacks and his first career interception last week against the Vikings.

New England defensive tackle Sealver Siliga • Siliga had five tackles, two for a loss, and finished the regular season with a career-high 32 to go with 2.5 sacks despite playing in just seven games due to injury. He walked off the field with trainers late in the finale but was said afterward to be OK.

Kansas City cornerback Sean Smith • Smith made four tackles, finishing the season with 50 and one interception. He tied for eighth in pass deflections, with 19. After the finale he quipped to the Kansas City Star that the secondary takes the credit for outside linebacker Justin Houston's sack record. In all seriousness, though, the Chiefs didn't allow a 300-yard passing game all season, the Star reports. SI's FanSided blog felt Smith was a Pro Bowl snub.

Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith • Smith missed the last game with a lacerated spleen and was stuck 48 yards short of his career high, with 3,265 passing yards to go with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. His passer rating of 93.4 was 10th among quarterbacks with 300 or more attempts. Smith led the Chiefs to 9-7, but they missed the playoffs, and became the first team since the 1950 Steelers to finish the season without a touchdown pass to a wide receiver, reports the Star.

Baltimore wideout Steve Smith Sr. • Smith caught eight passes for 90 yards, giving him his eighth career 1,000-yard season at age 35. Smith's total of 1,065 ranked 17th in the NFL, and he finished with six touchdowns.

Miami Dolphins cornerback R.J. Stanford • Stanford made two tackles, including a touchdown-saving effort, giving him 12 in five games since his late-season signing.

Atlanta defensive tackle Paul Soliai • Soliai recorded just one tackle, giving him 29 in a 6-10 season that fell short of expectations. Sunday, he returned to the field after the sudden death of his father at an airport in Samoa.

San Diego safety Eric Weddle • Weddle had five tackles, one for a loss, for a season total of 114, tied for 15th in the NFL. He also had his 19th career interception, two forced fumbles and eight pass deflections in 2014, and earlier in the week he was named to the Pro Bowl for the second straight time and the third time in four years. The offense let down the Chargers' improved defense somewhat this season, writes the San Diego Union-Tribune, but Weddle told the paper that the defense shares the blame for missing out on the playoffs.

— Matthew Piper

Twitter: @matthew_piper