Tag: Week 14

How former Alabama players performed in Week 14 of NFL season

Roll Tide Wire takes a close look at how former Alabama players performed in Week 14 of the NFL season.

Alabama is one of the top programs in the country when it comes to producing NFL talent. The Crimson Tide are well-represented on both sides of the ball and at just about every position on the football field.

Week 14 of the 2023 season kicked off on last Thursday night and concluded on Monday night, which means there were a lot of former Alabama players suiting up for their respective professional teams.

Believe it or not, 26 of the 32 teams in the NFL have at least one Alabama player on its roster. There are not many college programs that can say the same.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down how former Alabama players performed in their Week 14 matchups.

Falcons release rooftop view of Bijan Robinson’s 33-yard catch

WATCH: Rooftop angle of Falcons RB Bijan Robinson’s 33-yard catch against the Buccaneers

The Atlanta Falcons’ 29-25 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday featured a ton of big plays. Despite getting just 10 carries, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson still created his share of highlights.

The rookie caught a touch pass from Desmond Ridder and ripped off a 33-yard gain up the left sideline. The play is even more impressive when you see it from the rooftop camera. Watch below, as shared by the team’s Twitter account.

Robinson would finish Sunday’s game with 34 rushing yards and a touchdown with five catches for 54 receiving yards. Currently, Robinson is ninth in the NFL with 790 total rushing yards. The rookie also has 40 receptions for another 320 receiving yards.

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Updated NFL draft order

Falcons Twitter rips Ridder, Smith

10 takeaways from Week 14

Studs and Duds from Week 14

Broncos jump three spots NFL power rankings after Week 14

After beating the Chargers, the Broncos are now ranked ninth overall in USA TODAY’s NFL power rankings.

Following their 24-7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14, the Denver Broncos are now ranked No. 9 in Nate Davis’ latest NFL power rankings for USA TODAY Sports. That’s up three spots from their No. 12 ranking last week.

Here is Davis’ commentary on the Broncos head of Week 15:

Look who’s one game out of the AFC West lead. The Broncos have gone 6-1 in their past seven games and have surrendered just 16 points per since Week 6.

Elsewhere in the AFC West, the Kansas Chiefs (8-5) are ranked No. 5, the Los Angeles Chargers (5-8) are ranked No. 29 and the Las Vegas Raiders (5-8) are ranked No. 25. Now one game behind KC in the division, Denver is ranked four spots below the Chiefs in the power rankings.

The Detroit Lions (9-4), who will host the Broncos on Sunday, are ranked No. 7.

The Carolina Panthers (1-12) are ranked No. 32 (last) and the San Francisco 49ers (10-3) are ranked No. 1. To view the complete NFL power rankings going into Week 15, visit USATODAY.com.

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Chiefs squandered stellar showing by L’Jarius Sneed in loss vs. Bills

#Chiefs DB L’Jarius Sneed was Pro Football Focus’ highest graded cornerback in Week 14.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday dealt a crushing blow to their chances of securing the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed in January and was all the more baffling after Pro Football Focus released grades for each team’s performance.

Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, a Chiefs mainstay, earned the best grade of any player at the cornerback position in Week 14. Though his efforts were for naught in the end, Sneed’s showing against Buffalo is sure to go down as one of the best in his career.

Sneed and the rest of Kansas City’s secondary held Bills quarterback Josh Allen to just 233 yards passing, and kept All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs at bay in all four quarters.

Expect the Chiefs’ defense to play with an extra chip on its shoulder against the New England Patriots after their outstanding efforts at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 14 were squandered by Kansas City’s offensive ineptitude.

Twitter reacts to Broncos fans taking over Chargers’ stadium

Broncos fans were out in full force at SoFi Stadium for Denver’s “road game” against the Chargers on Sunday.

Denver Broncos fans showed up in strong numbers for the team’s “road” game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a sampling of how Twitter/X reacted to the Broncos having so many fans in attendance against their division rival.

Packers elevate RB Kenyan Drake from practice squad for Week 14 vs. Giants

The Packers elevated RB Kenyan Drake from the practice squad to the gameday roster for Week 14 vs. the Giants.

The Green Bay Packers elevated running back Kenyan Drake from the practice squad to the gameday roster for Week 14. The move was announced Monday, making Drake available for Matt LaFleur and the Packers for Monday night’s showdown with the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.

Drake, who signed in Green Bay on Dec. 5, will give the Packers a veteran option at running back behind A.J. Dillon and Patrick Taylor. The elevation is an obvious response to the availability of Aaron Jones, who is not expected to play for a third consecutive game due to a knee injury.

Drake, now in his eighth NFL season, has experience as a runner, pass-catcher and kick returner. His presence may allow the Packers to use Taylor on more special teams units.

Earlier this week, coach Matt LaFleur said Drake had done a “nice job” absorbing the offense and handling his duties in walk-through portions of practice.

Drake played in two games with the Baltimore Ravens this season, rushing once for no gain and catching two passes for 31 yards. Between 2020 and 2022, Drake produced 2,208 yards and 18 total touchdowns across 39 games with three different teams.

All teams are allowed to elevate up to two players from the practice squad each week. An individual player can only be elevated from the practice squad three times per season, so Drake has two elevations remaining. On Tuesday, Drake will revert back to the practice squad.

Elevations by week

Week 1: RB Patrick Taylor, DB Innis Gaines
Week 2: RB Patrick Taylor, DB Innis Gaines
Week 3: RB Patrick Taylor, CB Corey Ballentine
Week 4: CB Corey Ballentine, CB Kiondre Thomas
Week 5: CB Corey Ballentine
Week 7: None
Week 8: None
Week 9: DB Innis Gaines
Week 10: None
Week 11: S Benny Sapp III
Week 12: S Benny Sapp III, FB Henry Pearson
Week 13: RB James Robinson, FB Henry Pearson
Week 14: RB Kenyan Drake

Falcons Week 14 PFF grades: Top 10 players from loss to Bucs

PFF Grades: Looking at the 10 highest-graded Falcons players from Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers.

The Atlanta Falcons’ roster depth was tested in Week 14 as numerous starters were either inactive or injured during the game. Cornerback Jeff Okudah’s absence opened up the door for rookie Clark Phillips, who played well for the second straight week.

Phillips was among the team’s highest-graded players in Week 14, according to Pro Football Focus. Check out the 10 highest-rated Falcons from Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers.

Falcons WR Drake London wins Week 14 Player of the Game

Fan Poll Results: Falcons WR Drake London voted Week 14 Player of the Game following his 10-catch, 172-yard performance vs. the Bucs

The Atlanta Falcons came up a few yards short of winning their third straight game in Week 14. Wide receiver Drake London was tackled at the three-yard line on the final play of Sunday’s 29-25 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One week after being held to one catch for eight yards, London had the best game of his NFL career against the Buccaneers. The second-year wideout led the team with a 10-catch, 172-yard performance.

It’s no surprise that London ran away with our Week 14 Player of the Game poll. As you can see below, London received nearly 88 percent of the vote:

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Falcons Twitter trashes Ridder, Smith after loss

10 takeaways from Sunday’s loss to Bucs

Studs and Duds from Week 14

WATCH: Arthur Smith on Falcons’ loss to Bucs

50 free-agent targets for the Falcons

Chiefs stock watch: Which players impressed during Week 14 vs. Bills?

Here’s a look at the stock trends for some #Chiefs players after the Week 14 loss to the #Bills. | from: @EdEastonJr

The home crowd was ready to support the Kansas City Chiefs in another battle with the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 14. Penalties and mistakes took the air out of their sails as the Chiefs fell short for a second consecutive week.

Mahomes did his best while under pressure from the Bills’ pass rush but wasn’t helped much by more drops from his receivers. He suffered a tip-ball interception on the opening drive. Rashee Rice added another touchdown reception as he separated himself as a primary target in the receivers room. Kelce’s effort was significant, as usual, and a returning Jeruck McKinnon found the endzone in the first half.

Kansas City’s defense held tough as they faced the high-powered offense of the Bills in check throughout the game. George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu, Mike Danna, and Trent McDuffie got to Allen for shares of a sack, while Mike Edwards and a returning Nick Bolton led the team in tackles.

The Chiefs lose their second straight game as they maintain their slim lead in the AFC West and are falling out of contention for a potential first-round bye in the postseason.

Here’s a look at how the stock is trending for some players after the Week 14 loss at Arrowhead Stadium:

5 takeaways from Broncos’ 24-7 win over Chargers in Week 14

Here are five quick takeaways from the Broncos’ big win over the Chargers on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos went on the road and defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 24-7 on Sunday afternoon. Here are five quick takeaways after Denver improved to 7-6 with the win.