2021 Alabama Crimson Tide in the NFL Tracker: Week 2

The most elaborate database on Crimson Tide football players in the NFL will follow everyone's progress through Week 2, including Monday Night Football.

Author:
Kristi Patrick
Publish date:
Sep 15, 2021 12:00 PM EDT

Even though Nick Saban has been the head coach at Alabama since 2007, he'll be front-and-center in the NFL for part of this weekend.

Saban is the subject of the first season episode of the series "A Football Life," which will debut Friday at 8 p.m. CT on Fubo or the NFL Network.

The NFL Network trailer can be seen here.

Among the subjects touched will be his short stint with the Miami Dolphins, and controversial departure for Alabama. He's won six national championships with the Crimson Tide, and seven overall.

Players on the Move

Check out Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL: Breakdown by Team to keep up with the latest, but it's been a busy week:

Raekwon Davis: Placed on Injured Reserve by Dolphins, must remain out for at least three weeks

Robert Foster: Added to Cowboys practice squad

Jerry Jeudy: Placed on Injured Reserve by Broncos, must remain out for at least three weeks

Dre Kirkpatrick: Signed one-year deal with 49ers

Damion Square: Was picked up from the Bears practice squad and placed on Raiders 53-man roster

Carson Tinker: Signed with Buccaneers

Mel Tucker: Released from Dolphins practice squad

Matchup of the Week

The Raiders and Steelers are one of the best old-school matchups you'll ever see, especially if you grew up in the 1970s and 1980s. Josh Jacobs ran for two touchdowns last week, the eighth time he's already done that during his career, and Kenyan Drake had five receptions for 59 yards in his Las Vegas debut. For the Steelers, rookier Najee Harris had 45 rushing yards in his first game with Pittsburgh.

Bonus: Division of the Week

The AFC East became the first NFL division since 1985 with four quarterbacks under the age of 26 to start Week 1 games. Tua Tagovailoa got the win last against Mac Jones, albeit barely, but now both former Crimson Tide quarterbacks get another division matchup while facing off against another young quarterback. The Patriots will visit the Jets, with both Quinnen Williams and C.J. Mosley trying to stop Jones. It'll be the earliest in a season since 2015 (Jameis Winston vs. Marcus Mariota) that rookie starting quarterbacks selected in the first round of the draft square off. Meanwhile, the Dolphins will host the Bills.

NFL Week 2 Schedule

Thursday Game

New York Giants at Washington, 7:20 CT, Fubo, NFL Network

Sunday's Games

New Orleans at Carolina, noon, Fubo, Fox

Cincinnati at Chicago, noon, Fubo, Fox

Houston at Cleveland, noon, Fubo, CBS

Los Angeles Rams at Indianapolis, noon, Fubo, Fox

Denver at Jacksonville, noon, Fubo, CBS

Buffalo at Miami, noon, Fubo, Fox

New England at New York Jets, noon, Fubo, CBS

San Francisco at Philadelphia, noon, Fubo, Fox

Las Vegas at Pittsburgh, noon, Fubo, CBS

Minnesota at Arizona, 3:05 p.m., Fubo, Fox

Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 3:05 p.m., Fubo, Fox

Dallas at Los Angeles Chargers, 3:25 p.m., Fubo, CBS

Tennessee at Seattle, 3:25 p.m., Fubo, CBS

Kansas City at Baltimore, 7:20 p.m., Fubo, NBC

Monday's Game

Detroit at Green Bay, 7:15 p.m., Fubo, ESPN

Notes

• Mark Ingram II leads all active running backs both in rushing yards (7,408) and rushing touchdowns (63). He had 85 rushing yards and a touchdown last week in his debut with the Texans. He has a good history against Cleveland (90-plus scrimmage yards in two of three career games), but from when he was with the Ravens.

• Although Damien Harris had the costly fumble against the Dolphins last week, he still notched his fourth career 100-yard rushing game. He totaled 71 the last time he faced the Jets.

• Both DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle had touchdown receptions last week. Only one other rookie wide receiver found the end zone, Ja'Marr Chase.

• After telling reporters that he wants to be the best receiver in the league, Amari Cooper got off to a good start this season. He had a career-high 13 receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the narrow loss to the Buccaneers. It was his ninth career game with 10-plus catches and 100-plus receiving yards.

• The deflected ball that Anthony Averett caught near the end of the Ravens-Raiders wild game on Monday was the former Crimson Tide cornerback's first career interception.

• NFL teams in 2020 combined to score 12,692 total points and 1,473 total touchdowns, both the most ever in a single season. Last week, the league combined for 90 touchdowns, tied with 2019 for the most through the first weekend in NFL history.

• Both the AFC West and NFC West are undefeated after Week 1. It’s the first time since the 1970 merger that two divisions are undefeated after the first week. Since the league realigned to eight four-team divisions prior to the 2002 season, only the 2002 AFC West and 2015 AFC East had opened a season 4-0.

This report will be continually updated as necessary, and through the final game on the schedule.