Alabama Players in the NFL Week 5 Tracker: Jacobs, Ruggs and Raiders Hand Chiefs their First Loss of 2020

Numerous former Crimson Tide players in the NFL may be out of action this week for a variety of reasons

Author:
Kristi Patrick
Publish date:
Oct 9, 2020 6:56 PM EDT

Former Alabama football standouts running back Josh Jacobs and rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III helped propel the Las Vegas Raiders over the Kansas City Chiefs 40-32 in Kansas City on Sunday.

The win for the Raiders was the Chiefs' first loss of the 2020 season.

Jacobs accounted for 77 yards on 23 carries in the win and found the end zone twice in the Raiders victory.

Meanwhile, Ruggs made his return to the team after suffering a hamstring injury. In what will probably be referred to years from now as his breakout performance, Ruggs had two receptions in three targets from quarterback Derek Car, totaling 118 yards and one touchdown.

One of those receptions was this 72-yard touchdown:

The other reception was this remarkable catch:

Terrell Lewis Makes Return to Rams from IR

Los Angles Rams coach Sean McVay said during his press conference that former Alabama linebacker Terrell Lewis will be available for Sunday's game against Washington.

The rookie will be activated from the reserve/non-football injury list and added to the 53-man roster on Saturday.

Lewis was selected 87th overall in the 2020 draft. He was placed on the injury list shortly after the season began with a knee injury, and has yet to make his NFL debut.

Games Rescheduled Due to Coronavirus Issues

The Denver Broncos at New England Patriots game, originally scheduled for Sunday, has been moved to Monday.

The game will kick off at 3:25 CT, and be part of a doubleheader with the Chargers at Saints (7:15 p.m. ESPN)

Denver television station 9News was first to report the change, which was quickly confirmed by Sports Illustrated.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans will be played at 5 pm CT Tuesday, as long as the Titans don't have any more positive coronavirus test.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that another Titans player tested positive on Wednesday, and that an inconclusive test from the previous day also came back positive.

The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the number to test positive is up to 21 members of Titans organization, 12 players and nine personnel.

Coming off a bye week, the Titans' practice facility had remained closed.

Finally, the Bills vs. Chiefs game is being moved from next Thursday to next Sunday, but reverts back if there are more positive tests in Tennessee, per ESPN.

Active Alabama players on teams impacted

Broncos: Kareem Jackson, S; Jerry Jeudy, WR

Patriots: Damien Harris, RB; Anfernee Jennings, LB

Titans: Rashaan Evans, LB; Derrick Henry, RB

Bills: T.J. Yeldon, RB

Bills CB Levi Wallace placed on IR

The Buffalo Bills know they'll be without one person Sunday. Now they have to wait and see if there will be a game.

Former Alabama cornerback Levi Wallace was placed on injured reserve Wednesday due to an ankle injury suffered during last week's win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

The move means Wallace will be out at least three weeks. He's been credited with 21 tackles and an interception this season.

With starting cornerback Tre'Davious White also dealing with a back issue the Bills promoted cornerback Cam Lewis from the practice squad.

Buffalo is scheduled to play Tennessee this week, but the Titans have had a COVID-19 outbreak that has the game very much in doubt.

"I wouldn't say it's frustrating, but as a team that's off to a good start we feel like we've got a good thing rolling here," Bills quarterback Josh Allen told reporters. "We want to play, that's our mindset. And again, like I said, we're preparing to play on Sunday. Unfortunately, it takes two to tango and it is what it is. We'll figure it out. The league will figure it out."

Week 5 Preview

We're just going to come out and say it, we don't know what's going to happen in the NFL this week.

After a week of not being able to use their practice facilities and having the Week 4 game game against the Pittsburgh Steelers postponed to Week 7, two more Tennessee Titans players tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

The Titans had the first coronavirus outbreak in the league but needed a third straight day of no positive tests to re-open, which didn't happen. Consequently, Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills is now in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 following Monday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, and the team has canceled its Wednesday practice.

The team is scheduled to host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Even without the coronavirus concerns numerous former Crimson Tide players in the NFL many may be out of action this week for a variety of reasons.

Alabama has 54 former players who are active on NFL rosters heading into Week 5, but there are another 20 who are innactive.

This is the also first week of byes as the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions are off. New England, New Orleans, Las Vegas and Seattle are all set to be off next week.

Matchup of the Week

The Giants and Cowboys are always an interesting matchup, regardless of the circumstances. It would have been interesting to see Giants safety Xavier McKinney (IR) going up against Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper, but the game will still feature the likes of Dalvin Tomlinson, Trevon Diggs and Saivion Smith.

Cooper led the Cowboys with 12 receptions for 134 yards and one reception last week. He's the only player in the NFL with at least six catches and 80 receiving yards in each of his first four games this season.

Week 5

Monday, Oct. 12

Chargers at Saints, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN)

Tuesday, Oct. 13

Bills at Titans, 5 p.m. (CBS)

Week 5 Notes

• Monday night, Calvin Ridley was held without a catch for the first time since making his rookie debut in 2018. Falcons teammate Julio Jones (hamstring) didn't finish the game against Green Bay, and finished with four catches for 32 yards. Jones became team's all-time leader in receptions with his first catch of the game.

• The Tua watch is officially under way in Miami. On Tuesday, the Dolphins announced that Ryan Fitzpatrick would remain the starter against the 49ers this week. The underlining meaning, though, was that Tagovailoa is getting close to being handed the offense because teams don't usually make those kinds of announcements. Fitzpatrick was 29 of 45 (64.4 pct.) for 315 yards and rushed for season-high 47 yards a touchdown last week. In two of his last three games he's had two-plus touchdown passes with no interceptions.

• Speaking of players whose time has come, Damien Harris made his first career start and season debut last week and notched his first 100-yard rushing game. A third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, he carried the ball only three times for 12 yards last season. He had 17 carries against the Chiefs, his must rushing attempts since facing LSU in 2018.

“There’s definitely a lot of emotions coming out of that game,” Harris said after the game. “You know, first and foremost, we didn’t win the game and that’s what’s most important. We didn’t play well enough, so that was disappointing. There’s a lot of things to work on and to improve on.

“But it was it was excited getting back out there with the guys. It’s been a long time coming, and I’m looking forward to playing with this group of guys on this team for a long time now. So, just being able to be out there with those guys that work so hard day in and day out, especially the offensive line. It was truly an honor to be out there with those guys. The O-line, they blocked and blocked their butts off today. They opened up some holes and they made life a little easy for me today.”

• Bengals tackle Jonah Williams went to the medical tent during the early part of last week's win, but didn't miss one of the 75 offensive snaps. "I just got a finger in the eye. I didn't really think anything of it," Williams said. "We went down and scored and came off and somebody pointed out my eye was bleeding. So they took me to the tent. I guess they have to do that for face injuries because they have to check you for head injuries and stuff like that which obviously I didn't have any. Just had a finger scrape my eye. Just telling everyone, you should have seen the other guy." The other guy was Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen.