Bama in the NFL, Week 13 Tracker: Lions Rookies Lead Win, Dolphins Roll On
The Detroit Lions held off the New Orleans Saints' comeback attempt thanks to Crimson Tide stars.
NFL Week 13 Recap:
- The Detroit Lions jumped out to a three-score lead over the New Orleans Saints before they let the Saints back in the game with a strong second half. Detroit held off the comeback attempt, winning 33-28. Jahmyr Gibbs led the Lions with 60 rushing yards. Jameson Williams had a rushing touchdown in the win on a double reverse that went for 19 yards. Brian Branch had seven tackles, one pass defended, and picked off Saints quarterback Derek Carr to set up another Lions touchdown.
- Tua Tagovailoa bolstered his MVP candidacy with 280 yards and two touchdowns in the Miami Dolphins 45-15 win over the Washington Commanders. His touchdowns were passes to Tyreek Hill, but Jaylen Waddle also had 52 receiving yards. For Washington, Brian Robinson had 53 rushing yards before exiting the game (hamstring). Daron Payne had three tackles and a tackle for loss, while Jonathan Allen had one tackle. After the game, Waddle and Robinson swapped jerseys and repped their school.
- Will Anderson and the Texans' defense held off the Broncos after a double-digit first quarter in their 22-17 victory at home. Christian Harris was one of the second-leading tacklers on the team with six. Will Anderson had the most impressive defensive performance with five tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, one pass defended, and four quarterback hits. For Denver, Jerry Jeudy had three catches for 51 yards and Patrick Surtain had five tackles and one pass defended.
- Derrick Henry's two-touchdown performance was not enough for the Titans, losing to the Colts 31-28 in overtime. Henry also led both teams in rushing yards with 102 to go with his two scores. For the Colts, Tony Brown blocked a punt by Tennessee and also had three tackles.
- Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles played their third game in 13 days and lost the NFC championship rematch 42-19. Rubbing salt in the wound, Jalen Hurts left the game and was evaluated for a concussion. The Eagles are still the number one overall seed in the NFC, but their lead tightens up after suffering their second loss of the season. Hurts passed for 298 yards and one touchdown to DeVonta Smith, and Hurts also rushed for 20 yards and a score. Smith had nine receptions for 96 yards on the day as well.
Bye weeks are back playing havoc with NFL teams (both real ones and fantasy) as the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants are all off this weekend.
So here's a look at which former Alabama Crimson Tide players will be on the field through Monday night:
NFL Week 13 Preview:
- The New England Patriots are one of the worst teams in the league and changes appear to have been made to the starting roster. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick declined to name a starter at quarterback during his media availability. FanNation's Patriots Country reports Malik Cunningham and Bailey Zappe got reps with the first-string offense during the media portion of Wednesday's practice. Jones was benched at halftime of the Patriots loss to the Giants and could be relegated to the bench amidst the franchise's worst season in 30 years.
- The Detroit Lions were stunned at home by the Green Bay Packers, losing 29-22 on Thanksgiving. Despite the loss, Crimson Tide stars had solid performances. If the Lions hope to rebound this week against the Saints, they'll likely continue to rely on them. Wide receiver Jameson Williams has gotten more involved in the offense throughout the season, tallying 52 receiving yards last week against the Packers. Despite being listed as the backup, Jahmyr Gibbs has carved out a nice role for himself in Detroit as a change-of-pace back during his rookie season with 844 total yards and five touchdowns. Rookie safety Brian Branch is tied for second in team tackles.
- Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins will face a stout defensive line in the Washington Commanders. Tagovailoa will be opposite Jonathan Allen and his teammate from Alabama, Daron Payne. If Allen and Payne are on the top of their game, Tagovailoa will need to utilize receiver Jaylen Waddle to quickly get the ball out. Tagovailoa is fourth in the NFL in passing yards with 3,177, while Commanders quarterback Sam Howell is first with 3,339.
- In their first game without head coach Frank Reich, who was fired after a 1-10 start to the season, Carolina will face a divisional opponent: Tampa Bay. Young and the Panthers have struggled, and under an interim head coach, it will take a big day from everyone in Carolina to pull off the upset.
- Jalen Hurts is the league favorite to win MVP after eye-catching performances against two of the AFC's top Super Bowl contenders. This week, Hurts will face one of the NFC's best teams: The San Francisco 49ers. In a rematch of last year's NFC Championship Game, this could be a preview of this year's as well. Hurts will rely on Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith, while the Eagles defensively will look to cornerback Eli Ricks and defensive back Josh Jobe to help shut down the 49ers passing attack.
How to Watch NFL Week 13:
Thursday's Game
Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys, 7:15 p.m. CT, Prime Video
Sunday's Games
Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots, noon, CBS
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints, noon, FOX
Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets, noon, FOX
Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers, noon, CBS
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans, noon, CBS
Miami Dolphins at Washington Commanders, noon, FOX
Denver Broncos at Houston Texans, noon, CBS
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 3:05 p.m., CBS
Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Rams, 3:25 p.m., FOX
San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, 3:25 p.m., FOX
Kansas City Chiefs at Green Bay Packers, 7:20 p.m., NBC, Universo
Monday's Game
Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars, 7:15 p.m., ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes
