Sooners in the NFL: Week 16
It’s getting down to the nitty-gritty of the 2021 NFL season with Week 16 in the books after the Miami Dolphins takedown of the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.
At this point in the season, the margin for error is razor-thin as teams jockey for playoff positioning and try to outlast one another for the final wild card spots.
With just three games remaining, the Philadelphia Eagles entered Sunday in great shape as one of the few teams in the wild card race that controlled their own destiny to get a playoff bid.
That being the case, head coach Nick Siriani knew he had to pull out all the stops in getting a must-have win over the division-rival New York Giants.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles pulled a rabbit out of their hat by reporting former Oklahoma offensive lineman Lane Johnson as an eligible receiver.
Johnson then slipped out and hauled in first career reception for a touchdown from fellow former Sooner quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Lane Johnson
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
While Johnson is certainly known as one of the best tackles in the league, and has been for a long time, the catch really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given his athletic background.
Johnson played both quarterback and tight end at Kilgore College before transferring to Oklahoma following his freshman year.
In Norman, he was converted to an offensive lineman eventually becoming the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
It may be more surprising that it took this long for Johnson to get used in this fashion, as he showed off the soft hands on the touchdown snag.
This helped Philadelphia route the Giants 34-10 to move to 8-7 on the year and remain in the driver’s seat for a playoff berth.
Up next, the Eagles will head to Washington on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT.
As for the rest of the former Sooners in the NFL, here is a recap of how they did in Week 16:
Arizona Cardinals
(L 22-16 vs Indianapolis on Christmas)
- QB Kyler Murray: Completed 27 of 43 passes for 245 yards, longest pass 33 yards, 1 touchdown, 4 rushes for 74 yards, longest rush 57 yards
- DL Jordan Phillips: DNP (Inactive)
Baltimore Ravens
(L 41-21 at Cincinnati)
- TE Mark Andrews: 8 receptions on 10 targets for 125 yards, longest reception 28 yards, 1 touchdown
- WR Marquise Brown: 5 receptions on 9 targets for 44 yards, longest reception 15 yards
- S Tony Jefferson: 5 solo tackles, 4 assisted tackles, 9 total tackles, 1 sack for 9 yards, 1 tackle for loss, 1 quarterback hurry, 1 pass deflection
- OG Ben Powers: DNP (Inactive)
Buffalo Bills
(W 33-21 at New England)
- OT Cody Ford: DNP (COVID-19 List)
- OT Daryl Williams: Received start at right tackle
Chicago Bears
(W 25-24 at Seattle)
- RB Damien Williams: 1 rush for 12 yards, 1 reception on 2 targets for 2 yards,
Cincinnati Bengals
(W 41-21 vs Baltimore)
- LB Jordan Evans: DNP (IR List)
- RB Joe Mixon: 18 rushes for 65 yards, longest rush 19 yards, 1 touchdown, 6 receptions on 6 targets for 70 yards, longest reception 52 yards, 1 receiving touchdown
- RB Samaje Perine: 2 receptions on 2 targets for 6 yards
Cleveland Browns
(L 24-22 at Green Bay on Christmas)
- QB Baker Mayfield: Completed 21 of 36 passes for 222 yards, longest pass 40 yards, 2 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 2 rushes for 11 yards
Dallas Cowboys
(W 56-14 vs Washington)
- WR CeeDee Lamb: 4 receptions on 5 targets for 66 yards, longest reception 25 yards, 1 rush for -2 yards
- DT Neville Gallimore: Received start at defensive tackle, no tackles
Detroit Lions
(L 20-16 at Atlanta)
- CB Parnell Motley: DNP (Practice Squad)
- LB Curtis Bolton: 1 assisted tackle on special teams
- K Austin Seibert: DNP (IR List)
Kansas City Chiefs
(W 36-10 vs Pittsburgh)
- TE Blake Bell: 1 reception on 1 target for 11 yards
- OT Orlando Brown: Received start at left tackle
- C Creed Humphrey: Received start at center
- LS James Winchester: Served as long snapper for 10 snaps
Las Vegas Raiders
(W 17-13 vs Denver)
- DT Gerald McCoy: DNP (Out for Season with Injury)
Los Angeles Chargers
(L 41-29 at Houston)
- LB Kenneth Murray: 2 assisted tackles
Los Angeles Rams
(W 30-23 at Minnesota)
- OT Bobby Evans: 1 offensive snap, 6 special teams snaps
- LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo: 10 defensive snaps, no tackles
Minnesota Vikings
(L 30-23 vs LA Rams)
- WR Dede Westbrook: No targets, 2 fair catches
New England Patriots
(L 33-21 vs Buffalo)
- DE Ronnie Perkins: DNP (IR List)
- RB Rhamondre Stevenson: DNP
New Orleans Saints
(L 20-3 vs Miami on Monday Night)
- WR Kenny Stills: 1 reception on 1 target for 4 yards
New York Giants
(L 34-10 at Philadelphia)
- DB Steven Parker: 2 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection
- WR Sterling Shepard: DNP (IR List)
New York Jets
(L 26-21 vs Jacksonville)
- OL Dru Samia: DNP (Practice Squad)
Philadelphia Eagles
(W 34-10 vs NY Giants)
- QB Jalen Hurts: Completed 17 of 29 passes for 199 yards, longest pass 46 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 rushes for 7 yards
- OT Lane Johnson: Received start at right tackle, 1 reception on 1 target for 5 yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Pittsburgh Steelers
(L 36-10 at Kansas City)
- DB Tre Norwood: 1 solo tackle
San Francisco 49ers
(L 20-17 at Tennessee on Thursday Night)
- RB Trey Sermon: DNP (IR List)
- OT Trent Williams: Received start at left tackle
Seattle Seahawks
(L 25-24 vs Chicago)
- CB Tre Brown: DNP (IR List)
- RB Adrian Peterson: DNP (Practice Squad)
Tennessee Titans
(W 20-17 vs San Francisco on Thursday Night)
- DE Amani Bledsoe: DNP (Practice Squad)
Washington Football Team
(L 56-14 at Dallas)
- P Tress Way: 6 punts for 308 yards, 51.3 yards per punt, longest punt 56 yards, 1 touchback, 3 inside the 20, 1 punt blocked, served as holder for 2 snaps
