Sooners in the NFL: Week 18
Another NFL Sunday has come and gone with Week 18 now in the books and the regular season officially wrapped up.
On the final weekend of the year, teams all over the league battled it out for the final playoff spots and to position themselves as advantageously as possible in the postseason tournament.
For former Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, that meant a showdown with the New York Giants in which a win would clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC.
That would result in the Eagles getting the all-important first round bye in the Wild Card Round as well as guaranteeing themselves only home games in their path to the Super Bowl.
For the highly-important tilt, Hurts made his return to action getting the start after missing the previous two weeks with a shoulder injury.
Jalen Hurts
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
While he certainly had to shake off some rust, the Heisman runner-up settled himself in completing 20 of his 35 passes for 229 yards en route to a 22-16 Philadelphia win.
The victory improves the Eagles to 14-3 on the year and closes on the book on an incredible year for Hurts and his team.
In games started by the former Sooner, Philadelphia went an astonishing 14-1 on the year as he asserted himself not only as a bona fide NFL starting quarterback - but a star one at that.
While his MVP candidacy has likely fallen by the wayside due to his time missed, Hurts still showcased himself as one of the best players in the sport this season - with the Eagles knowing they have their signal-caller of the future moving forward.
Philadelphia will now enjoy the weekend off before beginning their postseason run in two weeks time at home in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
As for the rest of the Sooners in the NFL, here is a recap of how they did in Week 18:
Arizona Cardinals
(L 38-13 at San Francisco)
- WR Marquise Brown: 1 reception on 4 targets for 7 yards
- OL Cody Ford: Saw playing time in a reserve role
- OL Marquis Hayes: DNP (Practice Squad)
- QB Kyler Murray: DNP (IR List)
Atlanta Falcons
(W 30-17 vs Tampa Bay)
- DL Amani Bledsoe: DNP (Practice Squad)
Baltimore Ravens
(L 27-16 at Cincinnati)
- TE Mark Andrews: DNP (Inactive)
- OL Ben Powers: Started at left guard
Buffalo Bills
(W 35-23 vs New England)
- DL Jordan Phillips: Saw playing time in a reserve role, no tackles
Cincinnati Bengals
(W 27-16 vs Baltimore)
- RB Joe Mixon: 11 rushes for 27 yards, 1 touchdown, 5 receptions on 5 targets for 41 yards
- RB Samaje Perine: 6 rushes for 18 yards, 1 reception on 1 target for 4 yards
Cleveland Browns
(L 28-14 at Pittsburgh)
- DE Isaiah Thomas: DNP (Inactive)
- DL Perrion Winfrey: 1 solo tackle, 2 assisted tackles
- WR Mike Woods: 1 reception on 1 target for 15 yards
Dallas Cowboys
(L 26-6 at Washington)
- LB Devante Bond: DNP (Practice Squad)
- DT Neville Gallimore: 1 solo tackle, 3 assisted tackles
- WR CeeDee Lamb: 5 receptions on 7 targets for 52 yards, 1 touchdown
Denver Broncos
(W 31-28 vs LA Chargers)
- OLB Nik Bonitto: Saw playing time in a reserve role, no tackles
- S Delarrin Turner-Yell: 1 fumble recovery
Houston Texans
(W 32-31 at Indianapolis)
- DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo: 1 solo tackle, 1 pass deflection
Kansas City Chiefs
(W 31-13 at Las Vegas on Saturday)
- TE Blake Bell: 1 reception on 1 target for 3 yards
- OT Orlando Brown: Started at left tackle
- C Creed Humphrey: Started at center
- LS James Winchester: 1 solo tackle (on special teams), served as long snapper for 9 snaps
Las Vegas Raiders
(L 31-13 vs Kansas City on Saturday)
- LB Curtis Bolton: Saw playing time in a reserve role, no tackles
Los Angeles Chargers
(L 31-28 at Denver)
- LB Kenneth Murray: 1 solo tackle, 1 assisted tackle, 1 quarterback hurry
Los Angeles Rams
(L 19-16 OT at Seattle)
- QB Baker Mayfield: Completed 13 of 26 passes for 147 yards, 1 interception, 5 rushes for 16 yards
Minnesota Vikings
(W 29-13 at Chicago)
- LB Brian Asamoah: DNP (Inactive)
- OL Bobby Evans: DNP (Practice Squad)
New England Patriots
(L 35-23 at Buffalo)
- OLB Ronnie Perkins: DNP (IR List)
- RB Rhamondre Stevenson: 6 rushes for 54 yards, 5 receptions on 6 targets for 28 yards
New York Giants
(L 22-16 at Philadelphia)
- DB Tony Jefferson: 2 solo tackles
- WR Sterling Shepard: DNP (IR List)
New York Jets
(L 11-6 at Miami)
- OL Dru Samia: DNP (Practice Squad)
Philadelphia Eagles
(W 22-16 vs NY Giants)
- RB Kennedy Brooks: DNP (Practice Squad)
- QB Jalen Hurts: Completed 20 of 35 passes for 229 yards, 1 interception, 9 rushes for 13 yards
- OL Lane Johnson: DNP (Inactive)
- OL Tyrese Robinson: DNP (Practice Squad)
Pittsburgh Steelers
(W 28-14 vs Cleveland)
- S Tre Norwood: DNP (Inactive)
San Francisco 49ers
(W 38-13 vs Arizona)
- OL Trent Williams: Started at left tackle
Seattle Seahawks
(W 19-16 vs LA Rams)
- CB Tre Brown: Saw playing time in a reserve role, no tackles
- S Steven Parker: DNP (Practice Squad)
Washington Commanders
(W 26-6 vs Dallas)
- P Tress Way: 7 punts for 319 yards, 1 touchback, 3 punts inside the 20, longest punt 50 yards
