BBNFL Week 17: Wan’Dale Robinson and Dru Phillips play spoilers; C-Rod scores
If your fantasy football team made it to the championship of your league, I hope you lost like mine did. The cliche, “Misery loves company,” has never hit so hard for me as it does now having lost in back-to-back title games. But before I drone on more about everyone’s favorite topic (other people’s fantasy football teams), some former Kentucky players shined in real football with Wan’Dale Robinson and Dru Phillips headlining Week 17.
The Giants have been pitiful all year. They released their multi-million dollar quarterback and rolled out Drew Lock against the Colts, in a game in which Indianapolis should have waltzed to a victory. I may have even played Indy’s defense in that aforementioned fantasy football loss. Wan’Dale Robinson helped make sure I regretted that mistake, catching a touchdown pass as part of his five-catch, 73-yard day.
While this was impressive, it was rookie Dru Phillips who sealed the unlikely victory for the G-men with his first career interception late in the 4th quarter. Phillips has had a phenomenal rookie season for New York and appears to have a bright future in the league.
The Giants’ win eliminated the Colts from the playoffs and kept the Bengals’ playoff hopes alive going into Week 18.
Chris Rodriguez finds his way back to the endzone
The Washington Commanders don’t have to worry about the playoffs. They’re in. They eked out an overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons and did with the help of Chris Rodriguez Jr. C-Rod ran for a touchdown, his second of the season, in the 4th quarter to give the Commanders the lead.
The path has been rocky for C-Rod, who spent a good chunk of the season on the practice squad, but with Austin Eckler out with an injury, Washington has used Rodriguez as a serviceable backup and should continue doing so in what they hope will be a deep playoff run.
It is a tiny sample size, but amongst NFL running backs with at least 35 carries, Rodriguez is second in missed tackles forced per attempt and third in yards after contact. Yep, C-Rod is still going C-Rod things.
Carrington Valentine secures his second interception of the season
Carrington Valentine did not have an interception through his first 1,000 NFL snaps, but he now has two in two weeks. The former ‘Cat picked off Sam Darnold of the Vikings in a heated matchup between conference foes, but the Packers would eventually fall just short, 27-25.
The good news, however, is that the Packers are still in the playoffs, so we will get to watch Valentine carry that momentum into the postseason.
Other BBNFL Notes:
The Jaguars have been out of playoff contention for a while, but don’t tell that to Josh Hines-Allen. The former Kentucky pass rusher pressured the quarterback nine times on Sunday, as the Jags defeated the Mason Rudolph-led Titans.
Will Levis did not play but is expected to turn to the field in the Titans’ final game of the season next week. There is no way to predict his future after a rough 2024 campaign, but hopefully, a solid outing next week will help.
With the exception of Levis, all former Kentucky players saw at least one snap of offense or defense, as no one played strictly special teams for the first time all year. So, that’s cool.
BBNFL snap counts and stats for Week 17
(ST): Special Teams snaps; player did not play on offense or defense.
PlayerPOSSnapsStatsCarrington Valentine (GB)DB722 tackles, 1 INTDru Phillips (NYG)DB564 tackles, 2 assists, 1 INTJosh Hines-Allen (JAX)LB539 QB pressures, 1 sack, 3 tackles, 2 assistsJosh Pascal (DET)DL422 QB pressures, 1 tackleBrandin Echols (NYJ)DB411 tackleWan’Dale Robinson (NYG)WR366 targets, 5 rec, 71 yards, 1 TDZa’Darius Smith (DET)LB333 QB pressuresBud Dupree (LAC)LB282 tacklesChris Rodriguez (WAS)RB185 rushes, 16 yards, 1 TD, 1 rec, 12 yardsRay Davis (BUF)RB166 rushes, 9 yards, 1 rec, 4 yardsBryce Oliver (TEN)WR50 targetsLandon Young (NO)OL3No statsLonnie Johnson Jr. (CAR)DB30 tacklesLuke Fortner (JAX)C1No statsWill Levis (TEN)QB0No statsTrevin Wallace (CAR)LBInactive – ShoulderDarian Kinnard (PHI)OLInactive
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