Crimson Tide in the NFL Spotlight: Week 17
1/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Below is a look at some of the highlights from the final week of the regular season by former Crimson Tide players currently in the National Football League. As the NFL playoffs begin this weekend's opening round of playoff games, Alabama has a league-high 16 players on postseason rosters.
Kareem Jackson and Geoffrey Pagan will face off with the Kansas City Chiefs to start the weekend of playoff football on Saturday at 3:35 p.m. CT. Their game will be immediately follow by Bengals-Steelers at 7:15 p.m. CT, with Cincinnati's roster featuring AJ McCarron, Dre Kirkpatrick, Andre Smith and Wallace Gilberry. Sunday will kick off a new slate of games, as Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Eddie Lacy join their Packers teammates in facing off with Arie Kouandjio and the Redskins on Sunday at 3:40 p.m. CT.
The New England Patriots (Dont'a Hightower, Michael Williams), Arizona Cardinals (Rashad Johnson, Ed Stinson), Carolina Panthers (Roman Harper, Kevin Norwood) and Denver Broncos (Evan Mathis) all have byes in the first week of the playoffs and will return to action next weekend.
Julio Jones reeled in nine catches for 149 yards in the Falcons' 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints to cap off a historic season. He ended the 2015 campaign with 1,871 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 136 receptions, becoming the second former Crimson Tide player to lead the league in both catches and yards.
Jones finished with the second-most receiving yards in a single season in NFL history behind Detroit's Calvin Johnson in 2012 (1,964), while also finishing with the second-highest single-season catches total behind former Indianapolis Colts receiver Marvin Harrison in 2002 (143). The three-time Pro Bowl wideout now has 6,201 career receiving yards and 34 touchdowns on 414 receptions, the most catches through 65 career games in NFL history.
Mark Barron registered eight stops, including one for a loss, as the Rams fell to the 49ers, 19-16, in overtime. Barron flourished after transitioning from safety to linebacker, finishing the season with a team-high 116 tackles. He also registered one sack and forced three fumbles.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix notched four tackles, including a sack, in the Green Bay Packers' 20-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. For the season, he has a team-high 100 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
Landon Collins posted eight stops in the Giants' 35-30 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Collins finished his rookie campaign with a team-leading 112 tackles, a total that led all rookie defenders. He also added 10 pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble during his first season in New York.
Amari Cooper had his standout season came to a close following the Raiders' 23-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The first-year receiver finished with 72 catches for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns, leading all rookie wideouts in each category. His 72 receptions are the most by a wide receiver, 21 years old or younger, in NFL history.
Kareem Jackson returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Houston Texans defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 30-6, to clinch the division title and secure a spot in the playoffs. He also added three tackles and a pass breakup.
AJ McCarron completed 17-of-27 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cincinnati Bengals past the Baltimore Ravens, 24-16. McCarron will likely get the start this Saturday as the Bengals host the Steelers in the first round of the playoffs.
Rolando McClain posted double-digit stops for the fourth time in five weeks, leading the Cowboys defense with 12 tackles in a 34-23 loss to the Washington Redskins. Despite missing five games, McClain ended the season with 80 tackles to rank second in Dallas. He also added two sacks, three pass breakups and an interception that McClain returned for a touchdown.
C.J. Mosley notched a team-high 12 tackles, including one for a loss and a sack, in the loss to the Bengals. He also added one pass breakup. Mosley finished the season second on the team with 117 tackles, including four sacks, to go with seven pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
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