Crimson Tide in the NFL Spotlight: Week 1
9/17/2020 4:00:00 PM | Football
Former Alabama players shine in the opening week of the 2020 NFL season
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The first week of the 2020-21 season in the National Football League wrapped up on Monday. Below is a look at some of the highlights from week one by former Crimson Tide players currently in the NFL.
Josh Jacobs helped boost the Raiders to their first win of the Las Vegas era on Sunday. The former Tide running back carried the ball 25 times for 93 yards, adding three scores to his stat sheet. Jacobs also hauled in four passes for 46 yards. His efforts helped Vegas remain in the game and eventually pu;; off a 34-30 win with a fourth-quarter rally over the Carolina Panthers.
A trio of former Alabama wide receivers put up big numbers in week one. Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley totaled 130 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches. Joining Ridley was his teammate, Julio Jones, who also posted a big day, recording nine grabs for a league-best 157 yards. On Sunday night, Amari Cooper proved a reliable target for the Dallas Cowboys. Cooper led the team in receptions and yards, totaling 10 catches for 81 yards. Despite Cooper's efforts, the Cowboys fell to the Los Angeles Rams.
Tampa Bay tight end O.J. Howard hauled in his first touchdown of the season on Sunday. The Prattville, Ala., native registered four catches for 36 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown reception from his new quarterback, Tom Brady. The Buccaneers would come up short against the New Orleans Saints in a 34-23 shootout.
On the defensive side of the ball, safety Eddie Jackson helped the Bears come away with a week one win. Jackson recorded six tackles in Chicago's victory over the Detroit Lions. Ravens defensive back Marlon Humphrey helped his team to a victory over the Cleveland Browns. Humphrey recorded one tackle and a pass break up, but his highlight of the day came when he picked off Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield on the first possession of the game en route to a dominant Baltimore win over their rivals.
A group of former Tide defenders stood out on Sunday for the Washing Football Team. Leading the way was Landon Collins who recorded five tackles, including two for loss. Along the defensive line, Da'Ron Payne added two tackles, half a sack and a quarterback hurry to go with three tackles, to combine with half a sack and a quarterback hurry from Jonathan Allen. Shaun Dion Hamilton and Ryan Anderson also contributed to their team's defensive success, helping Washington defeat the Philadelphia Eagles on opening weekend.
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaFTBL on Twitter and Facebook and AlabamaFBL on Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
