Published Dec 10, 2024
Tide Watch NFL Week 14: Tua Tagovailoa leads Dolphins to OT win over Jets
Jack Knowlton & Henry Sklar
Tide Illustrated

The 2024 NFL season is in full swing and the league once again littered with former Alabama players. The Crimson Tide had 10 players drafted into the NFL in 2024 and has the highest population of players in the league with 61 currently on active rosters.

Each week, Tide Illustrated will break down the top performances of former Tide players in the NFL along with a roundup of all former Alabama players in the pros.

Week 14 saw former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts connect for a touchdown pass with former Tide wideout DeVonta Smith in the Philadelphia Eagles 22-16 win over the Carolina Panthers. Hurts also rushed for a touchdown Eagles victory, which earned them a spot in the playoffs. Panthers QB Bryce Young also tossed a touchdown, extending his streak of games with at least one score through the air to six.

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Cleveland Browns wideout Jerry Jeudy also caught a touchdown pass last week, while Najee Harris racked up 53 yards and a score on the ground for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Former Tide running backs Josh Jacobs and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for four touchdowns in a great game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. Packers safety Xavier McKinney had seven tackles in the game, while Brian Branch had three tackles, including one for loss in the Lions victory.

Offensive star of the week: Tua Tagovailoa

Since returning from injury, former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been on a roll over the past seven games. His strong performance in Week 14 vaulted Miami to a 32-26 overtime win over the Jets.

Tagovailoa totaled 331 passing yards and threw two touchdowns, including the overtime game-winner to tight end Jonnu Smith on a 10-yard crossing route.

The key for Tagovailoa against the Jets was staying untouched by New York's pass rush. According to Pro Football Focus, despite facing pressure 12 times in Week 14, the Hawaii native was never sacked—a first for the quarterback in the 2024 season.

Since returning in Week 8, Tagovailoa has totaled 1,608 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air, ranking No. 4 in both of those categories. The quarterback also leads the league with the best touchdown-to-interception ratio at 13-1.

With the win, Miami sits just one game below .500 at 6-7, ESPN giving the Dolphins a 14% chance to make the seven-team AFC playoff field, No. 9 in the conference. In Week 15, Miami heads to Houston, where Tagovailoa will face off against former Alabama teammates John Metchie III and former Crimson Tide superstar Will Anderson Jr.

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Defensive star of the week: A’Shawn Robinson

It’s been a long road for A'Shawn Robinson. The 2016 national champion, 2022 Super Bowl champion and former second-round pick found a new home with the Carolina Panthers this offseason.

While the Panthers have had an up-and-down 2024 season, Robinson was a bright spot in Week 14, totaling 1.5 sacks and three tackles in their 22-16 loss to the Eagles.

Robinson’s 1.5 sacks against Philadelphia raised his season total to 4.5, doubling his previous career high of two. According to Pro Football Focus, he has recorded 21 pressures through 14 games, just six shy of his season-best mark of 27.

Despite the Panthers' loss, Carolina has been successful in its mishaps lately, as fellow former Alabama player quarterback Bryce Young has made a jump in his play recently. While the team sits at 3-10, they’ve gone 2-3 in their last five outings, with each game decided by one possession.

The late-season efforts give the team something to hang its hat on while positioning the Panthers for another top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.


Here’s how other former Alabama players performed last week.

Arizona Cardinals

LB Mack Wilson: 5 tackles, 1 quarterback hit against the Seahawks.

OL Jonah Williams: Started at tackle, played 71 snaps on offense.

Atlanta Falcons

RB Jase McClellan: Inactive against the Vikings.

LB Rashaan Evans: Inactive.

Buffalo Bills

WR Amari Cooper: 6 catches for 95 yards against the Los Angeles Rams.

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Carolina Panthers

QB Bryce Young: 19 of 34 for 191 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 7 carries for 29 yards, sacked once for 7 yards against the Eagles.

DT A’Shawn Robinson: 5 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks.

DE LaBryan Ray: 4 tackles.

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Cincinnati Bengals

S Jordan Battle:

WR Jermain Burton:

Cleveland Browns

WR Jerry Jeudy: 5 catches for 64 yards, 1 touchdown against the Steelers.

RB Jerome Ford: 10 carries for 28 yards, 3 catches for 19 yards.

DT Dalvin Tomlinson: 1 tackle.

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Dallas Cowboys

CB Trevon Diggs:

Detriot Lions

RB Jahmyr Gibbs: 15 carries for 43 yards, 6 catches for 30 yards, 1 touchdown against the Packers.

WR: Jameson Williams: 5 catches for 80 yards.

S Brian Branch: 3 tackles, 1 for loss.

CB Terrion Arnold: 3 tackles.

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Green Bay Packers

RB Josh Jacobs: 18 carries for 66 yards, 3 touchdowns against the Lions.

S Xavier McKinney: 7 tackles.

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Jacksonville Jaguars

QB Mac Jones: 23 of 31 for 220 yards, 2 interceptions, 3 carries for 3 yards, sacked once for 0 yards against the Titans.

Los Angeles Chargers

OL Bradley Bozeman: Started at center, played 60 snaps on offense against the Kansas City Chiefs.

P JK Scott: 5 punts for 213 yards with a 42.6 average and a long of 58.

DE Justin Eboigbe: Inactive.

Miami Dolphins

QB Tua Tagovailoa: 33 of 47 for 331 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 carry for 3 yards against the Jets.

WR Jaylen Waddle: 9 catches for 99 yards.

DT Da'Shawn Hand: 3 tackles.

Minnesota Vikings

OL Cam Robinson: Started at tackle, played 60 snaps on offense against the Falcons.

LB Dallas Turner: 3 tackles, 1 quarterback hit.

K Will Reichard: 6 of 6 on extra points, 0 of 1 on field goal attempts.

New Orleans Saints

CB Kool-Aid McKinstry: 4 tackles, 2 pass deflections against the Giants.

New York Giants

OL Evan Neal: Started at tackle, played 78 snaps on offense against the Saints.

New York Jets

DT Quinnen Williams: 1 tackle against the Dolphins.

Philadelphia Eagles

QB Jalen Hurts: 14 of 21 for 108 yards, 2 touchdowns, 8 carries for 59 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 fumble (not lost), sacked 4 times for 25 yards against the Panthers.

WR DeVonta Smith: 4 catches for 37 yards, 1 touchdown.

LG Landon Dickerson: Started at guard, played 58 snaps on offense.

CB Eli Ricks: Played 11 snaps on special teams.

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Pittsburgh Steelers

RB Najee Harris: 16 carries for 53 yards, 1 touchdown against the Browns.

S Minkah Fitzpatrick: 5 tackles.

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Seattle Seahawks

DT Jarran Reed: 1 tackle, 1 sack against the Cardinals.

CB Josh Jobe: 2 tackles, 1 pass deflection.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

LB Chris Braswell: 4 tackles against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Tennessee Titans

WR Calvin Ridley: 7 catches for 59 yards against the Jaguars.

OL JC Latham: Started at tackle, played 64 snaps on offense, 1 fumble recovery.

Tide on bye this week

Baltimore Ravens

RB Derrick Henry

CB Jalyn Armour-Davis

Denver Broncos

CB Patrick Surtain II

CB Levi Wallace

Houston Texans

WR John Metchie

TE Irv Smith Jr.

DE Will Anderson Jr.

LB Henry To’o To’o

Indianapolis Colts

DT Raekwon Davis

DB Ronnie Harrison

New England Patriots

LB Anfernee Jennings

DT Christian Barmore

RG Lester Cotton

Washington Commanders

RB Brian Robinson Jr.

DT Daron Payne

DT Phidarian Mathis

Practice squad players

Bills — S Kareem Jackson

Browns — TE Cameron Latu

Chargers — OL Alex Leatherwood

Ravens — OL Darrian Dalcourt

Rams — TE Miller Forristall

Texans — TE Irv Smith Jr.

Injured reserve/suspension

Browns CB Tony Brown — Played on IR Oct. 29 with a foot injury, LT Jedrick Wills Jr. — Placed on IR Dec. 7 with a knee injury.

Colts C Ryan Kelly — Played on IR Nov. 5 with a knee injury.

Commanders DT Jonathan Allen — Placed on IR Oct. 16 with a pectoral injury.

Eagles DT Byron Young — Placed on IR Oct. 25 with a hamstring injury.

Falcons S DeMarcco Hellams — Placed on IR Aug. 27 with an ankle injury.

Jets LB LB CJ Mosley — Placed on IR Dec. 7 with a neck injury.

Texans LB Christian Harris — Placed on IR Aug. 27 with a calf injury. Designated to return.