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NFL Owls – Week 16
12/31/2020 9:26:00 AM | Football
BOCA RATON, Fla. – FAUSports.com is proud to update our fans on the exploits of all of the former Owls who are lacing their cleats up each week in the NFL. Here's a rundown of how each performed during the penultimate – 16th – week of the 2020 NFL season.
Many former Owls are looking to go on to compete in the NFL postseason, with at least one representative on four of the seven teams that have clinched spots, and two more that could join them this weekend.
In the playoffs:
Buffalo – Brandin Bryant and Devin Singletary
New Orleans – Trey Hendrickson
Pittsburgh – James Pierre and Brandon Walton
Tampa Bay – John Franklin III, Greg Joseph and Herb Miller
Can clinch this weekend with a win and/or help:
Cleveland – Harrison Bryant
New York Giants – Alfred Morris
(All gametimes listed below are Eastern)
Active Owls (11)
#51 Azeez Al-Shaair | LB | San Francisco 49ers
- Al-Shaair saw his name in the starting lineup for the fourth time this season, tallying a quarterback hit of Kyler Murray among 21 snaps at linebacker, plus another 13 on special teams. The 49ers upset the Cardinals, 20-12.
49ers' record: 6-9
Final game: vs. Seattle – Saturday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
#88 Harrison Bryant | TE | Cleveland Browns
- Bryant was targeted a season-high seven times, garnering three receptions for 37 yards. He also set new standards by playing 67, and 83%, of the Browns' offensive snaps (and five more on special teams). Cleveland lost to the Jets, 23-16, and need a win Sunday among many scenarios to make their first playoff appearance since 2002.
Browns' record: 10-5 (Tied for second place in AFC North, but Baltimore holds tiebreaker. Would be No. 7 seed in AFC if season ended today)
Final regular season game: vs. Pittsburgh (and Pierre) – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
-- Trevon Coley | DL | New York Jets
- Was inactive for Sunday's game versus Cleveland. However, the team was 0-13 before signing Coley, and 2-0 since.
Jets' record: 2-13
Final game: at New England – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#91 Trey Hendrickson | DE | New Orleans Saints
- Hendrickson missed his first game in 2020, due to injury. The Saints routed Minnesota in his absence, 52-33.
Saints' record: 11-4 (First place in NFC South. Would be No. 2 seed, still holding the tiebreaker over Seattle)
Final regular season game: at Carolina (and Taylor) – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
#38 Buddy Howell | RB | Houston Texans
- Played 22 snaps – 19 on special teams and three at running back – in the Texans' 37-31 loss to Cincinnati.
Texans' record: 4-11
Final game: vs. Tennessee – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
#36 Herb Miller | CB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- On Christmas Day, Miller was elevated to the Bucs' active roster, and had a tremendous showing against the Lions, with four tackles and his first NFL interception (below). All told, he played 29 snaps, 15 at cornerback and 14 on special teams, with three of his stops in the 47-7 win coming defensively (with another wiped out due to penalty), and the fourth on a punt return.
Buccaneers' record: 10-5 (Have clinched a playoff berth, currently is the NFC's No. 5 seed, and can only be finish as that or as the sixth seed)
Final regular season game: vs. Atlanta (and Neasman) – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#41 Alfred Morris | RB | New York Giants
- Morris carried the ball three times for four yards, and had a nine-yard reception, in eight snaps at running back in the Giants' 27-13 loss to Baltimore.
Giants' record: 5-10 (Still have not been eliminated from the postseason, as the squad is a game behind 6-9 Washington and Dallas in the NFC East. A win over the Cowboys and loss by Washington against Philadelphia would put the Giants in the playoffs)
Final regular season game: vs. Dallas – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#41 Sharrod Neasman | S | Atlanta Falcons
- Neasman played 16 snaps in a reserve role at safety, and another 12 on special teams, on Sunday. He made two tackles, both defensively, in a narrow 17-14 loss to the top team in football, the 14-1 Chiefs.
Falcons' record: 4-11
Final game: at Tampa Bay (and Miller) – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#42 James Pierre | DB | Pittsburgh Steelers
- Pierre recorded his eighth special teams tackle of the season, and ninth overall, as the Steelers snapped a three-game skid with a 28-24 win over Indianapolis. The stop came on a punt return to open the second quarter. With the win and Cleveland's loss, Pittsburgh clinched the AFC North title.
Steelers' record: 12-3 (Still currently ticketed for the AFC's No. 3 seed, as Buffalo holds tiebreaker)
Final regular season game: at Cleveland (and Bryant) – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#26 Devin Singletary | RB | Buffalo Bills
- Had 10 carries for 36 yards, plus 16 more receiving yards, on two catches, in the Bills' fifth straight win (a 38-9 drubbing of New England). His long on the ground was 11, and through the air was 10, while gaining three total first downs.
Bills' record: 12-3 (AFC East Champions, would be the AFC's No. 2 seed if season ended today)
Final regular season game: vs. Miami – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#57 Adarius Taylor | LB | Carolina Panthers
- In his first start of 2020, Taylor posted three tackles – one solo and two assists – all as part of his 12 defensive snaps at linebacker. He played six more snaps on special teams. Carolina upended Washington on the road, 20-13.
Panthers' record: 5-10
Final game: vs. New Orleans (and Hendrickson) – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Owls on Reserve/IR (3)
#5 John Franklin III | WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
#34 Cre'von LeBlanc | CB | Philadelphia Eagles
#14 Kerrith Whyte Jr. | WR/RB | Detroit Lions
Owls on Practice Squads (5, 3 protected ... Miller is currently back on Tampa's, and is protected)
#74 Brandin Bryant | DT | Buffalo Bills
#1 Greg Joseph | PK | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (*)
#53 Rashad Smith | LB | Philadelphia Eagles (*)
#62 Brandon Walton | OT | Pittsburgh Steelers
Note: Practice squads have been expanded to 16 per team this season, and each week, up to four are chosen as "protected" members, barred from being signed by other teams to their active roster before that week's games are played. Those protected are designated above with an asterisk.
Each Thursday, check back here on FAUSports.com to see how each Owl did each week, along with a preview of their respective team's next game.
Many former Owls are looking to go on to compete in the NFL postseason, with at least one representative on four of the seven teams that have clinched spots, and two more that could join them this weekend.
In the playoffs:
Buffalo – Brandin Bryant and Devin Singletary
New Orleans – Trey Hendrickson
Pittsburgh – James Pierre and Brandon Walton
Tampa Bay – John Franklin III, Greg Joseph and Herb Miller
Can clinch this weekend with a win and/or help:
Cleveland – Harrison Bryant
New York Giants – Alfred Morris
(All gametimes listed below are Eastern)
Active Owls (11)
#51 Azeez Al-Shaair | LB | San Francisco 49ers
- Al-Shaair saw his name in the starting lineup for the fourth time this season, tallying a quarterback hit of Kyler Murray among 21 snaps at linebacker, plus another 13 on special teams. The 49ers upset the Cardinals, 20-12.
49ers' record: 6-9
Final game: vs. Seattle – Saturday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
#88 Harrison Bryant | TE | Cleveland Browns
- Bryant was targeted a season-high seven times, garnering three receptions for 37 yards. He also set new standards by playing 67, and 83%, of the Browns' offensive snaps (and five more on special teams). Cleveland lost to the Jets, 23-16, and need a win Sunday among many scenarios to make their first playoff appearance since 2002.
Browns' record: 10-5 (Tied for second place in AFC North, but Baltimore holds tiebreaker. Would be No. 7 seed in AFC if season ended today)
Final regular season game: vs. Pittsburgh (and Pierre) – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
-- Trevon Coley | DL | New York Jets
- Was inactive for Sunday's game versus Cleveland. However, the team was 0-13 before signing Coley, and 2-0 since.
Jets' record: 2-13
Final game: at New England – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#91 Trey Hendrickson | DE | New Orleans Saints
- Hendrickson missed his first game in 2020, due to injury. The Saints routed Minnesota in his absence, 52-33.
Saints' record: 11-4 (First place in NFC South. Would be No. 2 seed, still holding the tiebreaker over Seattle)
Final regular season game: at Carolina (and Taylor) – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
#38 Buddy Howell | RB | Houston Texans
- Played 22 snaps – 19 on special teams and three at running back – in the Texans' 37-31 loss to Cincinnati.
Texans' record: 4-11
Final game: vs. Tennessee – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
#36 Herb Miller | CB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- On Christmas Day, Miller was elevated to the Bucs' active roster, and had a tremendous showing against the Lions, with four tackles and his first NFL interception (below). All told, he played 29 snaps, 15 at cornerback and 14 on special teams, with three of his stops in the 47-7 win coming defensively (with another wiped out due to penalty), and the fourth on a punt return.
Buccaneers' record: 10-5 (Have clinched a playoff berth, currently is the NFC's No. 5 seed, and can only be finish as that or as the sixth seed)
Final regular season game: vs. Atlanta (and Neasman) – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
.@Herb_Miller21 with the takeaway 🙌
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 26, 2020
📲: https://t.co/tVqaXN7zCz pic.twitter.com/P8zxQDJXuq
#41 Alfred Morris | RB | New York Giants
- Morris carried the ball three times for four yards, and had a nine-yard reception, in eight snaps at running back in the Giants' 27-13 loss to Baltimore.
Giants' record: 5-10 (Still have not been eliminated from the postseason, as the squad is a game behind 6-9 Washington and Dallas in the NFC East. A win over the Cowboys and loss by Washington against Philadelphia would put the Giants in the playoffs)
Final regular season game: vs. Dallas – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#41 Sharrod Neasman | S | Atlanta Falcons
- Neasman played 16 snaps in a reserve role at safety, and another 12 on special teams, on Sunday. He made two tackles, both defensively, in a narrow 17-14 loss to the top team in football, the 14-1 Chiefs.
Falcons' record: 4-11
Final game: at Tampa Bay (and Miller) – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#42 James Pierre | DB | Pittsburgh Steelers
- Pierre recorded his eighth special teams tackle of the season, and ninth overall, as the Steelers snapped a three-game skid with a 28-24 win over Indianapolis. The stop came on a punt return to open the second quarter. With the win and Cleveland's loss, Pittsburgh clinched the AFC North title.
Steelers' record: 12-3 (Still currently ticketed for the AFC's No. 3 seed, as Buffalo holds tiebreaker)
Final regular season game: at Cleveland (and Bryant) – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#26 Devin Singletary | RB | Buffalo Bills
- Had 10 carries for 36 yards, plus 16 more receiving yards, on two catches, in the Bills' fifth straight win (a 38-9 drubbing of New England). His long on the ground was 11, and through the air was 10, while gaining three total first downs.
Bills' record: 12-3 (AFC East Champions, would be the AFC's No. 2 seed if season ended today)
Final regular season game: vs. Miami – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#57 Adarius Taylor | LB | Carolina Panthers
- In his first start of 2020, Taylor posted three tackles – one solo and two assists – all as part of his 12 defensive snaps at linebacker. He played six more snaps on special teams. Carolina upended Washington on the road, 20-13.
Panthers' record: 5-10
Final game: vs. New Orleans (and Hendrickson) – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Owls on Reserve/IR (3)
#5 John Franklin III | WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
#34 Cre'von LeBlanc | CB | Philadelphia Eagles
#14 Kerrith Whyte Jr. | WR/RB | Detroit Lions
Owls on Practice Squads (5, 3 protected ... Miller is currently back on Tampa's, and is protected)
#74 Brandin Bryant | DT | Buffalo Bills
#1 Greg Joseph | PK | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (*)
#53 Rashad Smith | LB | Philadelphia Eagles (*)
#62 Brandon Walton | OT | Pittsburgh Steelers
Note: Practice squads have been expanded to 16 per team this season, and each week, up to four are chosen as "protected" members, barred from being signed by other teams to their active roster before that week's games are played. Those protected are designated above with an asterisk.
Each Thursday, check back here on FAUSports.com to see how each Owl did each week, along with a preview of their respective team's next game.
Players Mentioned
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