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2021 NFL Owls – Week 15
12/23/2021 10:55:00 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 15th week of the 2021 NFL season (All gametimes listed below are Eastern):
Active Owls (6)
#51 Azeez Al-Shaair | LB | San Francisco 49ers
- Al-Shaair was inactive on Sunday, but the 49ers took their fifth win in their last six games, 31-13 over Atlanta. He is questionable, but "trending in the right direction" according to general manager John Lynch, for tonight's matchup with the Titans.
49ers' Record: 8-6 (Third in the NFC West, remained sixth in the NFC playoff seeding if the season ended today)
Next Game: at Tennessee – Tonight, Thursday Night Football, 8:20 p.m. (NFL Network)
#88 Harrison Bryant | TE | Cleveland Browns
- Bryant returned to action and caught two passes for 11 yards, including a go-ahead six-yard touchdown with 3:45 to go in the game (his first of the season). Unfortunately, the Raiders drove and kicked a field goal at the horn to win, 16-14.
Browns' Record: 7-7 (Currently 12th in the AFC playoff standings, but are far from eliminated. Heading into tonight there are 10 teams separated by just one game and ranked between fourth and 13th in the AFC)
Next Game: at Green Bay – Saturday, 4:30 p.m. (FOX/NFL Network)
#91 Trey Hendrickson | DE | Cincinnati Bengals
- Hendrickson had three tackles, including a half-sack, to record a QB takedown for the 10th straight game. His next will push him past Carlos Dunlap's Cincinnati single-season record of 13.5. The Bengals beat Denver, 15-10, to move into first place in the AFC North, and on Wednesday, Hendrickson was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team, the first such honor of his career.
Bengals' Record: 8-6 (First in the AFC North, fourth in the AFC playoff seeding if the season ended today)
Next Game: vs. Baltimore – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#1 Greg Joseph | K | Minnesota Vikings
- Joseph was good on all three of his kicks – two extra points and a 37-yard field goal – as the Vikings moved to .500 with a 17-9 win over Chicago. All four of his kickoffs traveled into the end zone as well, two for touchbacks.
Vikings' Record: 7-7 (Second in the NFC North, would be the seventh and final seed in the NFC – by tiebreakers over two other 7-7 teams – if the season ended today)
Next Game: vs. L.A. Rams – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#42 James Pierre | CB | Pittsburgh Steelers
- Playing 14 special teams snaps, Pierre had a tackle and forced fumble on the same third quarter kickoff. Pittsburgh kept pace with the glut of potential AFC playoff teams with a 19-13 upset of AFC South-leading Tennessee.
Steelers' Record: 7-6-1 (Currently ninth in the AFC playoff standings, but are far from eliminated. Heading into tonight there are 10 teams separated by just one game and ranked between fourth and 13th in the AFC)
Next Game: at Kansas City – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
#26 Devin Singletary | RB | Buffalo Bills
- Had his best game of the season, logging a career-high 22 carries for 86 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown, and catching a 10-yard pass as well. His rushing splits were 49 yards before contact and 37 after, with four first downs, and he played all but five snaps, or 93%, on offense. The Bills beat the Panthers, 31-14.
Bills' Record: 8-6 (Second in the AFC East, back in the AFC playoff standings at seventh)
Next Game: at New England – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Injured/Reserve (4)
#97 Trevon Coley | DT | Tennessee Titans
#38 Buddy Howell | RB/ST | Los Angeles Rams
#34 Cre'von LeBlanc | DB | Houston Texans
- LeBlanc was placed on the Texans' reserve-COVID-19 list last Thursday
#35 Sharrod Neasman | S | New York Jets
- Neasman had a season-high four tackles in a homecoming of sorts, at Miami last Sunday. He played 38 snaps at safety (his most since Week 5, and where he posted all four of his solo stops), and 25 of the team's 30 special team snaps. The Dolphins edged out the Jets, 31-24. He was placed on the Jets' reserve-COVID-19 list on Monday.
Practice Squad (4)
#90 Brandin Bryant | DT | Buffalo Bills
#29 Herb Miller | CB | Cleveland Browns
- Miller played once again on Monday, for the seventh time this season, taking part in 73% of the Browns' special teams snaps (19 of 26).
#-- Rashad Smith | LB | Atlanta Falcons
#73 Brandon Walton | OT | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kerrith Whyte was cut from the Broncos' practice squad on Tuesday.
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.
Active Owls (6)
#51 Azeez Al-Shaair | LB | San Francisco 49ers
- Al-Shaair was inactive on Sunday, but the 49ers took their fifth win in their last six games, 31-13 over Atlanta. He is questionable, but "trending in the right direction" according to general manager John Lynch, for tonight's matchup with the Titans.
49ers' Record: 8-6 (Third in the NFC West, remained sixth in the NFC playoff seeding if the season ended today)
Next Game: at Tennessee – Tonight, Thursday Night Football, 8:20 p.m. (NFL Network)
#88 Harrison Bryant | TE | Cleveland Browns
- Bryant returned to action and caught two passes for 11 yards, including a go-ahead six-yard touchdown with 3:45 to go in the game (his first of the season). Unfortunately, the Raiders drove and kicked a field goal at the horn to win, 16-14.
Browns' Record: 7-7 (Currently 12th in the AFC playoff standings, but are far from eliminated. Heading into tonight there are 10 teams separated by just one game and ranked between fourth and 13th in the AFC)
Next Game: at Green Bay – Saturday, 4:30 p.m. (FOX/NFL Network)
NICK MULLENS ➡️ HARRISON BRYANT
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 21, 2021
Browns take the lead‼️
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/Di2qA52Rrk
#91 Trey Hendrickson | DE | Cincinnati Bengals
- Hendrickson had three tackles, including a half-sack, to record a QB takedown for the 10th straight game. His next will push him past Carlos Dunlap's Cincinnati single-season record of 13.5. The Bengals beat Denver, 15-10, to move into first place in the AFC North, and on Wednesday, Hendrickson was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team, the first such honor of his career.
Bengals' Record: 8-6 (First in the AFC North, fourth in the AFC playoff seeding if the season ended today)
Next Game: vs. Baltimore – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Another game, another sack for Trey Hendrickson pic.twitter.com/cd1Mv5g4wW
— PFF (@PFF) December 19, 2021
An unforgettable first season in Cincinnati continues... Trey Hendrickson has been selected to the Pro Bowl. pic.twitter.com/9nmhZZ3wo8
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 23, 2021
#1 Greg Joseph | K | Minnesota Vikings
- Joseph was good on all three of his kicks – two extra points and a 37-yard field goal – as the Vikings moved to .500 with a 17-9 win over Chicago. All four of his kickoffs traveled into the end zone as well, two for touchbacks.
Vikings' Record: 7-7 (Second in the NFC North, would be the seventh and final seed in the NFC – by tiebreakers over two other 7-7 teams – if the season ended today)
Next Game: vs. L.A. Rams – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#42 James Pierre | CB | Pittsburgh Steelers
- Playing 14 special teams snaps, Pierre had a tackle and forced fumble on the same third quarter kickoff. Pittsburgh kept pace with the glut of potential AFC playoff teams with a 19-13 upset of AFC South-leading Tennessee.
Steelers' Record: 7-6-1 (Currently ninth in the AFC playoff standings, but are far from eliminated. Heading into tonight there are 10 teams separated by just one game and ranked between fourth and 13th in the AFC)
Next Game: at Kansas City – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
#26 Devin Singletary | RB | Buffalo Bills
- Had his best game of the season, logging a career-high 22 carries for 86 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown, and catching a 10-yard pass as well. His rushing splits were 49 yards before contact and 37 after, with four first downs, and he played all but five snaps, or 93%, on offense. The Bills beat the Panthers, 31-14.
Bills' Record: 8-6 (Second in the AFC East, back in the AFC playoff standings at seventh)
Next Game: at New England – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Devin Singletary puts the @BuffaloBills on the board! #BillsMafia @motorsingletary
— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2021
📺: #CARvsBUF on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/gIgzlTNOrF
Devin Singletary is currently 11th in missed tackles forced despite being 28th in the NFL in carries. Like I've been saying since the '19 draft, the dude is a baller.
— Chris Trapasso (@ChrisTrapasso) December 22, 2021
Injured/Reserve (4)
#97 Trevon Coley | DT | Tennessee Titans
#38 Buddy Howell | RB/ST | Los Angeles Rams
#34 Cre'von LeBlanc | DB | Houston Texans
- LeBlanc was placed on the Texans' reserve-COVID-19 list last Thursday
#35 Sharrod Neasman | S | New York Jets
- Neasman had a season-high four tackles in a homecoming of sorts, at Miami last Sunday. He played 38 snaps at safety (his most since Week 5, and where he posted all four of his solo stops), and 25 of the team's 30 special team snaps. The Dolphins edged out the Jets, 31-24. He was placed on the Jets' reserve-COVID-19 list on Monday.
Practice Squad (4)
#90 Brandin Bryant | DT | Buffalo Bills
#29 Herb Miller | CB | Cleveland Browns
- Miller played once again on Monday, for the seventh time this season, taking part in 73% of the Browns' special teams snaps (19 of 26).
#-- Rashad Smith | LB | Atlanta Falcons
#73 Brandon Walton | OT | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kerrith Whyte was cut from the Broncos' practice squad on Tuesday.
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.
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Sunday, September 28
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Get to Know Coach Korel Smith
Thursday, September 25