Alabama NFL roundup: Jaylen Waddle warming up for Miami

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was a 1,000-yard receiver in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. But with an injury costing him one game and teammate Tyreek Hill gobbling up receiving yards, Waddle entered the Dolphins’ eighth contest of the 2023 campaign with 30 receptions for 359 yards and two touchdowns.

Hill had another strong game on Sunday, as he had eight receptions for 112 yards and one touchdown in the Dolphins’ 31-17 victory over the New England Patriots.

Hill became the first player in the NFL’s Super Bowl era to reach 1,000 receiving yards in his team’s first eight games in a season on Sunday. But Waddle topped Miami’s receiving-yards chart against New England.

Waddle had seven receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown. The eighth 100-yard game of Waddle’s career was his first in the 2023 season.

Waddle caught a 31-yard touchdown pass to seal Miami’s victory with 2:43 remaining. Two defensive backs ran to Hill on the play, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa found Waddle running alone across the middle for score.

“The last touchdown, Tyreek was in jet motion, and they tried to go in and out on the fly,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said. “Long story short, it was zero (coverage), and Tua hung on to the ball longer than he usually does because he saw it all. You have to be of clear mind in those points of the game to make those type of plays, and it was one of the better defensive game plans that I’ve really ever gone against. The Patriots had an unbelievable plan to really kind of try to bottle us in, and guys were able to make plays in key situations, which is always fun to be around.”

Waddle has three touchdown receptions in Miami’s past four games.

Waddle was among the 53 former Alabama players who got on the field on the eighth Sunday of the NFL’s 104th season.

Eighth other former Alabama players were involved in the New England-Miami game:

· Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore made five tackles and recorded one sack. Barmore has three sacks this season and one in back-to-back games.

· Lester Cotton (Central-Tuscaloosa) started at left guard for the Patriots.

· Dolphins defensive tackle Raekwon Davis did not record any stats.

· Dolphins defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand did not record any stats.

· Anfernee Jennings (Dadeville) started at linebacker for the Patriots. Jennings made two tackles and recovered a fumble. Jennings made the first fumble recovery of his NFL career at the Miami 19-yard line on the first snap of the second half to set up a field goal.

· Mac Jones started at quarterback for the Patriots. Jones completed 19-of-29 passes for 161 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Jones threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kendrick Bourne for the game’s first points for 3:32 left in the first quarter and a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as New England cut Miami’s lead to 24-17 with 8:30 remaining.

· Tua Tagovailoa started at quarterback for the Dolphins. Tagovailoa completed 30-of-45 passes for 324 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Tagovailoa had TD passes for 42 yards to wide receiver Tyreek Hill to tie the score at 7-7 with 22 seconds left in the first quarter, 1 yard to wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. as Miami took a 14-7 lead in the first half with 6:10 left in the first half and 31 yards to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to set the final score with 2:43 remaining.

· Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson (Carver-Montgomery) made seven tackles and recorded one tackle for loss. Wilson had made 12 tackles in New England’s first seven games this season.

In the other Sunday games:

Carolina Panthers 15, Houston Texans 13

· Will Anderson Jr. started at defensive end for the Texans. Anderson made three tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.

· Bradley Bozeman (Handley) started at center for the Panthers.

· Panthers guard Deonte Brown (Austin) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Christian Harris started at linebacker for the Texans. Harris broke up a pass.

· Texans wide receiver John Metchie III did not record any stats.

· Panthers defensive tackle LaBryan Ray (James Clemens) made three tackles.

· Henry To’oTo’o started at strongside linebacker for the Texans. To’oTo’o made three tackles.

· Bryce Young started at quarterback for the Panthers. Young completed 22-of-31 passes for 235 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Young’s TD pass came on a 1-yard toss to tight end Tommy Tremble with 1:35 left n the first half. On Carolina’s final possession, Young completed 5-of-6 passes for 50 yards as the Panthers moved 86 yards in 15 plays for a field goal on the final snap of the game.

Dallas Cowboys 43, Los Angeles Rams 20

· Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Cowboys linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High) made one tackle in his 2023 debut. Dallas elevated Evans from its practice squad to make him eligible to play.

· Rams tight end Miller Forristall is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

New Orleans Saints 38, Indianapolis Colts 27

· Tony Brown started at cornerback for the Colts. Brown made six tackles in his first start of the season.

· Colts safety Ronnie Harrison is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Ryan Kelly started at center for the Colts.

New York Jets 13, New York Giants 10 (OT)

· Giants center J.C. Hassenauer is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Xavier McKinney started at free safety for the Giants. McKinney made five tackles.

· Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal was designated as a game-day inactive. An ankle injury sidelined Neal for the second game in a row.

· C.J. Mosley (Theodore) started at linebacker for the Jets. Mosley led the Jets with 12 tackles, shared a sack and broke up a pass.

· Giants cornerback Aaron Robinson is on reserve/physically unable to play.

· A’Shawn Robinson started at defensive tackle for the Giants. Robinson made two tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.

· Quinnen Williams (Wenonah) started at defensive tackle. Williams made eight tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and registered one quarterback hit.

Jacksonville Jaguars 20, Pittsburgh Steelers 10

· Minkah Fitzpatrick started at free safety for the Steelers. Fitzpatrick made two tackles before leaving in the first quarter because of a hamstring injury. He did not return to the game.

· Najee Harris started at running back for the Steelers. Harris ran for 13 yards on seven carries and caught five passes for 42 yards.

· Calvin Ridley started at wide receiver for the Jaguars. Ridley had six receptions for 83 yards.

· Cam Robinson started at left offensive tackle for the Jaguars.

· Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace was designated as a game-day inactive. A foot injury sidelined Wallace.

Tennessee Titans 28, Atlanta Falcons 23

· Falcons safety DeMarcco Hellams did not record any stats.

· Derrick Henry started at running back for the Titans. Henry ran for 101 yards on 22 carries and caught four passes for 21 yards. Henry’s second 100-yard game of the season was his 36th in an NFL regular-season contest in his career.

Philadelphia Eagles 38, Washington Commanders 31

· Jonathan Allen started at defensive tackle for the Commanders. Allen made one tackle and recorded two quarterback hits.

· Landon Dickerson started at left guard for the Eagles.

· Commanders running back Derrick Gore is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Jalen Hurts started at quarterback for the Eagles. Hurts completed 29-of-38 passes for 319 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions and ran for 6 yards on four carries. Hurts also lost a fumble in the game. Hurts threw touchdown passes of 16 and 25 yards to AJ Brown, 38 yards to DeVonta Smith and 8 yards to Julio Jones. Hurts’ TD to Jones put Philadelphia in front 31-24 with 7:17 to play, and the Eagles stayed ahead the rest of the way. Hurts became the sixth player in NFL history to record at least 300 yards of total offense and two passing and/or rushing touchdowns in six consecutive games. He joined Andrew Luck (eight consecutive games in 2014), Drew Brees (seven in 2011), Patrick Mahomes (six in 2021 and 2022) and Steve Young (six in 1998).

· Eagles cornerback Josh Jobe did not record any stats.

· Eagles wide receiver Julio Jones (Foley) had an 8-yard touchdown reception as Philadelphia took a 31-24 lead with 7:17 to play. Jones was playing in his second game with the Eagles 12 days after his first practice with the team. Philadelphia elevated Jones from its practice squad to make him eligible to play.

· Commanders defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis recovered a fumble in his 2023 debut. Mathis came off injured reserve on Saturday after a calf injury had kept him sidelined. Mathis came up with fumble recovery at the Washington 7-yard line with 6:48 left in the first half.

· Daron Payne (Shades Valley) started at defensive tackle for the Commanders. Payne made two tackles.

· Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks made two tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.

· Brian Robinson Jr. (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa) started at running back for the Commanders. Robinson ran for 59 yards on 10 carries and caught two passes for 20 yards.

· DeVonta Smith started at wide receiver for the Eagles. Smith had seven receptions for 99 yards and one touchdown. He scored on a 38-yard pass from quarterback Jalen Hurts as Philadelphia tied the game at 24-24 with 8:47 left to play.

· Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen did not record any stats.

Seattle Seahawks 24, Cleveland Browns 20

· Amari Cooper started at wide receiver for the Browns. Cooper had six receptions for 89 yards.

· Browns running back Jerome Ford had 37 yards on nine carries and a 2-yard reception.

· Browns offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Jarran Reed started at nose tackle for the Seahawks. Reed made four tackles.

· Dalvin Tomlinson started at defensive tackle for the Browns. Tomlinson registered a quarterback hit.

· Jedrick Wills Jr. started at left offensive tackle for the Browns.

Baltimore Ravens 31, Arizona Cardinals 24

· Ravens cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Marlon Humphrey (Hoover) started at cornerback for the Ravens.

Denver Broncos 24, Kansas City Chiefs 9

· Broncos safety Kareem Jackson is on the commissioner’s suspended list and not eligible to play.

· Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy had two receptions for 50 yards and one touchdown. Jeudy caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson as Denver took a 14-3 lead with 11:51 left in the first half.

· Drew Sanders started at inside linebacker for the Broncos. Sanders recovered a muffed punt by Kansas City wide receiver Mecole Hardman at the Chiefs 10-yard line with 11:15 left to play. Denver scored a touchdown two snaps later to take a 21-9 lead.

· Patrick Surtain II started at cornerback for the Broncos. Surtain made three tackles and broke up one pass.

Cincinnati Bengals 31, San Francisco 49ers 17

· Bengals safety Jordan Battle made two tackles.

· Forty-Niners tight end Cameron Latu is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron (St. Paul’s Episcopal) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Irv Smith Jr. started at tight end for the Bengals. Smith had four receptions for 25 yards.

· Jonah Williams started at right offensive tackle for the Bengals.

Los Angeles Chargers 30, Chicago Bears 13

· Bears safety Eddie Jackson dressed but did not play. Jackson had missed four of the previous five games because of a foot injury, and his status had been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

· Chargers punter JK Scott averaged 44.0 yards on two punts with a 37.0-yard net. Scott had a 63-yard punt that was returned 14 yards to the Chicago 20-yard line and a 25-yard punt for a fair catch at the Chicago 16.

Week 8 started on Thursday night, when the Buffalo Bills defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-18.

Week 8 concludes on Monday, when the Las Vegas Raiders and the Detroit Lions square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at Ford Field in Detroit. ABC and ESPN will televise the game.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.