Top Dawgs in the NFL (Week 15)
UGASports continues its series highlighting the top NFL performances by former Georgia players for the week and entering the Monday night game(s). With our most outstanding performer for the week—or the Top Dawg—revealed towards the end, we spotlight the top NFL performances by Bulldogs from December 11 through December 14 and preview those participating in tonight’s Monday night game.
Matthew Stafford
Los Angeles’ Stafford continued what’s shaping up to be an MVP season by directing a 41-34 comeback victory over the Detroit Lions to help improve the Rams to 11-3. The 17th-year signal-caller completed 24 of 38 passes for 368 yards (his most passing yards since Week 5), two touchdowns, and one interception for a passer rating of 101.6. Specifically, against the Lions’ blitz, Stafford completed 14 of 19 passes for 202 yards and both touchdowns. For the season, he ranks first in the league in both passing touchdowns and passer rating, and is second in passing yards. According to BetMGM’s latest odds, Stafford is the significant favorite at -300 to be named the league’s MVP.
D’Andre Swift
Chicago’s Swift continued a Pro Bowl-caliber campaign yesterday with a two-touchdown performance in a 31-3 blowout by the Bears over the Cleveland Browns. The sixth-year running back rushed 18 times for 98 yards—Swift’s third-highest total this season—including 6- and 17-yard scoring runs. He also made a reception in the victory as Chicago improved to 10-4 this season. The game also marked just the third time in his career, and the first time since his rookie season of 2020, that Swift rushed for two touchdowns in a single game. In his last nine games, he has averaged 83.1 rushing yards per game and an impressive 5.5 yards per carry.
The TOP DAWG: James Cook
Cook is our top pro performer of the week for his three-touchdown outing in Buffalo’s thrilling 35-31 upset victory over the New England Patriots on the road. With the Bills trailing 21-0 late in the second quarter, Cook scored a short receiving touchdown before adding two scoring runs in the second half, including the game-winning touchdown on an 11-yard run. For the game, the fourth-year running back rushed 22 times for 107 yards—his eighth 100-yard rushing game this season—while making two receptions. For Cook, it marked only the second time in his pro career that he scored three touchdowns in a single game. In 14 games this season, he has rushed for 1,415 yards, made 31 receptions, and scored 12 touchdowns.
Other notable performances over the weekend by former Georgia players include from the Thursday night game. In Atlanta’s 29-28 come-from-behind victory over Tampa Bay, rookie Jalon Walker was part of a pivotal sack at the two-minute warning, forcing a punt by the Buccaneers, which led to a game-winning field goal by the Falcons. Walker now has 5.5 sacks this season, which ranks second among NFL rookies (behind teammate James Pearce’s eight sacks).
Houston’s Kamari Lassiter made the game’s only interception—and added a celebratory backflip—in the Texans’ 40-20 win yesterday over the Arizona Cardinals. For the second-year cornerback, it was his team-lead-tying fourth interception of the season—after making three interceptions a year ago as a rookie. In three seasons at Georgia, Lassiter made one interception (vs. Vanderbilt as a freshman in 2021).
A trio of Bulldog defenders stood out in Baltimore’s 24-0 shutout over Cincinnati. In helping keep the Bengals off the scoreboard while limiting them to less than 300 yards of offense, linebacker Roquan Smith made a game-high 14 tackles; rookie safety Malaki Starks had four tackles and a pass defended; and 13th-year defensive tackle John Jenkins added four tackles and a forced fumble.
Finally, we wanted to spotlight a couple of “Philly Dawgs” for their defensive outings in the Eagles’ 31-0 win over Las Vegas, in which the Raiders were limited to only seven first downs and 75 total yards. In the dominant defensive performance, outside linebacker Nolan Smith made two tackles, including a sack for a 10-yard loss late in the third quarter. Even more impressive was teammate Nakobe Dean. The fourth-year inside linebacker made eight tackles—twice as many as any other Eagle—including two for loss (one of which was made on another Georgia teammate). Dean’s 93.5 grade was the highest of any player in the game.
Monday Night Football
Starting at 8:15 pm ET tonight, the lone Monday night game features the 6-7 Miami Dolphins at the 7-6 Pittsburgh Steelers, with the home Steelers a 3-point favorite. Miami currently has no former Georgia players on its active roster, while the Steelers have one: starting tight end Darnell Washington, who is fourth on the team with 288 receiving yards (23 receptions).
BYE teams this week: None