Ex-Birmingham Stallions LB Dondrea Tillman had a good game for the Denver Broncos. Among the three tackles (one solo, two assists) made by Tillman was a 3rd-and-1 stop for no gain against the Falcons.
Tryouts
After a flurry of tryouts and transactions took place last week, the lead-up to week 11 was much quieter for spring football players. On Tuesday, DT Jaylen Twyman (Brahmas) worked out with the New York Jets. It was his second workout since the end of the UFL season, and his second workout with the Jets, the first taking place on August 11.
The next day, Wednesday, DT Jack Heflin (Roughnecks) found himself back in the workout rotation with the Miami Dolphins. Heflin had not worked out since being cut by the New Orleans Saints at the end of training camp. Friday brought a bit of a surprise as NFL veteran WR Keke Coutee (Defenders) had a tryout with the Baltimore Ravens. This was Coutee’s first audition of the year.
Transactions
Though he hadn’t received much interest since training camp, WR Maurice Alexander (Stars) re-signed with the Detroit Lions on Wednesday, this time to their practice squad. He’s familiar with the Lions offense as he spent the preseason with the team. Saturday brought about the release of C Alec Lindstrom (Showboats) by the New York Jets. Given the roster dance he’s been a part of the last few weeks, it would not be a surprise to see him end up back on the team’s practice squad this week. Taking the place of QB Dak Prescott (injured reserve) on the roster of the Dallas Cowboys was CB Josh Butler (Panthers), promoted from the practice squad prior to the team’s Monday night intrastate battle with Houston.
XFL
*The backup to Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) was active but did not see game action.
*Future Hall of Fame kicker Justin Tucker continues to struggle, missing two field goals in Baltimore’s two-point loss to Pittsburgh. His snapper, LS Nick Moore (Tampa Bay Vipers), continues to shine, however.
*Six Pittsburgh field goals accounted for all of the team’s points against Baltimore. LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) snapped on each, as well as on punts.
*Getting a front row seat to a wild Sunday night matchup, Los Angeles Chargers QB Taylor Heinicke (Battlehawks) could only watch, as he did not play.
*Part of a play that cost the Chicago Bears a victory over the Green Bay Packers, LS Scott Daly (New York Guardians) served up the ball for a game-winning 46-yard Cairo Santos field goal as time expired. However, the Packers were able to block it and exit Chicago with a one-point win.
*Sunday was almost an off-day for P Daniel Whelan (Defenders). He punted once for Green Bay, sending it 47 yards, bouncing once before coming to rest at the five-yard line. His hangtime was 4.36 seconds. That was on the second drive of the game. Whelan also held on two extra points, and that was it.
*On the wrong end of a 38-6 bludgeoning at the hands of the Denver Broncos, the Atlanta Falcons put their subs in on their last two offensive drives of the game. OT Storm Norton (Wildcats) was allowed to play 13 snaps from scrimmage during that time, or 22% of the total offensive snaps.
*The Jets were able to bottle up Indianapolis RB Jonathan Taylor, holding him to less than three yards per carry. DT Bruce Hector (Renegades) played a part in clogging up the interior even if he didn’t appear on the stat sheet, in action on 24% of defensive snaps.
*Proving that extra points are no gimmes, K John Parker Romo (Brahmas) connected on his only field goal for Minnesota, from 40 yards out, but missed one of his three extra points, bouncing it off the right upright.
*It was business as usual for S Elijah Campbell (Defenders) in Miami. He played one snap on defense, but 52% on special teams.
*Like Norton, G Michael Dunn (Dragons) got to see the field when the Cleveland Browns were long out of their game against the New Orleans Saints. He played three snaps, all on the final drive, as well as three on special teams.
USFL
*In his second week in the Bay Area after being traded by Houston, DT Khalil Davis (Stallions) was a healthy scratch for the 49ers.
*A coming out party of sorts for Denver rookie QB Bo Nix gave LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) plenty of work to do in snapping extra points. He also made an assisted tackle in punt coverage, his fourth stop of the year on special teams, tying him for the league lead in that category among long snappers.
*After a productive week 10, DE Jeremiah Pharms, Jr. (Maulers) found himself in the starting lineup for New England, leading off the game as one of the team’s three down-linemen in place of DE Keion White, who instead came off the bench. Nevertheless, White had a larger snap share than Pharms (81% to 60%). Pharms made two tackles (one solo, one assist) on the afternoon.
*It was the second practice squad elevation in a row as a Dolphin for LS Tucker Addington (Gamblers). He snapped on all field goals and punts.
*A miss from 40 yards out proved that K Brandon Aubrey (Stallions) is indeed human. He clanged the kick off the right upright, but his plant foot did slip on the turf to cause the errant attempt. He connected from 53 yards for Dallas prior to that, then hit from 64 later in the game, but that was taken off the board by a Houston penalty which Dallas accepted.
*Per NextGenStats, the 64-yard touchdown that Cowboys WR Kavontae Turpin (Generals) scored saw him reach a maximum speed of 22.36 mph, the fastest for a ballcarrier since 2020. On the play, he was lined up in the slot and he shook CB Jeff Okudah at the line of scrimmage. He caught the ball on a slant and was gone in the open field. It was one of three receptions he had for 86 yards in playing 28% of the snaps. He also returned two kicks for 56 yards.
*Injuries to corners DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis not only led to the promotion of CB Josh Butler (Panthers) from the Cowboys practice squad on Monday, but also to him starting in the game. He played left corner, totaling 95% of the defensive snaps, finishing with five solo tackles and a pass defensed.
UFL
*Minnesota’s defense harassed Tennessee’s offense to the tune of five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades) contributed to those numbers with his only tackle coming as a loss, stopping RB Tony Pollard with the Titans backed up in the shadow of their own end zone in the third quarter. It’s his third tackle for loss on the season and it came on one of his 10 snaps (17%).
*Among the three tackles (one solo, two assists) made by LB Dondrea Tillman (Stallions) for the Broncos was a 3rd-and-1 stop for no gain against the Falcons. Tillman played 41% of the defensive snaps and 65% on special teams. This was his season-high in snaps on defense, likely due to the lopsided score.
*Both of the targets that came the way of WR Kevin Austin, Jr. (Stallions) happened early in the game, with his only catch coming on the first drive, going for 18 yards. Austin was elevated for the second week in a row due to injuries in the Saints’ wide receiver room. In fact, he led the team’s receiving corps in snaps, playing 68% of them on offense.
*Detroit’s drubbing of Jacksonville allowed K Jake Bates (Panthers) to work on his extra point consistency: He was a perfect seven-for-seven. The icing on the cake was a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that sent the Lions over 50 points. He also only allowed two returns on nine kickoffs.
*Another snapper whose kicker had troubles was LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas) of the Browns. K Dustin Hopkins missed both of his field goal attempts, with one coming from 27 yards. Sunahara was solid, however.
Byes: Carolina Panthers DE LaBryan Ray (Stars), Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT C.J. Brewer (Roughnecks)
