Dallas’s leader in receiving yards was WR KaVontae Turpin (Generals), who hauled in four passes for 53 yards. (cowboyswire)
Tryouts
A short week because of the Thanksgiving holiday contributed to there being no tryouts reported involving spring football players.
Transactions
The fine print of the practice squad elevation system resulted in LS Tucker Addington (Gamblers) being released by the Miami Dolphins on Monday. I went back and re-watched his snaps during Sunday’s game, and sure enough, there were no obvious issues. Instead, this is likely a roster maneuver that also led to his predecessor’s departure. When LS Blake Ferguson was put on the non-football injury list in late October, the team signed veteran Matt Overton to the practice squad. They could elevate him three times before they’d have to release him or add him to the 53-man roster.
They elevated him three times, then jettisoned him. In came Addington. Same thing: Elevated three times, then waived. He was replaced by Zach Triner. It appears the Dolphins are trying to save a roster spot on their 53-man roster by keeping their long snapper on the practice squad, but in order to do so, have to cycle through them every three weeks. It’s a gamble, but there often is such little difference in ability among long snappers that Dolphins management probably doesn’t think it’s too significant a risk.
It was a quick ascension for WR Maurice Alexander (Stars). He garnered little in-season interest until he was signed to the Detroit Lions’ practice squad on November 13. Wednesday, he was promoted to the active roster to replace fellow receiver Kalif Raymond, who was placed on injured reserve. Notably, he was brought up over two other receivers also on the practice squad in Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tom Kennedy, both of whom had been there longer this season. The glory was short-lived, however, as Alexander was subsequently released on Friday amid a flurry of signings Detroit made from other teams’ practice squads.
XFL
*In a game that cost Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus his job, LS Scott Daly (New York Guardians) did the long snapping on Thanksgiving for the Bears. Unlike in previous weeks, he was not involved in the mess at the end of the game.
*A game-time temperature of 27 degrees at Lambeau Field did not help P Daniel Whelan (Defenders). Whelan did his best to cut through the occasional flurries and wind, punting four times for a 43.0 average (36.8 net) with three landing inside the 20 and one touchback. His first punt was when the snow just began falling at the end of the Green Bay Packers’ first offensive drive. It was a 45-yard punt with a 4.71-second hangtime, muffed by the returner at the Miami 13 and recovered by Green Bay.
His next punt, more than halfway through the second quarter, was a 38-yarder fielded at the six-yard line. There was no fair catch, which seemed to surprise Green Bay’s coverage unit, allowing for a 10-yard return. A holding on the Dolphins walked it back. As the third quarter wound down, Whelan got off a 35-yarder, downed at the Miami 18, with a hangtime of 4.21. Finally, just prior to the two-minute warning in the fourth, Whelan uncorked a 50-yard punt, bouncing at about the eight-yard line before travelling into the end zone. His performance impressed those at Pro Football Focus, who named Whelan to their Team of the Week.
*The cold didn’t seem to agree with S Elijah Campbell (Defenders), who struggled in nine defensive snaps (adding 71% of the snaps on special teams). He began the second half on defense, paired with Jordan Poyer at safety, in place of Jevon Holland. Holland did come in later on the drive for Campbell. To start the second drive, Campbell was in again, and stayed in when Miami went to a three-safety look. The same happened on the third drive. This could’ve been a realignment due to Miami being short two corners who went down to injury during the game. Nevertheless, Campbell was charged with three missed tackles by Pro Football Focus in those nine snaps.
*Doing the long snapping once again for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Cincinnati Bengals, LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) snapped without incident on Sunday.
*As the backup to Los Angeles Chargers starter Justin Herbert, QB Taylor Heinicke (Battlehawks) was active but did not play.
*In what turned out to be a relatively low-scoring affair in Atlanta, Falcons OT Storm Norton (Wildcats) saw the field for just four special teams snaps against the Chargers.
*Playing a role in the Minnesota Vikings comeback against the Arizona Cardinals was K John Parker Romo (Brahmas). Romo missed his first field goal of the season, wide left from 43 yards out, but he made from 44, 55, and 31. Both of his extra points were also good. Romo’s 55-yarder was the second-longest of his pro career: He connected from 57 for San Antonio in 2023.
*Despite the game going into overtime, Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT C.J. Brewer (Roughnecks) was active, but did not play.
*QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) was active but did not play as the backup to Lamar Jackson in Baltimore.
*Though no fault of his own, LS Nick Moore (Tampa Bay Vipers) and the kicking battery continues to be under the microscope in Baltimore, where K Justin Tucker missed two more field goals and an extra point.
*The explosion of passing yardage in the Monday nighter meant there was no room for short-yardage, grind-it-out football which G Michael Dunn (Dragons) is often called upon to perform. His sole contribution was five special teams snaps.
USFL
*Acting as the primary punt returner for the Lions, WR Maurice Alexander (Stars) returned four punts for 42 yards (10.5) with a long of 23. It was an impressive showing in his first game of the season, but with his release, could also be his last. Alexander played solely on special teams, also playing on the kick return unit.
*The Dallas Cowboys started their game in a nickel look on defense, so CB Josh Butler (Panthers) was on the field to begin for the second week in a row. He was putting together another promising performance when the injuries that have taken their toll on Dallas defensive backs struck Butler. Tests showed he tore his ACL at the end of the first half after compiling three tackles (two solo, one assist) and a pass defensed during his time on the field. That brings a premature close to his 2024 season.
*Getting back on track with two short field goals (23 and 33 yards) was K Brandon Aubrey (Stallions) for Dallas against the New York Giants. He also made three extra points on three tries.
*Dallas’s leader in receiving yards was WR KaVontae Turpin (Generals), who hauled in four passes for 53 yards. Of those, 30 yards came on a screen pass where he was able to get into space and turn on the jets. He also carried the ball once for two yards, his production coming on 18% of offensive snaps. Turpin was far less electric in the return game, taking back two punts for negative three yards. He didn’t get a chance to return a kick as Graham Gano boomed all five of his kickoffs for touchbacks.
*In a reserve role, DE Jeremiah Pharms, Jr. (Maulers) made one solo tackle for the New England Patriots, in a losing effort against the Indianapolis Colts. He played on 32% of defensive snaps.
*While he’s been playing the last few weeks with a club due to a broken hand, DE LaBryan Ray (Stars) suffered another, unrelated injury in week 13. Ray started for Carolina and had three assisted tackles before leaving near the end of the fourth quarter. He returned in overtime, though the Panthers fell to the Buccaneers. In total, Ray managed to play 57% of the defensive snaps.
*The San Francisco 49ers were no match for the Buffalo Bills in blizzard-like conditions in Orchard Park, New York on Sunday night. Active for only the second time since being acquired in a trade a month ago, DT Khalil Davis (Stallions) made two assisted tackles in 31% of the defensive snaps against Buffalo’s run-heavy game plan.
*Monday night’s scoring output meant LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) was on the field often for the Denver Broncos, snapping a total of 12 times for punts, extra points, and field goals.
UFL
*CBS’s Jim Nantz spent so much time talking up K Jake Bates (Panthers) and his success this season… right before he missed his first field goal of the year. He had been three-for-three on the afternoon up to that point (good from 30, 36, and 48), but missed a 45-yarder wide right. It was only Chicago’s ineptness late in the game that prevented that miss from coming back to loom large. Bates was also two-for-two on extra points.
*Enjoying another strong game, DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades) had four tackles (two solo, two assists), with two of them resulting in a loss of yardage for Arizona. He teamed with LB Andrew Van Ginkel twice to drop RB James Conner behind the line of scrimmage, then broke free once again on his own to stop Conner for a loss. This activity was all accomplished in just 15 snaps (18% of defensive snaps). It was enough to earn Redmond a game ball from head coach Kevin O’Connell in the locker room afterward.
*Elevated for the third time this season, WR Kevin Austin (Stallions) saw three targets come his way in the passing game, catching all three for 31 yards. As was the case in his previous action, many of his stats were gained early in the game, with two of his three receptions coming on the first two drives of the game. Austin was also credited for a rush for nine yards in the 61% of offensive snaps he played.
*Playing one fewer snaps than his Denver counterpart, LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas) snapped 11 times for the Browns on Monday evening.
*As a reserve rush end, often lining up on the right side of the defense, Broncos LB Dondrea Tillman (Stallions) has two tackles – one solo, one assist – including an impressive stop on RB Nick Chubb for no gain.
