2021 Alabama Crimson Tide in the NFL Tracker Week 15: The Return of Julio Jones

Just being back on the field helped the Tennessee Titans, why the rookie of the year awards could be locked up this week, and all of the latest roster moves of former Crimson Tide players.

Kristi Patrick | Dec 15, 2021

In this story:

The Week 15 rundown ...

Highlights

(Will be added over the weekend)

This catch is unreal by DeVonta Smith 😱

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/5vZnkv8M7a
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 22, 2021

• Tua Tagovailoa after the game: "Remind me to never do that again."

Tua Tagovailoa, Power Back pic.twitter.com/r8H8mQ5I7N
— Allan Basso (@Endzone51) December 19, 2021

• Score this Minkah Fitzpatrick, who had 14 tackles in the game, with the fumble recovery and tackled by Julio Jones:

OUR BALL!

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/jZ3i5MTIYp
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 19, 2021

Week 15 Preview

He's back ...

The Tennessee Titans returned veteran wide receiver Julio Jones to the active roster last Saturday, and he subsequently play against the Jacksonville Jaguars after three weeks on injured reserve.

Jones didn't have the greatest day. He played 32 snaps and had four catches on six targets for 33 yards. But it was an important step back for both him and the team that's in the middle of a mad scramble for playoff seeding.

“You certainly see the impact he has on a game just based on how defenses play us when he’s in the game,” wide receivers coach Rob Moore said. “It may not show up in the stat sheet, but it’s definitely a distinct difference when he and A.J. are in the game. From that standpoint, he brings a respect element to it.

“So, his impact isn’t always when he has the ball in his hands, it’s also how a defense plays us.”

Jacksonville won 20-0 as it snapped a two-game losing streak.

Tennessee will be without leading receiver A.J. Brown for at least two more games and without running back Derrick Henry for longer, maybe the rest of the regular season.

Jones, who was traded to the Titans during the offseason, but had played in just six games has yet to score his first touchdown for his new team.

For the season, he is third on the Titans. with 25 receptions for 369 yards.

“We have had spurts,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said this week, per All Titans. “It has been a frustrating year for him with the ups and downs of being injured. I don’t want to speak for him, I will let him answer that question. I can imagine if I was in that position, it would be quite frustrating.

“Hoping to keep him healthy as the season goes on and build that consistency the more time we get to

The seven-time Pro Bowler has been dealing with a hamstring injury for much of the season. At this point, not having a setback may be even more important that his production in games.

“The good thing is we got through the game with no hiccups,” Moore said Tuesday. “He felt great after the game, and we’ll just continue to build on that. The plan is for him to get more and more work each week until we can get to a point where we can get through a whole game.”

The coach added: “Anytime you’re in this situation, we kind of have a big-picture mentality. We know that – going forward – it’s in our best interests to make sure we don’t push the envelope too much because at the end of the day it’s about getting (Jones) through the remainder of the season and – hopefully – into the postseason.”

Game of the Week

Bengals at Broncos: Could rookie of the year honors be at stake in Denver? While oddsmakers have Micah Parsons listed as a big favorite to win the defensive award over former Patrick Surtain II, the former Alabama cornerback has a big-time matchup against Ja'Marr Chase. The wide receiver was selected fifth out of LSU, four spots ahead of Surtain. Chase may be the one player who could keep Patriots quarterback Mac Jones from winning the offensive award, although Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Najee Harris are all in the mix. With both teams 7-6, this might be the equivalent of an elimination game for the AFC playoffs, as there are still 13 teams competing for the seven slots.

Week 15 NFL Schedule

Saturday games are back in the mix ...

Thursday's Game (All times CT)

Kansas City at Los Angeles Chargers, Fox/NFLN/Amazon, 7:20

Saturday's Games

New England at Indianapolis, NFLN, 7:20

Sunday's Games

Carolina at Buffalo, Fox, noon

Arizona at Detroit, Fox, noon

Houston at Jacksonville, CBS, noon

New York Jets at Miami, CBS, noon

Dallas at New York Giants, Fox, noon

Tennessee at Pittsburgh, CBS, noon

Cincinnati at Denver, CBS, 4:05 p.m.

Atlanta at San Francisco, CBS, 3:05 p.m.

Green Bay at Baltimore, Fox, 3:25 p.m.

New Orleans at Tampa Bay, NBC, 7:20 p.m.

Monday's Game

Las Vegas at Cleveland, NFLN, 4 p.m.

Minnesota at Chicago, ESPN, 7:15 p.m.

Tuesday's Games

Seattle at Los Angeles Rams, Fox, 6 p.m.

Washington at Philadelphia, Fox, 6 p.m.

Notes

• Mac Jones can become the first rookie in NFL history to win his first seven road starts. With a 6-0 record so far, he's tied with Dak Prescott (six in 2016) and Ben Roethlisberger (six in 2004). Also, only three rookie quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era have led their teams on winning streaks of at least eight games, a group Jones can join on Saturday.

• Waddle has six games with at least eight receptions, tied with Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) for the most games with at least eight by a rookie in NFL history. Waddle also has at least eight in three consecutive games, joining Beckham (four games) and Saquon Barkley (three games in 2018) as the only rookies with at least eight receptions in three consecutive games all-time.

• Tua Tagovailoa, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is one of four quarterbacks all-time to record three games with a completion percentage of 80-or-higher (minimum 30 attempts) in a single season. The Dolphins are also attempting to become the first team in NFL history to reach the playoffs after winning one of their first eight games.

• Jalen Hurts ranks second among quarterbacks with 695 rushing yards this season and has 11 career games with at least 50 rushing yards. The Eagles quarterback can tie Kyler Murray (12 games) for the third-most games with at least 50 rushing yards by a quarterback in his first two seasons in the Super Bowl era.

• An additional note regarding Parsons, he's the fifth rookie with at least 12 sacks and three forced fumbles since 2000, joining former Crimson Tide linebacker Mark Anderson (2006), Dwight Freeney (2002), Julius Peppers (2002) and Terrell Suggs (2003).

• New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara, who began his collegiate career with the Crimson Tide, had four receptions, 145 scrimmage yards (120 rushing, 25 receiving) and a rushing touchdown in the Saints' 30-9 win over the New York Jets. You probably already know that his 362 career receptions since 2017 surpassed Roger Craig (358) for the most receptions by a running back in his first five seasons in NFL history. What you may not know is that Kamara has 67 career touchdowns (47 rushing, 19 receiving, one kickoff return), which is tied for the fifth-most touchdowns by a running back in his first five seasons all-time. The four ahead of him include Shaun Alexander (72).

This report will be continually updated as necessary, and through the final game on the schedule.