Bama Central

Bama in the NFL: Jahmyr Gibbs Has Night to Remember With 189 Yards

Bryce Young got the best of his former pass-rushing teammate; Tua swept Mac and improved to 6-0 with the Miami Dolphins against Bill Belichick.

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The expected showdown between former Alabama Crimson Tide running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and Josh Jacobs didn't quite happen the way that many people expected. 

Jacobs, who led the league in rushing last season, had a respectable 15 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown for the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, and also caught a pair of passes for 27 yards. he was by far his team's most effective playmaker as no other running back or receiver had more than 19 yards. 

Gibbs, however, the No. 12-overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, had a career night with with 189 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. He finished with 152 rushing yards and 37 receiving yards as the shook off last week's rout by the Ravens with a 26-14 victory.  

Bama in the NFL: Week 8 Tracker

Scroll down to see more players, and to the right to see more statistics. 

NFL Week 8 Recap

  • Bryce Young's hard work finally paid off, with the Carolina Panthers getting their first win of the season against the Houston Texans. Young threw for 235 yards and a touchdown in the 15-13 win. With 6:17 left in the fourth quarter, he successfully guided the Panthers down the field to kick a 23-yard, game-winning field goal as time expired. For Houston, Crimson Tide star pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. had three tackles and a tackle for loss. Henry To'oTo'o also had three tackles. Christian Harris had one pass breakup.
  • Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins improved to 3-1 this season against former Alabama quarterbacks with a win over Mac Jones and the Patriots. Mac Jones threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Defensively for New England, Mack Wilson Sr. had seven tackles, one for a loss. Christian Barmore had five tackles and a sack. Linebacker Anfernee Jennings had two tackles and recovered a fumble. Tagovailoa threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns, while Jaylen Waddle led the team in receiving with 121 yards and a touchdown. Tagovailoa improved to 6-0 against Bill Belichick in his NFL career, the most wins of any quarterback in NFL history against the historic coach.
  • Jalen Hurts put on quite a performance, throwing for 319 yards and four touchdowns in the Eagles' 38-31 win over the Commanders. DeVonta Smith caught seven passes for 99 yards and a score, and Julio Jones caught his first touchdown for Philadelphia on an 8-yard pass. Defensively, Eli Ricks had two tackles and a tackle for loss. For Washington, Brian Robinson Jr. had 59 yards rushing. Daron Payne had two tackles, Jonathan Allen had one, and Phidarian Mathis had a fumble recovery.
  • In the battle for New York, linebacker C.J. Mosley led the Jets defensively in a 13-10 win. Mosley had 12 tackles, half of a sack, one pass defended, and one QB hit. Defensive lineman Quinnen Williams had eight tackles, one for loss, and a QB hit. For the Giants, safety Xavier Mckinney had five tackles, while defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson had two tackles and a tackle for loss. 

NFL Week 8 Preview

  • Roughly 300 days ago, Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. took the field together as Alabama Crimson Tide teammates for the final time, in the Sugar Bowl against Kansas State. Alabama won that game 45-20, and then both were off to the NFL. After being the No. 1- and 3-overall selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, they'll meet again on Sunday as opponents. Under the direction of DeMeco Ryans, the Texans (3-3) are in the thick of the AFC South race, while the Panthers (0-6) are still searching for their first win. Young has struggled behind a porous offensive line, but shows signs of improvement. Anderson leads a Texans defense that has surprised many this season. Fellow rookie Henry To'To'o leads the Texans in tackles, while Christian Harris plays on special teams and in some defensive packages for Houston.
  • The Patriots (2-5) still have some work to do on the season, but laid the foundation with an upset win over the Bills last week. The Dolphins (5-2) are coming off a primetime loss to the Eagles. These two teams matched up in Foxboro in Week 2 and will rematch in Miami in Week 8. Mac Jones will lead New England against a Miami defense that has struggled with injuries. Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle head a Miami offense against a depleted New England secondary. Regardless, Tagovailoa remains one of the betting favorites for NFL MVP. The defensive lines for both teams also feature former Crimson Tide stars: Miami's Raekwon Davis and New England's Christian Barmore.
  • The battle for New York between the Jets and the Giants will include Crimson Tide defenders for both teams. Defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and linebacker C.J. Mosley have been huge for the Jets. Mosley is second on the team in tackles with 59, while Williams has 19 total tackles and half of a sack, and is third on the team in tackles for loss with three. For the Giants, safety Xavier McKinney has 38 tackles and a team-leading six passes defended. A'Shawn Robinson anchors their defensive line with 16 tackles and a tackle for loss.
  • Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles are tied with Kansas City for the best record (6-1), and cemented themselves as one of the top teams in the NFL with a win over the Dolphins last week. Hurts is another favorite for NFL MVP, and the Eagles again appear to be the team to beat in the NFC. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Julio Jones provide targets for Hurts, while defensive back Josh Jobe and Eli Ricks have seen playing time for Philadelphia's secondary. Landon Dickerson is one of the anchor points for the Eagles offensive line. Their opponent, the Washington Commanders, utilize Crimson Tide defenders Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne along the defensive line. Brian Robinson Jr. is the leading rusher for the Commanders with 325 yards and four touchdowns.
  • A duo of Crimson Tide running backs will face off on Monday, with the Raiders and Josh Jacobs taking on Jahmyr Gibbs and the Detroit Lions. Both teams are looking to rebound from double-digit losses last week. Jacobs leads the Raiders in rushing with 347 yards and two touchdowns. Gibbs got his first start of the season last week and ran for 68 yards and his first career touchdown, while also hauling in nine passes for 58 yards. Gibbs is second on the Lions in rushing yards with 247. Should David Montgomery remain out, Gibbs has shown the ability to maintain the same workload. 

How to Watch NFL Week 8

Thursday's Game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Buffalo Bills, 7:15 p.m. CT, Prime Video

Sunday's Game

Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers, noon, FOX
Los Angeles Rams at Dallas Cowboys, noon, FOX
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, noon, FOX
New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts, noon, FOX
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins, noon, CBS
New York Jets at New York Giants, noon, CBS
Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers, noon, CBS
Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans, noon, CBS
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders, noon, FOX
Cleveland Browns at Seattle Seahawks, 3:05 p.m., FOX
Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals, 3:25 p.m., CBS
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 3:25 p.m., CBS
Cincinnati Bengals at San Francisco 49ers, 3:25 p.m., CBS
Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:20 p.m., NBC, Universo

Monday's Game

Las Vegas Raiders at Detroit Lions, 7:15 p.m., ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Bye Week By the Numbers: Looking at Alabama Trends, Stats from First 8 Games

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