Sooners in the NFL: Week 17
Another Sunday has come and gone with Week 17 of the NFL season in the books just short of Monday night’s collision between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
For the first time in league history, the 17th week of the season is not the last but rather the penultimate slate of games of the regular season.
The NFL adopted a 17-game, 18-week schedule for the 2021 season that, when paired with the addition of a seventh playoff team in each conference, has done exactly what the league had hoped for: create more intrigue down the stretch with more teams in the mix.
For former Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals, their final road game of the season saw them headed to a place that Murray was very familiar with in his home state.
The Cardinals were in Arlington, TX at AT&T Stadium for a collision with another playoff-bound squad in the 11-4 Dallas Cowboys.
In his football life, Murray entered the day an absurd 7-0 at AT&T Stadium. That includes high school, college and his 2020 trip to the home of the Cowboys.
Kyler Murray
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
That record was ran to 8-0 on Sunday with Arizona escaping “Jerry World” with a 25-22 win to keep their hopes of an NFC West crown alive.
The former Heisman Trophy-winner was sharp once again, completing 26 of his 38 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception. He also added 44 yards on the ground.
The win improved Arizona to 11-5 on the season and kept their hopes of a division title alive after the Los Angeles Rams had pulled out a win over the Baltimore Ravens earlier in the day.
If the Cardinals can beat the Seattle Seahawks at home next week and the Rams fall to the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona would claim the NFC West crown.
Regardless, the Cardinals have already clinched a playoff berth and will be no worse than the No. 5 seed when the wild card round begins play in two weeks.
As for the rest of the Sooners in the NFL, here is a recap of how they did in Week 17:
Arizona Cardinals
(W 25-22 at Dallas)
- QB Kyler Murray: Completed 26 of 38 passes for 263 yards, longest pass 43 yards, 2 touchdowns, 9 rushes for 44 yards
- DL Jordan Phillips: DNP (Inactive)
Baltimore Ravens
(L 20-19 vs LA Rams)
- TE Mark Andrews: 6 receptions on 6 targets for 89 yards, longest reception 33 yards
- WR Marquise Brown: 3 receptions on 8 targets for 28 yards, longest reception 13 yards
- S Tony Jefferson: 1 solo tackle, 1 assisted tackle, 2 total tackles, 1 special teams tackle
- OG Ben Powers: DNP (Inactive)
Buffalo Bills
(W 29-15 vs Atlanta)
- OT Cody Ford: Saw playing time in a reserve role
- OT Daryl Williams: Received start at right guard
Chicago Bears
(W 29-3 vs NY Giants)
- RB Damien Williams: 0 receptions on 1 target
Cincinnati Bengals
(W 34-31 vs Kansas City)
- LB Jordan Evans: DNP (IR List)
- RB Joe Mixon: 12 rushes for 46 yards, longest rush 13 yards, 7 receptions on 8 targets for 40 yards, longest reception 15 yards
- RB Samaje Perine: 1 rush for 4 yards, 1 reception on 1 target for 10 yards
Cleveland Browns
(at Pittsburgh on Monday Night)
- QB Baker Mayfield:
Dallas Cowboys
(L 25-22 vs Arizona)
- WR CeeDee Lamb: 3 receptions on 4 targets for 51 yards, longest reception 26 yards
- DT Neville Gallimore: 2 assisted tackles
Detroit Lions
(L 51-29 at Seattle)
- CB Parnell Motley: DNP (Practice Squad)
- LB Curtis Bolton: Saw playing time in reserve role
- K Austin Seibert: DNP (IR List)
Kansas City Chiefs
(L 34-31 at Cincinnati)
- TE Blake Bell: 3 receptions on 3 targets for 35 yards, longest reception 24 yards, 1 rush for 2 yards
- OT Orlando Brown: DNP
- C Creed Humphrey: Received start at center
- LS James Winchester: Served as long snapper for 8 snaps
Las Vegas Raiders
(W 23-20 at Indianapolis)
- DT Gerald McCoy: DNP (Out for Season with Injury)
Los Angeles Chargers
(W 34-13 vs Denver)
- LB Kenneth Murray: DNP (COVID-19 List)
Los Angeles Rams
(W 20-19 at Baltimore)
- OT Bobby Evans: Saw playing time in reserve role
- LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo: Saw playing time in reserve role, no tackles
Minnesota Vikings
(L 37-10 at Green Bay)
- WR Dede Westbrook: 1 reception on 1 target for 4 yards
New England Patriots
(W 50-10 vs Jacksonville)
- DE Ronnie Perkins: DNP (IR List)
- RB Rhamondre Stevenson: 19 rushes for 107 yards, longest rush 15 yards, 2 touchdowns
New Orleans Saints
(W 18-10 vs Carolina)
- WR Kenny Stills: Saw playing time in a reserve role, no targets
New York Giants
(L 29-3 at Chicago)
- DB Steven Parker: Saw playing time in a reserve role, no tackles
- WR Sterling Shepard: DNP (IR List)
New York Jets
(L 28-24 vs Tampa Bay)
- OL Dru Samia: DNP (Practice Squad)
Philadelphia Eagles
(W 20-16 at Washington)
- QB Jalen Hurts: Completed 17 of 26 passes for 214 yards, longest pass 30 yards, 7 rushes for 44 yards, longest rush 22 yards
- OT Lane Johnson: Received start at right tackle
Pittsburgh Steelers
(vs Cleveland on Monday Night)
- DB Tre Norwood:
San Francisco 49ers
(W 23-7 vs Houston)
- RB Trey Sermon: DNP (IR List)
- OT Trent Williams: Received start at left tackle
Seattle Seahawks
(W 51-29 vs Detroit)
- CB Tre Brown: DNP (IR List)
- RB Adrian Peterson: DNP (Practice Squad)
Tennessee Titans
(W 34-3 vs Miami)
- DE Amani Bledsoe: DNP (Practice Squad)
Washington Football Team
(L 20-16 vs Philadelphia)
- P Tress Way: DNP (COVID-19 List)
