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Hoos in the NFL: Olamide Zaccheaus Dazzles Again in Big Week 17 Win

Matt Newton

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The penultimate week of the NFL regular season saw eight Virginia football alums play in NFL games. Let's recap all the performances from the eight former Wahoos who played in week 17 of the NFL season.

The highlight performance of the weekend came from Olamide Zaccheaus for the second week in a row. One week after tallying five receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns to help the Washington Commanders beat the Philadelphia Eagles, Zaccheaus followed that up with another strong performance this week, going for eight receptions on nine targets for 85 yards and a touchdown. Zaccheaus played more snaps and was targeted more times in the passing game than he has all season to lead the Commanders to a big 30-24 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football, a win that clinched the playoffs for Washington. The Commanders are now 11-5 on the season and are likely to be the No. 6 seed in the NFC Playoffs.

Malik Washington got the start for the second week in a row and recorded four receptions on five targets for 41 yards to help the Miami Dolphins beat the Cleveland Browns 20-3 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Washington unfortunately had one rushing attempt that went the wrong direction for -11 yards, but he also returned two punts for 20 yards, totaling 52 offensive snaps (87% of Miami's offensive snaps) and four special teams snaps (17%). The Dolphins are still alive for the playoffs at 8-8, but will need to beat the Jets in week 18 and have the Kansas City Chiefs, who are likely to rest their starters this week, beat the Denver Broncos in order to grab that last wildcard spot.

Also playing in that game were a pair of former UVA safeties, as Juan Thornhill and Rodney McLeod Jr. both started at the safety positions for the Cleveland Browns in the loss. Both players recorded two total tackles and one solo stop and Thornhill played 37 defensive snaps (62%) and four special teams snaps (17%) and McLeod played 31 defensive snaps (52%) and 12 special teams snaps (52%) for the Browns, who are now 3-13 this season.

Dontayvion Wicks got his fourth start of the season and posted four catches on five targets for 43 yards for the Green Bay Packers in their 27-25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Wicks played 46 offensive snaps (73%), his third-highest snap count of the season for Green Bay (11-5), who has clinched a wildcard berth to the playoffs but is likely to be the No. 7 seed in the NFC Playoffs.

Brent Urban played 15 defensive snaps (27%) and five special teams snaps (21%) and recorded one solo tackle in the Baltimore Ravens' blowout 31-2 victory over the Houston Texans on Christmas Day. The Ravens improved to 11-5 on the season and are in the driver's seat for the AFC North crown heading into week 18.

Charles Snowden registered two total tackles, including one solo stop for the Las Vegas Raiders in their 25-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Snowden played 23 defensive snaps (38%) and seven special teams (25%) for the Raiders, who won their second game in a row to improve to 4-12, continuing to move back in the NFL Draft order with every win.

Morgan Moses started at right tackle for the New York Jets in their 40-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills, but played only 28 snaps (44%) before aggravating a knee injury and exiting in the first half of the game. The Jets are done anyway, sitting at 4-12 on the season.

Joey Blount joined Bryce Hall (Buccaneers) and Jelani Woods (Colts) on the Injured Reserve with a rib injury suffered against the Panthers in week 16 and missed the Arizona Cardinals' 13-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Cardinals have been eliminated from the playoff.

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.