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Hoos in the NFL: Recapping NFL Week 9 for Former Virginia Football Players

Matt Newton

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Week 9 of the NFL season saw eight former Virginia football players saw the field. Let's check in to see how all of these former Cavaliers and their teams fared in week 9 on this edition of Hoos in the NFL.

Olamide Zaccheaus had the play of the week for UVA football alums in the NFL, hauling in a big 42-yard reception from Jayden Daniels late in the game to help seal the Washington Commanders' 27-22 victory over the New York Giants. Zaccheaus caught both of the passes that came his way for 48 total receiving yards and he returned one punt for eight yards. He played 24 offensive snaps (39% of Washington's offensive snaps) and two special teams snaps (9%) for the Commanders, who won their third game in a row to keep their position atop the NFC East with a 7-2 overall record.

Morgan Moses and the New York Jets snapped their five-game losing streak with a big 21-13 victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday night. Moses played all 58 offensive snaps at right tackle for the Jets and three special teams snaps (12%).

Juan Thornhill recorded five total tackles, including two solo stops, in the Cleveland Browns' 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Thornhill played 44 defensive snaps (77%) and one special teams snap, while Rodney McLeod Jr. logged 20 defensive snaps (35%) and 14 special teams snaps (48%) for the Browns, who have lost six of their last seven games to fall to 2-7 overall.

Charles Snowden recorded two tackles, including one unassisted tackle, for the Las Vegas Raiders in their 41-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Snowden played 11 defensive snaps, tied for the lowest snap count of the season for him, and seven special teams snaps (22%). The Raiders have lost their last five games and sit at 2-7.

In the Arizona Cardinals' smothering 29-9 victory over the Chicago Bears, Joey Blount recorded no defensive stats, but played six defensive snaps, or 8% of Arizona's defensive snaps. That was the first time Blount has gotten reps on defense since week 2 and just the second time all year. He also played 18 special teams snaps (64%) for the Cardinals, who have won three games in a row and currently lead the NFC West at 5-4 overall.

Dontayvion Wicks had maybe his worst game of the season in the Green Bay Packers' 24-10 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, as he had zero receptions on three targets, including a bad drop in the end zone. The pass was a little bit behind him, but it's a catch he has to make when he's that open as it would have kept the Packers in the game a little bit longer. Wicks has developed a habit of bouncing back from bad games with exceptional performances, so we'll see what he can do after the bye week for Green Bay, who is 6-3, but in third place in the tough NFC North.

Malik Washington had no targets in the passing game for the second week in a row, but had one rush for nine yards and one punt return that went for a loss of one yard in the Miami Dolphins' 30-27 defeat to the Buffalo Bills. Washington played 21 offensive snaps (34%) and eight special teams (32%) for the Dolphins, who lost their third-straight game to fall to 2-6 overall.

Brent Urban was inactive this week with a concussion he suffered last week against the Browns, but the Baltimore Ravens got back on track with a 41-10 victory over the Denver Broncos.

Read last week's edition of Hoos in the NFL here: Hoos in the NFL: Recapping NFL Week 8 for Former Virginia Football Players

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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.