Former Bulldogs Roquan Smith, Nick Chubb shine in Week 14 of 2020 NFL season
There have been very few bright spots for the Chicago Bears this season. Coming into Sunday’s game they had lost six straight games, turning a once-promising 5-1 start into a 5-7 disaster.
Through it all though, Roquan Smith has turned into a star for the Bears. And he excelled once again on Sunday, as he registered 12 tackles, two of which were sacks.
Thanks to Smith and the Chicago defense, the Bears came away with 36-7 win over the Houston Texans. The win keeps them in the playoff picture as they try to turn around their season. Smith seems headed for some individual honors come the end of the season, as he leads the NFL in solo tackles with 85, while also ranking second in tackles for loss with 17.
#Bears ILB Roquan Smith leads the league in games with 10+ tackles and 2+ TFL this season. His performance on Sunday vs. Texans was his fifth of such kind this year.
The next closest player has 2.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) December 15, 2020
Elsewhere, it was a big week for former Georgia running backs and wide receivers. Nick Chubb added two more touchdowns to his total while also rushing for 82 yards. But it wasn’t enough as the Browns were flushed out by Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in a 47-42 defeat in one of the top games of the season.
🚂🚂 @NickChubb21 rolls on 😤#DawgsInTheNFL
📺 #BALvsCLE LIVE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/V3vYeL6hJp
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) December 15, 2020
D’Andre Swift of the Detroit Lions returned to the field and also found the endzone thanks to a 3-yard touchdown run. But it wasn’t enough as the Lions and Matthew Stafford fell 31-24 to the Green Bay Packers. Stafford threw for 244 yards and a touchdown for Detroit.
AJ Green was able to score for the Bengals, as he caught six passes for 62 yards. The Bengals though also lost on Sunday, falling 30-7 to the Dallas Cowboys.
Mecole Hardman and the Kansas City Chiefs were able to come away with a win over Solomon Kindley and the Miami Dolphins, and Hardman’s special teams play is a big reason why. The second-year wide receiver returned a punt 67-yards for a touchdown.
MECOLE HARDMAN pic.twitter.com/0ybxLX0WYF
— Monarch Media KC (@MonarchMediaKC) December 13, 2020
Hardman also caught three passes for 40 yards in the 30-24 win. Kansas City clinched its fifth straight division title with the win.
Hardman wasn’t the only former Bulldog to standout on special teams this week, as Rodrigo Blankenship was perfect once again for the Indianapolis Colts. He converted all three of his field goals and all five of his extra points in a 44-27 win over the Oakland Raiders.
Blankenship is now third in the NFL in points scored.
🚨 𝗥𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗧 to cast an automatic #ProBowlVote for your #DawgsInTheNFL
Matthew Stafford@TG3II@RoquanSmith1@NickChubb21
Ben Jones@RodTheKicker3@JHouston50@Leonard90Flo@allforgod_55@DAndreSwift@66up_next@TaeCrowder@MecoleHardman4@_CRADICULOUS pic.twitter.com/cg9qZsysWO— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) December 15, 2020
As for this week’s Top Dawg, our weekly honor that goes to the former Bulldog who had the best week in the NFL, we are going with Smith. He’s been sensational all year for Chicago, even if the Bears haven’t.
Top Dawgs in the NFL
Week 14: Roquan Smith, Chicago Bears ILB
Week 13: Justin Houston, Indianapolis Colts OLB
Week 12: Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns RB
Week 11: Rodrigo Blankenship, Indianapolis Colts K
Week 10: Leonard Floyd, Los Angeles Rams OLB
Week 9: Roquan Smith, Chicago Bears ILB
Week 8: Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs WR
Week 7: Leonard Floyd, Los Angeles Rams OLB
Week 6: Tae Crowder, New York Giants LB
Week 5: Andrew Thomas, New York Giants OT
Week 4: Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs WR
Week 3: Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns RB
Week 2: Rodrigo Blankenship, Indianapolis Colts K
Week 1: Leonard Floyd, Los Angeles Rams OLB
More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation
- Kirby Smart shares thoughts on Gus Malzahn, coaching changes in the SEC
- Georgia football game with Vanderbilt back in doubt, fluid situation
- Monty Rice honored as Butkus Award finalist: ‘Frankly he deserves that award’
- Georgia football winners and losers following big win over Missouri
- D’Wan Mathis chooses new school, officially leaves Georgia behind
- Brock Vandagriff: 5-star QB commit shares an early signing day preview
- Georgia football stock report: Buying into Todd Monken’s offense
- Auburn fires head coach Gus Malzahn
- Georgia football opens as monstrous favorite over Vanderbilt
- JT Daniels: Jake Fromm has an ‘awesome’ opinion of Georgia’s new QB