Here is an update on all 15 former Razorbacks who were on NFL 53-man rosters during Week 12, as well as one who was placed on IR before his team’s next game…
Alex Collins - Baltimore Ravens
Collins was placed on injured reserve last week with a foot injury, officially ending his disappointing season. Expected to build off a highly productive 2017 season in which he was Pro Football Focus’ top-rated running back, he never really got it going behind a banged up offensive line this season, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry.
Season Stats: 10 games (10 starts), 311 offensive snaps; 114 carries, 411 yards, 7 TDs, 15 receptions, 105 yards, 1 TD, 3 fumbles (3 lost); 1 tackle, (1 solo)
A.J. Derby - Miami Dolphins
Still dealing with foot and knee injuries, Derby was inactive for the eight time in nine games in the Dolphins’ 21-17 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Season Stats: 4 games (0 starts), 124 offensive snaps, 42 special teams snaps; 3 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD; 1 tackle (1 solo), 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
Trey Flowers - New England Patriots
It was a sack by Flowers that helped secure the Patriots’ 24-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings. On the first play of the fourth quarter, he brought down Kirk Cousins for a loss of 10 yards on third-and-five. That completed a three-and-out immediately after New England had taken the lead and forced the Vikings to punt it away.
The only other official statistic Flowers had in the game was an assisted tackle, but he did pressure Cousins on what would have been considered a quarterback hurry at the college level. Here’s a couple of different looks at that play:
Flowers is now ranked the No. 2 defensive end in the NFL by Pro Football Focus with an 89.1 grade. Only J.J. Watt, at 91.1, has a higher grade.
Season Stats: 11 games (11 starts), 549 defensive snaps; 40 tackles (11 solo), 8 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 13 QB hits, 1 forced fumble, 2 passes defended
Keon Hatcher - Oakland Raiders
In his second game back in Oakland, Hatcher played four offensive snaps and nine special teams snaps in the Raiders’ 40-33 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He did not record any statistics.
Season Stats: 3 games (0 starts), 6 offensive snaps, 25 special teams snaps; 1 reception, 8 yards; 1 tackle (0 solo)
Mitchell Loewen - New Orleans Saints
For the 11th time in 12 games this season, Loewen was one of seven inactive players in the Saints’ 13-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Season Stats: 1 game (0 starts), 4 defensive snaps, 13 special teams snaps
Jason Peters - Philadelphia Eagles
Although he is seemingly being held together with tape at this point, Peters still managed to be effective in the Eagles’ 28-13 win over the Washington Redskins. Playing with multiple injuries, including a torn bicep, he was on the field for 70 of 75 snaps and made this incredible block against former Alabama standout Jonathan Allen, who was in fourth grade when Peters was an NFL rookie:
Peters did get rolled up near the end of the game, causing him to miss the final five plays, but the injury apparently looked worse than it actually was. He wasn’t limping in the locker room after the game and he told Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News columnist Marcus Hayes, “I’m good.”
Season Stats: 12 games (12 starts), 584 offensive snaps
Darius Philon - Los Angeles Chargers
Making a second straight start, Philon played 41 of 68 defensive snaps in the Chargers’ 33-30 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He made three tackles, including one solo, and also played five special teams snaps.
Season Stats: 12 games (9 starts), 445 defensive snaps, 45 special teams snaps; 24 tackles (13 solo), 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 6 QB hits
Frank Ragnow - Detroit Lions
Tasked with blocking the likely NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Ragnow had a rough time in the Lions’ 30-16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Aaron Donald torched him to the tune of a 2.0 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, the lowest among 25 guards who have faced the dominant defensive tackle this year. Ragnow was called for holding once (it was declined), gave up a fourth-quarter sack and allowed this tackle for loss earlier in the game:
Here is what he told the Detroit Free Press on Monday about facing Donald:
“It was definitely quite the experience. You watch the tape and you see guys making mistakes and you think, 'Oh, I won’t make those mistakes,' and he makes you make those mistakes that you know you’re trying not to make. So, yeah, he’s a really good player. But it’s good to go against him like that because that’s the standard. That’s what I got to get to.”
On a more positive note, Ragnow took advantage of the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” week and honored his father - who died unexpectedly of a heart attack during his senior season at Arkansas - by supporting the American Heart Association:
Season Stats: 12 games (12 starts), 810 offensive snaps, 49 special teams snaps
Chris Smith - Cleveland Browns
Despite playing only 17 defensive snaps and five special teams snaps in the Browns’ 29-13 loss to the Houston Texans, Smith managed to make two solo tackles and defend a pass.
Season Stats: 12 games (2 starts), 268 defensive snaps, 6 special teams snaps; 17 tackles (12 solo), 4.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 QB hit, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass defended
Martrell Spaight - Jacksonville Jaguars
In his second appearance with the Jaguars, Spaight’s only action came on special teams - seven snaps - in Jacksonville’s 6-0 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He did not record any statistics.
Season Stats: 6 games (0 starts), 112 special teams snaps; 3 tackles (2 solo)
Jeremy Sprinkle - Washington Redskins
Just as he did last week, Sprinkle played twice as many special teams snaps as offensive snaps in the Redskins’ 28-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and didn’t record any statistics. This time it was eight snaps on offense and 16 on special teams.
During the week, Sprinkle participated in a cool off-the-field event, as he and teammate Casey Dunn played in a “Pros vs. GI Joes” Madden 19 tournament with Marines.
Season Stats: 12 games (5 starts), 224 offensive snaps, 186 special teams snaps; 1 tackle (0 solo), 1 fumble recovery; 1 kickoff return, 6 yards
Travis Swanson - Miami Dolphins
After going down with an ankle injury last week, Swanson was inactive in the Dolphins’ 21-17 win over the Buffalo Bills. Miami head coach Adam Gase said Monday that his availability for Week 14 will depend on how the week of practice goes.
Season Stats: 8 games (7 starts), 436 offensive snaps, 15 special teams snaps
David Williams - Jacksonville Jaguars
In his third appearance since being plucked from the Broncos’ practice squad, Williams played one special teams snap in the Jaguars’ 6-0 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He had been inactive the last three weeks and his lone carry of the season - a 2-yard gain - came back in Week 7 against the Texans.
Season Stats: 3 games (0 starts), 6 offensive snaps, 8 special teams snaps; 1 carry, 2 yards
Jonathan Williams - Indianapolis Colts
For the second straight week, Williams was inactive in the Colts’ 6-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has yet to appear in a game for Indianapolis since being promoted to the 53-man roster two weeks ago.
Season Stats: 3 games (0 starts), 18 offensive snaps; 3 carries, 0 yards, 1 reception, 1 yard
Deatrich Wise Jr. - New England Patriots
Wise played 17 defensive snaps and three special teams snaps in the Patriots’ 24-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings, but did not record any statistics. A few days before the game, though, he was fined $20,054 for his roughing the quarterback penalty last week. That is about 3.6 percent of his salary for the 2018 season.
Season Stats: 12 games (3 starts), 341 defensive snaps, 41 special teams snaps; 22 tackles (13 solo), 5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 12 QB hits
Jarius Wright - Carolina Panthers
In the Panthers’ 24-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Wright came up with a couple of big receptions for 44 yards. He made a couple of defenders miss to gain quite a few yards after the catch on a 33-yard reception, while his other gained 11 yards. A third pass was thrown Wright’s way, but Cam Newton was hit as he threw and it was intercepted.
Wright - who played 39 of 70 offensive snaps - earned a 69.8 grade from Pro Football Focus for his performance, which ranked fourth on offense in the loss. He also now has more receiving yards this season than he had his last two years in Minnesota combined.
Season Stats: 12 games (5 starts), 376 offensive snaps, 10 special teams snaps; 28 receptions, 301 yards, 1 TD, 1 carry, 34 yards, 2 fumbles (0 lost), 1 fumble recovery; 1 tackle (1 solo)
