Former Illini and area standouts in NFL: Week 13
Dec. 3—Tommy DeVito improved to 2-1 as the starting quarterback of the New York Giants with Jihad Ward also delivering in the win, while rookie Quan Martin earned his first career NFL start amid turmoil with the Washington Commanders. N-G sports staffer Joe Vozzelli has an update on each former Illini and one former area high school standout with Week 13 of the NFL season now underway:
Looking back:
* Adams started at free safety for New York and finished with five tackles as he played all 70 defensive snaps for the Jets in their 34-13 home loss to the Miami Dolphins in the league's first-ever Black Friday game on Nov. 24.
What's next:
* The Jets (4-7) will host the Atlanta Falcons (5-6) at noon on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Looking back:
* Allegretti participated on five snaps on special teams in last Sunday's 31-17 victory against the Raiders in Las Vegas.
What's next:
* Kansas City (8-3) will travel to Green Bay, Wis., to face the Packers (5-6) for a 7:20 p.m. kickoff on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Looking back:
* The rookie running back was activated off injured reserve after missing nearly a full month with an hamstring injury and played 11 snaps — all on special teams — while assisting on one tackle on that unit in the Bengals' 16-10 home loss to the Steelers this past Sunday.
What's next:
* Cincinnati (5-6) will look to rebound from a three-game losing streak at 7:15 p.m. on Monday when the Bengals match up with the Jaguars (8-3) at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.
Looking back:
* The rookie defensive back produced two solo tackles on special teams and wound up playing a combined 42 snaps, with 30 as a special teamer and 12 on defense, in Philadelphia's 37-34 overtime home win last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
What's next:
* The Eagles (10-1) will face the 49ers (8-3) in an NFC Championship Game rematch at 3:25 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Tommy DeVito
New York Giants
Looking back:
* The undrafted quarterback is now 2-1 as New York's starter after he completed 17 of his 25 passing attempts for 191 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the Giants' ugly 10-7 home win against the New England Patriots this past Sunday. DeVito won again despite the New York offensive line allowing six sacks.
What's next:
* The Giants (4-8) will have their scheduled bye week.
Looking back:
* The offensive lineman is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
What's next:
* The Texans (6-5) welcome in the Broncos (6-5) for a noon Sunday kick at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Houston Texans
Looking back:
* The second-year linebacker was on the inactive list for Houston's 24-21 home loss to the Jaguars last Sunday afternoon.
What's next:
* Hansen, who has now missed three straight games with hamstring and hand injuries, was a full participant in practice on both Thursday and Friday but is still listed as questionable ahead of the Texans (6-5) playing host to the Broncos (6-5) at noon on Sunday in Houston.
New York Jets
Looking back:
* Hardee has been on injured reserve since Oct. 14 with an hamstring injury.
What's next:
* The 2022 Pro Bowl special teams player Hardee participated fully in practice this past week after New York designated him to return from IR on Wednesday with the Jets (4-7) set to square off with the Falcons (5-6) at noon on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.
Looking back: Hobbs started at cornerback and posted the second-most tackles on the team with eight, one of which was for loss, in Las Vegas' 31-17 loss at home against the Chiefs last Sunday. Hobbs also played all 60 of the Raiders' defensive snaps.
What's next:
* The Raiders (5-7) have the weekend off for the bye week.
Looking back:
* The defensive back started at free safety, had four combined tackles (one for loss) and participated on 56 defensive snaps, plus five on special teams, in Detroit's 29-22 home loss to the Packers on Nov. 23 on Thanksgiving.
What's next:
* The Lions (8-3) head to the Big Easy to face the Saints (5-6) at noon on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Cincinnati Bengals
Looking back: Cincinnati's starting center snapped the ball to new quarterback Jake Browning following a season-ending injury for Joe Burrow
* and logged 43 offensive snaps and two on special teams in the Bengals' 16-10 home loss to the Steelers last Sunday.
What's next:
* Cincinnati (5-6) travels to northeast Florida for a 7:15 p.m. showdown on Monday against the host Jaguars (8-3).
New England Patriots
Looking back:
* Lowe was inactivate ahead of New England's 10-7 Week 12 loss to the host Giants last Sunday.
What's next:
* The Patriots (2-9), who have not won a game since a 29-25 home win against the Bills on Oct. 22, will aim to snap that four-game losing streak at noon on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers (4-7) at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Quan Martin
Washington Commanders
Looking back:
* The rookie defensive back made his first career start at cornerback, had two combined tackles and appeared on 37 of Washington's 54 total defensive snaps in a 45-10 road loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.
What's next: The Commanders (4-8) fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio after the 35-point Dallas loss with Washington coach Ron Rivera
* taking over play-calling duties on defense for a noon home game on Sunday with the Dolphins (8-3) in town at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
Looking back:
* McLaughlin was responsible for eight of Tampa Bay's 20 points, as the Texas native hit on a 21-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 24-yard field goal in the fourth while adding two extra points in the visiting Buccaneers' 27-20 loss last Sunday against the Colts in Indianapolis.
What's next:
* The Buccaneers (4-7), who remain one game back of division leaders Atlanta and New Orleans in the wild NFC South, face a must-win game on Sunday against the lowly Panthers (1-10) at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Looking back:
* Palczewski, a rookie offensive lineman, has been out since the start of the season while on injured reserve with a hand injury for the Broncos and has now missed 11 games after Denver won 29-12 at home against the Browns this past Sunday.
What's next:
* The Broncos (6-5) take an NFL-leading five-game win streak into Houston for a noon road game on Sunday against the Texans (6-5).
Del'Shawn Phillips
Looking back:
* The linebacker had one solo tackle on defense and assisted on a special teams tackle during his 20 combined snaps in a 20-10 road victory against the Chargers last Sunday night in Inglewood, Calif.
What's next:
* The Ravens (9-3) are on their scheduled bye week.
Buffalo Bills
Looking back:
* The Danville native was targeted three times in the passing game (no receptions) and participated on 19 snaps as a wide receiver and seven snaps on special teams in the Bills' 37-34 overtime loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia.
What's next:
* Buffalo (6-6) has Sunday off for its bye week.
Looking back:
* The defensive end/outside linebacker played 24 defensive snaps but did not record any other stats in Jacksonville's 24-21 victory against the Texans in Houston.
What's next:
* The Jaguars (8-3) will host the Bengals (5-6) for a 7:15 p.m. Week 13 game on Monday.
Jihad Ward
New York Giants
Looking back: Ward started at outside linebacker and was a difference-maker with five combined tackles, including one for loss, 11/2
* sacks and two quarterback hits while playing 40 defensive snaps during New York's 10-7 home victory against the Patriots last Sunday.
What's next:
* The Giants (4-8) have their scheduled bye week on Sunday.
Looking back: The rookie defensive back made his 10th and 11th starts of the season at corner this season, including delivering eight combined tackles and one pass defended on 86 defensive snaps, in an otherwise tough game for Seattle's defense with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott
* throwing for 299 yards and three touchdown in the Seahawks' 41-35 loss in Seattle on Thursday night. In a Week 12 game, Witherspoon also had five combined tackles, one for loss, and defended one pass while participating on 66 defensive snaps in Seattle's 31-13 home loss to the visiting 49ers on Thanksgiving night.
What's next:
* The Seahawks (6-6) have a 10-day layover before a Week 14 rematch with NFC West division rival San Francisco on Dec. 10 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
