As Week 8 of the NFL comes to a close, there were many standout performances from Georgia alumni. Here were some of the best outings across the NFL.
Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
Despite all of the doubt about his ability to succeed in the NFL because of his size and injury history, former Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey has already begun to prove himself as a reliable slot receiver in the Los Angeles offense. The rookie wideout has quickly connected with quarterback Justin Herbert, as McConkey leads the Chargers in targets by far.
He had his first career 100-yard game in the Chargers’ 26-8 victory on Sunday, hauling in all six of his targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns, both on highly-contested catches. McConkey is now sixth among rookies in receiving yards, fourth in receptions and third in touchdowns.
James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Former Georgia running back James Cook gashed the Seahawks for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the Bills’ 31-10 domination on Sunday. He added three receptions for 22 yards, bringing his yards from scrimmage total to 133, his highest in a game this season.
Cook ran through tackles all day — nearly half of his total rushing yards came after contact. On his second touchdown, he took a carry up the middle and bulldozed through two Seattle defenders at the goal line, knocking one of their helmets off.
The Bills improved to 6-2, and they hold a commanding lead over the rest of the AFC East, as no other team in the division has more than two wins.
Azeez Ojulari, New York Giants
Following a rather quiet start to the season, former Bulldog defensive end Azeez Ojulari has been on an absolute tear. The pass-rush specialist tallied four pressures and two sacks on Monday Night Football against the Steelers, giving him five sacks over the past three games.
On both sacks, Ojulari was able to use his strong inside arm to create separation between him and his blocker, then accelerate around the edge and hawk down Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson.
The flailing Giants could not capitalize, as they lost by eight and fell to 2-6. With its season in shambles, New York could look to flip some of its top performers, including Ojulari, into draft picks before the Nov. 6 trade deadline.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
A week after reaching a milestone 100th career win, former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford picked up No. 101 in a 30-20 victory over the Vikings. He torched the Minnesota defense, completing 25 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns.
Stafford definitely benefited from wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua’s returns from injury, as he connected with them for a combined total of 157 yards and a touchdown. However, he also completed passes to nine different receivers, putting his experience and processing on display.
Stafford’s stellar play has helped the Rams get back within a game of the NFC West division lead after a rocky 1-4 start.
D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Former Georgia running back D’Andre Swift built on his 91-yard performance from Week 6 by putting up 129 yards on 7.2 yards per carry against the Commanders on Sunday. The Washington defense struggled mightily to get him on the ground, as Swift averaged 5.5 yards after contact per attempt.
His 99 yards after contact were a career-high, and many of them came on a 56-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Swift slipped a tackle behind the line of scrimmage and made two more defenders miss as he turned the corner and accelerated all the way down the sideline and into the end zone.
It seemed as if Swift and the Bears had done enough to subdue the scorching-hot Commanders, but Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels snatched the win away with a buzzer-beating, game-winning Hail Mary to Noah Brown.
