BBNFL Week 16: Chris Rodriguez scores first (and second) career touchdown
If a good salesman’s slogan is “Always be closing,” then Chris Rodriguez Jr. embodies its cousin, “Always be falling forward.” C-Rod busted wide open both figuratively and literally on Christmas Eve, having the best game of his rookie season and launching his career forward. You know, the way he always falls.
Rodriguez scored his first career touchdown for the Washington Commanders during Week 16 in the most Chris Rodriguez way possible. The Jets defense stood him up at the five-yard line, but the brute running back refused to go down. With a little help from his 300-pound friends, he pushed his way to the endzone for his debut appearance in an NFL endzone.
Though the team would eventually fall short of the win, the play kicked off what would be an impressive show of grit in an unlikely comeback that would eventually erase a three-score deficit, one in which Rodriguez would play a major contributing role.
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Rodriguez scored his second-career touchdown (and second of the game) during the 4th quarter in a much more conventional one-yard rush. When he was in Lexington, these types of plays were almost automatic as he seldom went backward. Now he is doing the same thing in the professional ranks.
Rodriguez finished the day with 10 rushes for 58 yards, caught one pass for seven yards, and hurdled a guy just for fun. According to PFF, Rodriguez finished with a grade of 84.9, the highest of any NFL rookie running back during Week 16.
Get ’em, C-Rod.
Other BBNFL Notes:
- Za’Darius Smith clocked one of his best games of the season, finishing with an absurdly high PFF grade of 92.2. Smith hurried the quarterback seven times, sacking him twice, as the Cleveland Browns trounced the Houston Texans 36-28. It was his best multi-sack game of the season and put him in a good mood.
- PFF grades Josh Allen to be the top-rated edge rusher who is set to become a free agent this offseason. He did not record a sack this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as the Jaguars as a whole struggled, but Allen still finished the day with seven QB pressures.
- The New York Giants have quarterback issues. Tommy DeVito’s Italian mobster meme looks to have lost its virality, and every time Tyrod Taylor enters the game, everyone watching is reminded he is still in the league. It all equals paltry receiving numbers for Wan’Dale Robinson, who had three catches for 16 yards in yet another Giants loss.
- Quinton Bohanna is making the most of his time on the field with his new team. In just his second game as a Titan, Bohanna finished with a 77.4 PFF grade in just 12 defensive snaps, good for third-best among all former Kentucky players in Week 16.
Snap counts and PFF player grades for Week 16
PFF grades reflect the players’ respective offensive or defensive grades unless the first snap count listed is special teams (ST), in which case it is the special teams’ grade.
| Player | Pos | Stats | PFF Grade |
| Za’Darius Smith (CLE) | DE | 37 snaps, 7 pressures, 2 sacks | 92.2 |
| Chris Rodriguez Jr. (WAS) | RB | 24 snaps, 10 rushes, 58 yards, 2 TD | 84.9 |
| Quinton Bohanna (TEN) | DT | 12 snaps, 1 tackle | 77.4 |
| Bud Dupree (ATL) | LB | 53 snaps, 5 pressures, 2 tackles, 2 assists | 69.7 |
| Josh Allen (JAX) | LB | 59 snaps, 5 pressures, 1 tackle, 1 assist | 63.9 |
| Carrington Valentine (GB) | CB | 3 snaps | 62.9 |
| Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG) | WR | 44 snaps, 7 targets, 3 rec, 16 yards | 53.5 |
| Lynn Bowden (NO) | WR | 13 snaps, 0 targets | 52.6 |
| Josh Paschal (DET) | DE | 34 snaps | 50.1 |
| Landon Young (NO) | OT | 60 snaps, 2 pressures allowed, 1 penalty | 41.6 |
| Luke Fortner (JAX) | C | 66 snaps, 3 pressures allowed | 39.3 |
| Mike Edwards (KC) | S | 38 snaps, 3 tackles, 1 assist | 29.7 |
| Brandin Echols (NYJ) | CB | 4 snaps, 17 ST snaps | 27.6 |
| Will Levis (TEN) | QB | Inactive – Ankle Injury | |
| Lonnie Johnson Jr. (NO) | CB | Inactive – Knee Injury | |
| Randall Cobb (NYJ) | WR | Inactive | |
| Jamin Davis (WAS) | LB | Inactive – Shoulder Injury | |
| Josh Ali (ATL) | WR | Injured Reserve |
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