BBNFL Week 18 Recap: Randall Cobb gets one final send-off

Randall Cobb is one of the best football players to ever put on a Kentucky uniform. Yes, Tim Couch nearly won the Heisman, and your grandfather will argue George Blanda or Art Still cannot be topped. But in terms of an all-around tremendous football player, give me Mr. Golden Eyes, Randall Cobb.

The buzz around message boards in 2008 regarding his abilities started before he played his first game, and it wasn’t because he was a prized recruit. An undersized three-star athlete, Cobb wowed everyone with his knack for the game.

Three years later after playing nearly every position on the field, Cobb racked up 22 rushing touchdowns, 13 receiving touchdowns, five passing touchdowns, and two punt return touchdowns at UK. Then, after scoring, he would serve as the team’s holder for the extra point for reasons I will never understand.

On Sunday night, he walked off the field alongside his good friend, Aaron Rodgers, for what very well could be the last time. Cobb moved his family to Nashville before the season in a move that felt like retirement preparation. With Rodgers rumored to have thrown his last pass for the Packers, watching those two with their arms around each other leaving Lambeau Field was a fitting send-off to mark the end of an era.

Cobb caught two passes for 11 yards in the team’s playoff-squandering loss to the Detroit Lions, but the most important stat was Cobb’s 12 tremendous years in the league and two good friends.

Josh Allen’s scoop-and-score lands Jaguars in the playoffs

It was a win-and-you’re-in scenario on Thursday Night Football when division rivals, the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars, battled it out for a playoff spot. Down by three points in the final three minutes of the game, Kentucky’s own Josh Allen scooped up an empty-hand fumble caused by a strip-sack and ran it back for the game-winning touchdown.

The @Jaguars take the lead! #DUUUVAL

📺: #TENvsJAX on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/7G4GCGiaVR pic.twitter.com/9veHZEkNth

— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2023

But Allen wasn’t quite finished yet. Tennessee still had three timeouts and a chance to come back down the field and score, but that was not going to happen under Allen’s watch. He came up with a strip on the quarterback of his own in the final two minutes, putting the Titans behind the chains, essentially voiding their feeble comeback attempt.

Allen finished the day with six tackles (four solo), one of which was for a loss, and two QB hits. Earlier this season, Allen said, “I hate [Tennessee]; I mean, but like, I really hate them. I just, like, I came into the league not liking Tennessee.” On Thursday, he turned that hatred into productivity and lifted his team to their first playoff berth in five years.

.@JoshAllen41_ is making PLAYS in this final quarter 😤

📺: #TENvsJAX on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/7G4GCGiaVR pic.twitter.com/q8nToSohUc

— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2023

Former Kentucky lineman, Corey Peters, played a hand in the win as well. A backup most of the year for the Jags, the veteran had his best game of the season, racking up seven tackles (four solo), two tackles-for-loss, a QB hit, and 0.5 sacks.

Then there’s Luke Fortner. The rookie center and former Big Blue Wall fulcrum played every offensive snap for the Jaguars which means he played 100% of snaps in the regular season, all 1,121 offensive plays. In that time, he allowed just one sack and committed just four penalties. Now he will get a shot at the playoffs in his first year in the league.

Other BBNFL Notes

• With so many teams already eliminated and/or safe in their playoff spot, many regular players treated Week 18 like a pseudo-bye week. Landon Young was the beneficiary of this, as he got the start at left tackle for the Saints and channeled his inner Luke Fortner, playing 100% of his team’s snaps.
• Benny Snell did not get a carry in his final game of the season but did record a special teams tackle. The Steelers love what he does on special teams, which was one of the main reasons he kept his spot on the roster after being demoted to third-string running back. It will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh retains him or if he will look for a new home next season.
• Rounding out former Kentucky players and the All-Nickname team, Marquan “Bully” McCall had two tackles (both solo) for the Carolina Panthers in their win on Sunday, and Kelvin “Bossman Fat” Joseph had one tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, as they look to make a splash in the playoffs.

Former ‘Cats in the Playoffs

It can be challenging to watch more than a game or two on any given week during the NFL regular season, but most of America tunes in for the playoffs. Here is the upcoming wildcard weekend schedule, and if your team is already eliminated, cheer on the former ‘Cats.

Saturday
4:30 (FOX): Seahawks @ 49ers
8:15 (NBC): Chargers @ Jaguars (Allen, Fortner, Peters)

Sunday
1:00 (CBS): Dolphins @ Bills
4:30 (FOX): Giants (Robinson [injured]) @ Vikings (Z. Smith)
8:15 (NBC): Ravens @ Bengals

Monday
8:15 (ESPN/ABC): Cowboys (Joseph, Bohanna) @ Buccaneers (Edwards)