BBNFL Week 9: C-Rod's back! Chris Rodriguez leads Commanders in rushing
It has been a welcomed regime change for the Washington Commanders as new head coach Dan Quinn has the artists formerly known as The Football Team off to a 7-2 start and in first place in the NFC East. Having said that, the new coaching staff didn’t exactly endear itself to the two former Kentucky players they inherited from last year’s roster. They already released former first-round pick Jamin Davis and relegated 4th-round pick Chris Rodriguez to the practice squad to start the season. However, in Week 9, Rodriguez found himself elevated to the active roster for just the third time in 2024 and made the most of his opportunity.
With their normal starter, Brian Robinson, sidelined with an injury, Rodriguez led the Commanders in rushing, toting the ball 11 times for 52 yards. In the final drive, C-Rod looked like he was in Kroger Field, churning out one powerful run after another, breaking tackles, and falling forward to seal the win for Washington over the New York Giants.
He was a team player in the process as well. With the Giants out of timeouts in the closing two minutes, the Commanders could run out the clock with a first down. The catch? The first down marker was the one-yard line. Rodriguez knew the assignment and made sure to get the first down, but not get into the endzone, allowing his team to lineup in victory formation and run out the clock.
He also flipped a dude on a block while picking up a blitz, which was kind of cool.
Will this translate to more playing time for C-Rod? It is hard to say. His time in Washington may be fleeting, but play like this will draw the attention of many a general manager.
Ray Davis leads the Bills in scrimmage yards in win
Chris Rodriguez may have led the Commanders in rushing, but fellow Kentucky running back, Ray Davis, led the Bills in receiving yards. The bulk of those team-leading 90 scrimmage yards came on a 63-yard catch and run for a touchdown, the longest by a Bills running back since 2012. The score marked Davis’s third trip into the endzone of this, his rookie season.
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“I kinda blacked out,” Davis said, according to Dan Fetes of 13WHAM. “Just heard the crowd erupt and figured nobody was around me.”
The Bills went on to win their divisional matchup against the Dolphins, 30-27.
Josh Hines-Allen picks up 50th career sack
Kentucky’s sack leader keeps doing more of the same for Jacksonville, and a massive contract isn’t slowing him down. Josh Hines-Allen recorded the 49th and 50th sack of his career on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, but it was another loss for a Jaguars team that seems to know no other way to go about its business.
Hines-Allen has been part of a losing franchise for so long that the losses don’t even seem to phase him anymore. After the defeat that dropped the Jags to 2-7, Josh told reporters, “I thought it was a great game on both sides of the ball; a lot of plays being made. Just an appreciation of the game and respect for the game. It was very competitive all the way to the end. It just didn’t finish the way we wanted it.”
Typically, you don’t hear athletes call losses a, “Great game on both sides of the ball,” but I guess at some point you have to focus on the positives.
Congrats to the former ‘Cat on a tremendous career milestone.
Other BBNFL Notes:
- With all eyes on the veteran edge rusher before the trade deadline, Za’Darius Smith came away with another sack for the Cleveland Browns. As rumored, Big Z is now on his way to Detroit where he will help the pass rushing of what could be the best team in the NFL.
- Carrington Valentine played the most snaps of the season at cornerback for Green Bay, as the former Wildcat appears to be finally healthy.
- Dru Phillips continues to have a strong rookie season, even if it is for the success-challenged New York Giants. Phillips led the BBNFL in Week 9 in tackles, despite yet another loss by the G-Men.
BBNFL snap counts and stats for Week 9
| Player | Pos | Snaps | Stats |
| Za’Darius Smith (CLE) | LB | 29 | 3 QB pressures, 1 sack, 1 tackle |
| Dru Phillips (NYG) | DB | 48 | 1 QB pressure, 3 tackles, 2 assists |
| Josh Hines-Allen (JAX) | LB | 55 | 5 QB pressures, 2 sacks, 2 tackles |
| Chris Rodriguez (WAS) | RB | 20 | 11 rushes, 52 yards |
| Carrington Valentine (GB) | DB | 35 | 2 tackles, 1 assist |
| Brandin Echols (NYJ) | DB | 17 | 2 tackles |
| Ray Davis (BUF) | RB | 9 | 4 rushes, 20 yards, 2 rec, 70 yards, 1 TD |
| Bud Dupree (LAC) | LB | 54 | 1 QB pressure |
| Lonnie Johnson Jr. (CAR) | DB | 1 | 0 tackles |
| Luke Fortner (JAX) | C | 1 | no stats |
| Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG) | WR | 47 | 4 targets, 3 rec, 10 yards |
| Trevin Wallace (CAR) | LB | 69 | 1 QB pressure, 2 tackles, 3 assists |
| Keidron Smith (DEN) | DB | 16 (ST) | 2 penalties |
| Landon Young (NO) | OL | 4 (ST) | no stats |
| Darian Kinnard (PHI) | OL | Inactive | |
| Mike Edwards (BUF) | DB | Inactive | |
| Josh Pascal (DET) | DL | Inactive | |
| Will Levis (TEN) | QB | Inactive |
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