Nothing about Devin Smith's rookie year has gone as planned. He suffered broken ribs in training camp, a tough injury to overcome so early in the season even for veteran players.
Since then, multiple Jets coaches called him out through the media – both wide receivers coach Karl Dorrell and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said he wasn't grasping the offense. One TD catch doesn't mean Smith is suddenly Ryan Fitzpatrick's go-to target but it's a significant step for the former Buckeye wideout.
Perhaps New York's staff will have more trust in him going forward after this:
Alex Boone: "Those Refs Sucked"
Alex Boone's honesty is both a blessing and a curse. Local sportswriters and radio appreciate his candor, the NFL and his bank account probably don't.
After the 49ers' loss to the Cardinals, Boone heavily criticized the refs and brought Roger Goodell into the discussion. The commissioner will probably sign off on a hefty fine for Boone – not that he cares:
Boom Returns to INdy
Since the Colts drafted Andrew Luck, the team has tried to conjure a competent run game. Offseason moves don't work out and, inevitably, Donald Brown or Ahmad Bradshaw end up taking handoffs in late November.
It appears Boom Herron will be the next version of Brown and Bradshaw. The Bills waived him, Wednesday, and Indianapolis claimed him the next day. Herron played five games for the Colts in 2013 and in all 16 games in 2014.
He also ran for 170 yards and scored twice in three postseason games, last season. The Bengals fans reading probably remember him catching 10 passes in Indy's wildcard win over Cincinnati.
Bradshaw is now out for the year due to a wrist injury, the team announced Monday. Herron will be Frank Gore's primary backup going forward.
Play of the Week
The undefeated Panthers are dominating the NFC South and the weekly "Play of the Week" spot in this article. Last week, I featured Ted Ginn's TD grab against Washington. Two weeks ago, Kurt Coleman picked off a pass against the Titans.
Coleman now has an interception in three consecutive games and a total of five on the season. Carolina's defense leads the league with 18 interceptions and Coleman has the most on the team after this pick-six against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving:
[WEEK12 CAR vs DAL] interception return for TD by Kurt Coleman #20/FS @k4coleman #Panthers pic.twitter.com/DhNZs1IUG0
— Ryuya Urayama(竜弥) (@RYUYA06) November 27, 2015
How They Fared in Week 12
| Player | Team | Position | Stats/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Adams | Pittsburgh Steelers | OL | Won't play in 2015 but expected to return to team in 2016 |
| Will Allen | Pittsburgh Steelers | S | 4 tackles in loss to Seahawks |
| Michael Bennett | Jacksonville Jaguars | DT | Inactive for loss to Chargers due to hamstring injury |
| Alex Boone | San Francisco 49ers | OL | Will get fined for ripping officials after loss to Cardinals |
| Philly Brown | Carolina Panthers | WR/KR/PR | Inactive for win over Cowboys due to shoulder injury |
| Kurt Coleman | Carolina Panthers | S | 3 tackles, 1 INT returned for a TD in win over Cowbys |
| Nate Ebner | New England Patriots | DB/ST | 1 tackle, recovered muffed punt in OT loss to Broncos |
| Ted Ginn Jr. | Carolina Panthers | WR | Played in win over Cowboys despite knee injury |
| Doran Grant | Pittsburgh Steelers | CB | Inactive for loss to Seahawks |
| Johnathan Hankins | New York Giants | DT | On IR due to torn pectoral muscle |
| Brian Hartline | Cleveland Browns | WR | Plays tonight vs Ravens |
| A.J. Hawk | Cincinnati Bengals | LB | 1 tackle in win over Rams |
| Boom Herron | Indianapolis Colts | RB | Claimed off waivers by Colts, played special teams in win over Bucs |
| Cameron Heyward | Pittsburgh Steelers | DE | 3 tackles, 1 sack, 2 QB hits in loss to Seahawks |
| Carlos Hyde | San Francisco 49ers | RB | Inactive for loss to Cardinals due to foot injury |
| Malcolm Jenkins | Philadelphia Eagles | S | 5 tackles in rough day for Eagles secondary in loss to Lions |
| James Laurinaitis | St. Louis Rams | LB | 9 tackles in loss to Bengals |
| Corey Linsley | Green Bay Packers | C | Inactive for loss to Bears due to an ankle injury |
| Nick Mangold | New York Jets | C | Active for win over Dolphins despite hand injury |
| Jake McQuaide | St. Louis Rams | LS | Every friend and family member of his attended loss to Bengals |
| Jack Mewhort | Indianapolis Colts | OL | Banged-up Colts line allowed 3 sacks in win over Bucs |
| Andrew Norwell | Carolina Panthers | OL | Played well in win over Cowboys and return from hamstring injury |
| Mike Nugent | Cincinnati Bengals | K | Kicked 1 field goal, 4 extra points in win over Rams |
| Bradley Roby | Denver Broncos | CB | 2 tackles in OT win over Patriots |
| Ryan Shazier | Pittsburgh Steelers | LB | 1 tackle, left loss to Seahawks early due to concussion |
| John Simon | Houston Texans | LB | 3 tackles, in win over Saints |
| Devin Smith | New York Jets | WR | 2 receptions, 33 yards, first career TD in win over Dolphins |
| Rod Smith | Dallas Cowboys | RB | 1 reception, 6 yards in loss to Panthers |
| Jake Stoneburner | Miami Dolphins | TE | Inactive in loss to Jets |
| Donte Whitner | Cleveland Browns | S | Plays tonight vs Ravens |
