Across The Shield: J.K. Dobbins Runs For A Game-Winning Touchdown, Denzel Ward Forces Two Turnovers and Johnathan Hankins Makes His First NFL Interception

Week 11 in the NFL featured a myriad of noteworthy performances from Ohio State products including a game-winning touchdown run by J.K. Dobbins, a two-takeaway day for Denzel Ward, Johnathan Hankins’ first career interception, Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s second straight 100-yard game, Curtis Samuel’s best game so far as a Buffalo Bill and C.J. Stroud winning his Monday Night Football debut.

J.K. for the win

J.K. Dobbins had the biggest highlight yet of his resurgent season with the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football.

In a game that was deadlocked at 27-all with less than a minute to play after three straight scoreless possessions by each team, Dobbins drove a dagger through the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense – and likely their hopes of making this year’s playoffs – as he ran for a game-winning 29-yard touchdown with just 18 seconds left to play.

JK DOBBINS FOR THE SCORE

| @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/M0RHEWbdUg

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) November 18, 2024

The touchdown was one of two on the day for Dobbins, who also jumped over the pile for a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

jk goes uppppppp and over

| @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/0m5EDvCXgI

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) November 18, 2024

Dobbins’ two-touchdown game was his second of the season. The other came in a 27-10 win over Ohio’s other NFL team, the Cleveland Browns. He’s now rushed for eight touchdowns this season, tied for the fifth-most in the league.

With 56 rushing yards on 11 carries against the Bengals, Dobbins is now up to 726 yards – the ninth-most in the NFL this season – on 152 attempts, the most he’s ever had in an NFL season, with seven weeks of regular-season games still to go.

Ward takes two

Denzel Ward’s first two takeaways of the season came in the same game.

The former Ohio State cornerback grabbed his first interception of the season in the first quarter of the Browns’ game against the New Orleans Saints as he hauled in a deep heave from Saints jack-of-all trades Taysom Hill.

DENZEL WARD!!! #CLEvsNO on Fox and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/wsMHk8xguK

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 17, 2024

Later in the first half, Ward forced another turnover when he stripped the ball out of Hill’s hands and recovered the fumble himself.

DENZEL WARD

rips the ball out and recovers it for a turnover! pic.twitter.com/49aHcpu41s

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 17, 2024

Ward went back to the locker room after that play with a chest injury but was able to return for the second half. He finished the game with four tackles and two passes defensed and received a Pro Football Focus grade of 92 for his play, the fourth-highest game grade of any NFL defender in Week 11.

His efforts weren’t enough for the Browns, who fell to 2-8 on the season with a 35-14 loss, but they were enough to earn him the Pro Buck of the Week award as Week 11’s top NFL performer from Ohio State.

Ward’s interception and additional pass breakup increased his lead for the most passes defensed in the NFL this season to 17.

Big-man pick for Big Hank

It’s not every week that a 325-pound defensive tackle makes an interception, but Johnathan Hankins did just that on Sunday.

Now in his 12th NFL season, the former Ohio State nose tackle made the first interception of his NFL career as he leaped up to catch a Brock Purdy pass that was deflected by his Seattle Seahawks teammate Devon Witherspoon.

Hankins with the TIP DRILL. pic.twitter.com/OhutJjJeHF

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 17, 2024

Hankins, who never intercepted a pass at Ohio State, was one of two former Buckeye defensive linemen to make a big play for the Seahawks in their win over the San Francisco 49ers as Dre’Mont Jones recorded his fourth sack of the season.

Dre takes Purdy down. pic.twitter.com/QlEbcvXOl8

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 17, 2024

Smith-Njigba tops 100 again

A bye week didn’t slow Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s momentum as the former Buckeye star continues to emerge as one of the NFL’s top young pass-catchers.

Two weeks removed from a seven-catch, 180-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Los Angeles Rams, Smith-Njigba hit triple digits again, catching 10 passes for 110 yards in the Seahawks’ win over the 49ers.

Those 10 receptions included four catches on the Seahawks’ game-winning drive, highlighted by a crucial 15-yard catch for a 3rd-and-3 conversion.

HUGE first down for JSN!

: #SEAvsSF on FOX
: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/qiYYXR5TvX

— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2024

Smith-Njigba’s 10 receptions were the second-highest total of his NFL career to date while Sunday’s game was his third 100-yard game of the season. He now ranks eighth in the NFL this season with 60 receptions and 13th in the league with 678 receiving yards.

Samuel has best game as Bill

After a quiet start to his first season with the Buffalo Bills, Curtis Samuel picked a good time for a breakout game with his new team.

Samuel, who signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Bills this offseason, had just 17 receptions for 127 yards and zero touchdowns in their first 10 games of the year. In the national spotlight against the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, however, Samuel caught five passes for 58 yards – both season-highs – including his first touchdown as a Bill.

Perfect time for Curtis Samuel's first touchdown as a BUFFALO BILL!

: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/OXUcXrDBIy

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 17, 2024

The New York native helped lead the Bills to a 30-21 victory in a game that was billed as the biggest game of the NFL season so far as Buffalo improved to 9-2 while handing the Chiefs their first loss of the season, leaving the NFL with no more unbeaten teams in 2024.

Stroud overcomes Hooker pick in MNF debut

C.J. Stroud was victorious in his Monday Night Football debut, throwing for 257 yards to lead the Houston Texans to a 34-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.

Stroud was on the wrong end of a play by another Buckeye in the first quarter when former Ohio State safety Malik Hooker picked off an overthrown pass by Stroud on a 4th-and-3 attempt.

picked@MalikHooker24 with the INT

: #HOUvsDAL on ESPN
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/iLLDHvdxd8

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 19, 2024

The former Ohio State quarterback bounced back from there, finishing the night with 23 completions on 34 attempts while adding three runs for 26 yards as the Texans improved to 7-4 on the season, extending their AFC South lead to two games over the Indianapolis Colts.

OKAY NICOOO

: ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/7Ji98Hux4M

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 19, 2024

Dawand done for season

Dawand Jones’ second NFL season came to an unfortunate end in Week 11 as he suffered a broken fibula in the Browns’ loss to the Saints, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday.

Making his third straight start at left tackle for the Browns, Jones suffered the season-ending injury in the second quarter when fellow Browns offensive lineman Wyatt Teller fell into his left leg while he was blocking his former Ohio State teammate Chase Young.

Both of Jones’ first two NFL seasons have ended with lower-body injuries. His rookie year, in which he made the PFWA’s All-Rookie team despite playing in only 11 games, was cut short by a season-ending knee injury.

Harrison is week’s highest-graded defender

Sunday wasn’t a good day as a whole for the Atlanta Falcons, who suffered a 38-6 loss to the Denver Broncos, but former Ohio State defensive lineman Zach Harrison had a strong showing in their defeat.

Harrison, who plays primarily as a defensive tackle for the Falcons after playing defensive end at Ohio State, received the highest Pro Football Focus grade (93.2) of any NFL defender in Week 11. He recorded two tackles in 12 snaps, including a 5-yard tackle for loss to blow up a running play.

give zach harrison more snaps you cowards pic.twitter.com/u8IFyxK4Y6

— TreShon (@tre3shon) November 17, 2024

Unfortunately for Harrison, his day ended early when he was ruled out of the game with a knee injury, though it remains unclear whether the injury will force him to miss more time going forward.

Quick Hits

• Justin Fields saw playing time for the first time since Russell Wilson replaced him as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. He entered the game for three plays and ran the ball twice for 17 yards; he slid one yard too early to ice the game on his second run, but the Steelers still secured an 18-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

JUSTIN FIELDS SLID TOO EARLY... pic.twitter.com/nlWn3fNxE3

— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) November 17, 2024

• Cameron Heyward tied his career-high with two pass breakups and recorded four total tackles in the Steelers’ win.
• Nick Bosa recorded 1.5 sacks in the 49ers’ loss to the Seahawks, but left the game early after suffering an oblique injury. He told reporters after the game that he was concerned he might have to miss time after also suffering a hip injury on the other side of his body, though 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Bosa will be evaluated throughout the week.

Nick Bosa said he overcompensated on his second sack and now both obliques are injured. He was then asked his concern level of having to miss some time:

Its definitely there. I dont know, we gotta see. pic.twitter.com/oYs1hcozuh

— Coach Yac (@Coach_Yac) November 18, 2024

• Joey Bosa tied for the league lead with eight quarterback pressures in Week 11, according to Pro Football Focus. He was officially credited with three quarterback hits in one tackle in the Chargers’ win over the Bengals.
• Chase Young blew up a screen pass for a 4-yard tackle for loss despite being called to the sideline before the play and running onto the field just in time for the start of the play.

Not how you start, always how you finish.

(h/t @nick_underhill) pic.twitter.com/2rGd6vLgUD

— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024

• Jerome Baker and Isaiah Prince both made their debuts with the Tennessee Titans in Week 11. Baker recorded eight tackles while Prince played 29 snaps at right tackle – replacing fellow former Ohio State offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, who started the game but was benched midgame – in the Titans’ 23-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
• Jeff Okudah made his first appearance for the Texans since Week 1 after he was activated off injured reserve. In his first game back from a hip injury, Okudah recorded two tackles but was beat by Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin for a 64-yard touchdown.

64-yard house call

: #HOUvsDAL on ESPN
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/86VgER4mlC

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 19, 2024

• Mike Hall Jr., who has played in just four games as a rookie after he was suspended for the Browns’ first five games of the season, was placed on injured reserve by the Browns after suffering a knee injury in practice and will be out for at least their next three games.

Week 11 Stats

The following table, compiled by Eleven Warriors researcher Matt Gutridge, includes statistics for this week and the entire 2024 season for every Buckeye who has played in at least one game this season. (Note: The table only includes players who finished their college careers at Ohio State.)