Top Dawgs in the NFL (Week 13)

Continuing our new series for this season, UGASports highlights the top NFL performances by former Georgia players for the week entering the Monday night game. With our most outstanding performer for the week—or the Top Dawg—revealed towards the end, we spotlight the top NFL performances by Bulldogs for November 30 through December 3.

Although resulting in a 24-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, former Georgia player George Pickens had his best receiving day in six games—since Week 7 of this season. The second-year wideout led the Pittsburgh Steelers with four receptions for 86 yards—and all of the team’s skilled players with 49 offensive snaps. For the season, Pickens leads the 7-5 Steelers with 44 receptions for 748 yards and three touchdowns.

Lorenzo Carter didn’t play a whole lot in the Atlanta Falcons’ 13-8 win over the New York Jets (27 of Atlanta’s 68 defensive snaps). But the reserve outside linebacker certainly made his presence felt in a fine team defensive effort on the road. Late in the third quarter, Carter assisted on a big stop on Dalvin Cook. In the fourth quarter, he added a solo tackle for a five-yard loss, and later defended a third-down pass attempt which forced fourth down. For the game, the Falcons limited the Jets to 259 total yards while holding them out of the end zone.

Coming on the heels of his Top Dawg performance last week, Matthew Stafford had another outstanding outing in the Los Angeles Rams’ 36-19 win yesterday over the Cleveland Browns. Stafford completed 22 of 37 passes for 279 yards and was not intercepted. He also passed for three touchdowns, including a 70-yard score to Puka Nacua late in the opening quarter with the Rams trailing. They wouldn’t trail again in the game. Stafford’s 110.1 passer rating (coupled with his 121.1 rating from last week) marked the first time the former Georgia quarterback had a passer rating of 110.0-plus in back-to-back games in nearly two years—since the first two rounds of the 2021 playoffs.

For the second time this season, Quay Walker is the Top Dawg for the NFL weekend. Walker was simply all over the place in last night’s 27-19 upset win by the Green Bay Packers over the Kansas City Chiefs. Playing all 67 of his team’s defensive snaps, the second-year inside linebacker totaled a game-high 13 tackles. Walker spearheaded a defensive effort that limited Kansas City’s potent offense to only 337 yards. His 13 tackles were the third-most of anyone in the league over the weekend. For Walker, it marked the fourth time this season he totaled 10-plus tackles in a single game.

In other Georgia-related NFL news, Jordan Davis was seen wearing Alabama gear as he (reluctantly) showed up yesterday to the Eagles home game against the San Francisco 49ers. For the second-year defensive tackle, he apparently (and obviously) lost some sort of bet. Nevertheless, it’s important to point out—and you can see for yourself—Davis carried Georgia gear with him, as well, ready to display his true favorite team.

For tonight’s Monday night game—Cincinnati Bengals (5-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3)—there are a few former Georgia players being featured. For the Bengals, Trey Hill is currently listed as the team’s No. 2 center. For the Jaguars, both SAM linebacker Travon Walker and cornerback Tyson Campbell are starting defenders.