NFL Week 4 Recap for Former Virginia Football Players

Week 4 of the NFL season was a big one for former Virginia football players in the National Football League, with four former Cavaliers turning in standout performances or game-clinching plays for their respective teams.

Former UVA wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks had two touchdown passes for the Green Bay Packers in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers trailed the Vikings 28-0 in that game, but Wicks’ first touchdown made it 28-14 early in the fourth quarter and his second touchdown, a 17-yard strike from Jordan Love, who returned after missed the last two. games with injury, made the score 31-29 with 56 seconds left and gave Green Bay a chance to recover an onside kick. Despite Wicks’ heroics, the onside kick attempt failed and the Vikings held on for the 31-29 victory.

Wicks was Green Bay’s most targeted receiver on Sunday, recording five receptions on 13 targets and rushing for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He’s played 58 offensive snaps, or 76.3 percent of Green Bay’s offensive snaps, and Wicks is now tied for the most targets by a Packer receiver through the first four games of the season.

Another former Virginia player, Olamide Zacheaushad a day for the Washington Commanders in their big win over the Arizona Cardinals. Zaccheaus was Washington’s leading receiver, catching all six passes thrown his way for 85 yards. All six of his receptions were first downs and Zaccheaus averaged 14.2 yards per catch. Zaccheaus did all of that on just 18 offensive snaps, just a quarter of Washington’s offensive plays, to help the Commanders beat the Cardinals on the road 42-14 and capture first place in the NFC East.

Charles Snowden continues to make the most of its opportunities. A late addition to the Las Vegas Raiders’ active roster just before the season started, the move paid off for the Raiders, who beat the Cleveland Browns 20-16 on Sunday thanks to Snowden’s dismissal of Deshaun Watson in the red zone on fourth down. less than a minute from the end.

Snowden made his third start of the season and recorded three total tackles, including two solo stops, a sack, a pass deflection and three quarterback hits. He played nearly half of the Raiders’ defensive snaps (29, or 49%), none more important than the last one, where he made the game-winning sack to seal a 20-16 victory for Las Vegas.

The reason the Raiders were in this position and needed a defensive position is because another former Wahoo made a huge play for the other team. Safety in Cleveland Rodney McLeod Jr. recovered a fumble and returned it 25 yards down the sideline for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Dustin Hopkins missed the extra point, keeping it a four-point game. As a result, the Browns needed a touchdown instead of being able to score a field goal to tie the game and Snowden denied the Browns that chance to win by sacking Watson.

With fellow Cavalier safety Juan Thornhill still on IR, McLeod took on a larger role for the Browns. Sunday against the Raiders, McLeod played 23 defensive snaps (39%) and 13 special teams snaps (50%) and recorded two tackles and had a 25-yard score.

After being left out of two of his team’s first three games, Brent Urban recorded two tackles, including a solo one, to help the Baltimore Ravens beat the previously undefeated Buffalo Bills 35-10 on Sunday night. Urban played 25 defensive snaps (42%) and five special teams snaps (19%).

Joey Blount played no defensive snaps and recorded no stats, but played 15 special teams snaps (65%) for the Arizona Cardinals in their blowout loss to Olamide Zaccheaus and the Washington Commanders.

Morgane Moses was out for the New York Jets during their 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday due to the sprained MCL and bone bruise he suffered during their win over the New England Patriots in week 3. Moses is expected to be out 2-4. weeks, but avoided what could have been a catastrophic major injury for the 33-year-old right tackle.

Speaking of injuries, former UVA wide receiver Malik Washington has yet to make his NFL debut for the Miami Dolphins, who are scheduled to host the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football. It is doubtful whether Washington will be able to play Monday due to a quadriceps injury that kept him out of the first three games of the season. If Washington plays Monday night and makes his NFL debut, we’ll be sure to update this article with details on his performance.

There are three former UVA football players on injured reserve:
– Safety Juan Thornhill (Browns) – injured in week 1
– Cornerback Bryce Hall (Buccaneers) – injured in week 1
– Tight End Jelani Woods (Colts) – injured in pre-season

Read last week’s edition of Hoos in the NFL here: Hoos in the NFL: NFL Week 3 recap for former Virginia football players