Alabama Football: Crimson Tide in the NFL Wild Card Round

After a whirlwind week for the Alabama Football program it was enjoyable to watch a few of the Alabama Football alumni play in the playoffs this week. There are seemingly less Alabama Football players in the playoffs than we've seen in past year's however this year's field is still loaded.

DeMeco Ryans gets help from fellow Crimson Tide Alumni in route to playoff win

The runaway favorite for NFL coach of the year should be none other than Alabama Football alumni DeMeco Ryans. Ryans has turned the Texans into a Super Bowl Contender taking the team to the divisional round a year after they finished 3-13-1. Ryans has gotten significant contributions from a few former Alabama Football players. John Metchie caught three passes for 44 yards and had a rushing attempt for nine yards. Will Anderson finished the game with three tackles and a sack as he continues a great rookie season.

The Star of the Game on the Texans defense however was Christian Harris. The former Alabama Football standout recorded eight tackles, a sack, and a pick-six. Harris' 36-yard pick-six helped shut the door on the Browns ensuring victory.

On the losing side, Amari Cooper recorded four catches for 59 yards while Dalvin Tomlinson had three tackles with one for a loss.

Tua and the Dolphins dominated by the Chiefs

The Miami Dolphins have been eliminated in disappointing fashion for the second straight season as the team fell apart down the stretch. Tua Tagovailoa was 20-39 passing for 199 yards with an interception and a touchdown. Returning from injury, Jaylen Waddle caught two passes for 31 yards while adding another nine yards on the ground. Da'Shawn Hand recorded three tackles and recovered a fumble for the Dolphins defensively. The Dolphins will need to either land the number one seed and home-field advantage for the playoffs every year or figure out how to play in the cold as the elements helped decimate the Dolphins' offense.

Alabama Football rookies help the Lions win their first playoff game since 1991

Of the three Alabama Football players on the Lions, none of them were alive the last time the Lions had won their last playoff game. The Lions got massive contributions from the Alabama Football Alumni as they won a thriller over the Rams. Jahmyr Gibbs continues to dominate as he rushed for 25 yards on eight carries adding 43 yards on five catches. Jameson Williams caught two passes for 19 yards while opening up the field for other receivers as the Lions were respecting his speed deep. Brian Branch continues to make teams regret passing on him in the draft as he recorded seven tackles and a pass defense.

Minkah Fitzpatrick returns as Steelers lose to the Bills

The Steelers finally saw the return of their defensive playmaker and former Alabama Football star Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Safety led the defense with 10 tackles, one of which was for a loss in his return from injury. The rushing attack for the Steelers struggled especially as they got behind early with Najee Harris rushing 12 times for 37 yards while catching two passes for 15 yards. Levi Wallace added a tackle of his own in the loss.

DeVonta Smith has an Alabama like performance in Eagles loss

The Philadelphia Eagles fell apart down the stretch this season and will certainly have turnover this offseason but, one player who isn't going anywhere is DeVonta Smith. The former Alabama Football star showed up for the Eagles while the rest of the offense struggled catching eight passes for 148 yards. In what may be his last game in the NFL Julio Jones caught three passes for 22 yards before suffering a concussion. Eli Ricks filled in as the secondary dealt with injuries to Darius Slay and James Bradberry recording a tackle.

Alabama Football: Massive year coming up for Alabama QBs

In the 2024 NFL Season, it will be a massive prove-it year for former Alabama Football quarterbacks. Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins' explosive style of offense has had massive success in the regular season but, it hasn't correlated to NFL success. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles had an all-time collapse in the final stretch of the season after a 10-1 start underwhelming the expectations they set for themselves. Mac Jones will likely become a back-up whether it still with the Patriots who hold the third pick or another team. Jones will have to make the most out of any playing time he can get in order to hopefully get another starting job in the future. Bryce Young's job is safe for now as the Panthers traded their first-round pick but, if the Panthers have another season like this years Bryce will likely be on the move.

Note: Stats Via ESPN