This NFL season features twelve players with local connections, including five actively participating on their teams. Here’s a recap of how each of these players performed in their respective games this week, listed in alphabetical order.
**OG Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns:** Bitonio played the entire 72 offensive snaps during a challenging 27-14 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a key rival in the AFC North. Despite the defeat, Bitonio maintained a penalty-free performance as the Browns outpaced the Steelers in total yards, with 300 to 267. The team managed 104 rushing yards on 25 attempts, but their offense struggled with quarterback Jameis Winston, who recorded two interceptions and now has nine in the last five games.
**WR Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers:** Doubs missed his second consecutive game due to a concussion sustained against the 49ers on November 24. His absence contributed to the Packers’ narrow 34-31 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football.
**LB Daiyan Henley, Los Angeles Chargers:** Henley’s impressive streak of six consecutive games with double-digit tackles came to an end in a close 19-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. He recorded eight tackles, with six being solo efforts. Henley played all 69 defensive snaps, as well as six special teams snaps. An important moment in the game came when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes managed to evade Henley on a crucial third down, allowing him to connect with Travis Kelce for a game-winning field goal.
**LB Nephi Sewell, New Orleans Saints:** In a tough 14-11 victory against the New York Giants, Sewell contributed primarily on special teams, seeing 21 snaps (72 percent of the plays) but did not participate in defensive plays. Unfortunately, he was penalized for an illegal formation during a kickoff in the first quarter.
**LB Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore Ravens:** The Ravens enjoyed a bye week, which provided Van Noy with additional time to recover from hamstring and neck injuries that had sidelined him during the team’s prior loss to the Eagles.
**Season-ending Injured Reserve:** C Austin Corbet (Carolina Panthers); WR Brandon Aiyuk (San Francisco 49ers).
**Practice Squad:** TE Cole Turner (Washington Commanders); DB Emany Johnson (Los Angeles Chargers); OLB Daniel Grzesiak (Tampa Bay Buccaneers); John Jackson III (Chicago Bears); WR Elijah Cooks (Jacksonville Jaguars).
Overall, while it has been a tough week for many of the local players, there are still opportunities for growth and recovery, especially for those dealing with injuries or setbacks. As the season continues, fans can remain hopeful that these players will bounce back and contribute significantly in the weeks ahead.