#ProDeacs: Week 18 Recap + Playoff Preview
1/8/2024 2:22:00 PM | Football
Three ProDeacs set to be in action in this weekend’s Wild Card round.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Week 18 of the NFL season is complete and the playoffs are set, with three Demon Deacons, including two making their postseason debuts, primed to compete in the Wild Card round. Here is a quick look at what happened during the 2023 regular season plus a look ahead into the playoffs.
Rookie Spotlight
2023 third-round draft pick Kobie Turner wrapped up his stellar regular-season rookie campaign in the Rams' 21-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Turner led all Los Angeles defensive lineman with 9.0 sacks and 57 total tackles. His 9.0 sacks also led all NFL rookies in addition to his 78 sack yards. Seven of his nine sacks have come in the final seven games of the season, the fourth-most in the NFL during that span.
Out of all defensive rookies who have played at least 50 percent of their team's snaps, Turner ranks second with an 83.8 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and first out of all rookie defensive lineman.
His contributions have helped the Rams go 7-1 over the final stretch of the season to earn a spot in the postseason after starting the season 3-6. The Rams are slated to take on the Detroit Lions this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on NBC.
Turner's former Demon Deacon teammate, A.T. Perry, closed out his rookie season with career-highs in receptions (three), yards (53) and touchdowns receptions (two) in the 48-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He was the only player on the team with multiple touchdowns in week 18. Additionally, since he was implemented into the offensive gameplan in week 11, Perry led the Saints with four touchdown receptions, while ranking third on the team with 246 yards on 12 catches for a team-high 20.5 yards per reception.
Bates III Completes First Season in Atlanta
Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III tallied four tackles in the defeat to the New Orleans Saints in week 18 to wrap up a career year in his first season with the Atlanta Falcons. He finished the season first on the team in tackles (132), pass deflections (11), interceptions (6), interception return yards (95), defensive touchdowns (1) and forced fumbles (3). His 132 tackles ranked second out of all NFL safeties, while his nine forced turnovers were tied for the league-best with Antoine Winfield and DaRon Bland.
He also posted the highest defensive PFF grade of his career at 90.6, which ranked fourth in the NFL and second out of all safeties. It marked the second 90-plus PFF grade of his career in addition to his 2020 campaign (90.1).
Playoff Preview
Three Demon Deacons are slated to compete in the first round of playoff action this weekend, beginning with Zach Tom and the Green Bay Packers as they take on the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington on Sunday. Tom, who has the third-best offensive PFF grade on the team this season at 77.8, will be making his postseason debut. He has allowed just two sacks all season, which is tied for the sixth-fewest out of all players drafted over the last two seasons. The game is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. on Fox.
The Los Angeles Rams will be making their first trip back to the postseason since their Super Bowl winning performance in 2021 as the aforementioned Kobie Turner makes his playoff debut against the Detroit Lions.
A member of the 2021 Super Bowl Champions, John Wolford, will also be going back to the playoffs, this time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wolford is 1-0 as a starter in the postseason after the Rams' 30-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the 2020 Wild Card round.
Alex Bachman (Houston) and Scotty Washington (Baltimore) are members of the practice squads for their respective postseason-bound teams. The Texans will host the Browns on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. while the Ravens earned a first-round bye.
#ProDeacs Results and Wild Card Round Slate (All times eastern)
Rookie Spotlight
2023 third-round draft pick Kobie Turner wrapped up his stellar regular-season rookie campaign in the Rams' 21-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Turner led all Los Angeles defensive lineman with 9.0 sacks and 57 total tackles. His 9.0 sacks also led all NFL rookies in addition to his 78 sack yards. Seven of his nine sacks have come in the final seven games of the season, the fourth-most in the NFL during that span.
Out of all defensive rookies who have played at least 50 percent of their team's snaps, Turner ranks second with an 83.8 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and first out of all rookie defensive lineman.
His contributions have helped the Rams go 7-1 over the final stretch of the season to earn a spot in the postseason after starting the season 3-6. The Rams are slated to take on the Detroit Lions this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on NBC.
Turner's former Demon Deacon teammate, A.T. Perry, closed out his rookie season with career-highs in receptions (three), yards (53) and touchdowns receptions (two) in the 48-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He was the only player on the team with multiple touchdowns in week 18. Additionally, since he was implemented into the offensive gameplan in week 11, Perry led the Saints with four touchdown receptions, while ranking third on the team with 246 yards on 12 catches for a team-high 20.5 yards per reception.
Bates III Completes First Season in Atlanta
Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III tallied four tackles in the defeat to the New Orleans Saints in week 18 to wrap up a career year in his first season with the Atlanta Falcons. He finished the season first on the team in tackles (132), pass deflections (11), interceptions (6), interception return yards (95), defensive touchdowns (1) and forced fumbles (3). His 132 tackles ranked second out of all NFL safeties, while his nine forced turnovers were tied for the league-best with Antoine Winfield and DaRon Bland.
He also posted the highest defensive PFF grade of his career at 90.6, which ranked fourth in the NFL and second out of all safeties. It marked the second 90-plus PFF grade of his career in addition to his 2020 campaign (90.1).
Playoff Preview
Three Demon Deacons are slated to compete in the first round of playoff action this weekend, beginning with Zach Tom and the Green Bay Packers as they take on the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington on Sunday. Tom, who has the third-best offensive PFF grade on the team this season at 77.8, will be making his postseason debut. He has allowed just two sacks all season, which is tied for the sixth-fewest out of all players drafted over the last two seasons. The game is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. on Fox.
The Los Angeles Rams will be making their first trip back to the postseason since their Super Bowl winning performance in 2021 as the aforementioned Kobie Turner makes his playoff debut against the Detroit Lions.
A member of the 2021 Super Bowl Champions, John Wolford, will also be going back to the playoffs, this time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wolford is 1-0 as a starter in the postseason after the Rams' 30-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the 2020 Wild Card round.
Alex Bachman (Houston) and Scotty Washington (Baltimore) are members of the practice squads for their respective postseason-bound teams. The Texans will host the Browns on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. while the Ravens earned a first-round bye.
#ProDeacs Results and Wild Card Round Slate (All times eastern)
- Alex Bachman* - HOU (10-7)
- This Week: Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., NBC)
- Last Week: Houston Texans 23 at Indianapolis Colts 19
- Zach Tom - GB (9-8)
- This Week: Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, 4:30 p.m., FOX)
- Last Week: Chicago Bears 9 at Green Bay Packers 17
- Kobie Turner - LAR (10-7)
- This Week: Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions (Sunday, 8 p.m., NBC)
- Last Week: Los Angeles Rams 21 at San Francisco 49ers 20
- John Wolford - TB (9-8)
- This Week: Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN)
- Last Week: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9 at Carolina Panthers 0
- Scotty Washington* - BAL (13-4)
- This Week: BYE
- Last Week: Pittsburgh Steelers 17 at Baltimore Ravens 10
- AT Perry - NO (9-8)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Atlanta Falcons 17 at New Orleans Saints 48
- Jessie Bates III - ATL (7-10)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Atlanta Falcons 17 at New Orleans Saints 48
- Luiji Vilain - CAR (2-15)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9 at Carolina Panthers 0
- Nate Gilliam* - CIN (9-8)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Cleveland Browns 14 at Cincinnati Bengals 31
- Ja'Sir Taylor and Essang Bassey - LAC (5-12)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Kansas City Chiefs 13 at Los Angeles Chargers 12
- Phil Haynes - SEA (9-8)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Seattle Seahawks 21 at Arizona Cardinals 20
- Greg Dortch and Blake Whiteheart - ARI (4-13)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Seattle Seahawks 21 at Arizona Cardinals 20
- Justin Strnad - DEN (8-9)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Denver Broncos 14 at Las Vegas Raiders 27
- Luke Masterson - LV (8-9)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Denver Broncos 14 at Las Vegas Raiders 27
- Carlos "Boogie" Basham Jr. - NYG (6-11)
- This Week: N/A
- Last Week: Philadelphia Eagles 10 at New York Giants 27
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