Week 7 kept the Alabama pipeline busy across the NFL, and the Detroit Lions were right in the middle of it. More than one former Crimson Tide player made a real mark in the same game, and that was only part of the story. Other ex-Alabama standouts delivered across the league as the season pushed closer to the halfway point.
Jahmyr Gibbs led the group with another strong outing for Detroit in a 20-17 win over division rival Green Bay. He topped 100 rushing yards for the second straight week and the third time this season, finishing with 116 yards on 29 carries.
Gibbs also added five catches for 27 yards. His 116 rushing yards were the fourth-most in the league this week.
Jameson Williams was just as dangerous in the passing game for the Lions. He turned in one of his best performances of the season against the Packers, going for five receptions, 91 yards and two touchdowns. Williams was one of five players this week to score multiple receiving touchdowns.
Brian Branch made his presence felt in his return from a torn achilles suffered late last season. Back on the field, he helped Detroit hold off Green Bay with four tackles and a fourth-quarter interception.
Elsewhere, Quinnen Williams played a key role as the Cowboys got back on track with a 38-21 win over the Eagles. He finished with four tackles, three tackles-for-loss and a sack, doing damage both at the line of scrimmage and in the backfield.
Henry To'oTo'o also put together a productive day despite Houston’s 27-21 loss to the Giants. In his second game back from injury, he recorded 10 tackles, 0.5 sacks and two tackles-for-loss for the Texans.
In Other News...
Former Alabama Assistant Pulls The SEC Into CFP Fairness Debate
JaMarcus Shephards comments added another layer to the ongoing College Football Playoff debate, with the former Alabama assistant now leading Oregon State and looking at the sport from a different vantage point. He raised concerns about whether a 24-team CFP will truly be accessible for programs outside the major conferences if automatic bids are tilted toward the biggest leagues, and he pointed to the NCAA Basketball Tournament as a better model for broad inclusion.
Shephard framed it as a fairness issue as much as a format issue, arguing that college athletics should account for more than just the SEC and Big Ten. For Alabama fans who watched him on the Tide sideline, the remarks were a reminder of how much the playoff discussion has grown beyond traditional power structures, and how much uncertainty still hangs over how smaller-conference teams will fit into the new setup. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Walks Into LSU With One Distraction Nick Saban Always Warned About
Lane Kiffin knows the drill by now when Alabama comes up on the schedule, and he framed the challenge in familiar Saban-era terms. He called the Crimson Tide a highly talented group that still carries the same sort of standard and edge associated with the best Alabama teams from years past, which is part of why opponents can never afford to get comfortable when the conversation around this program turns flattering.
For Alabama, the visit to LSU also brings a new wrinkle in Keelon Russells first trip to Tiger Stadium. It is the kind of setting that can crowd out everything else, and it is exactly the sort of backdrop where Nick Sabans old warning about rat poison tends to matter most, even if the noise is coming from outside the locker room. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Is Suddenly Back In A Playoff Race Fans Care About
Auburn was not the only SEC pressure point getting attention this week, because Alabamas win over Texas A&M gave the Crimson Tide a much cleaner look in the College Football Playoff picture. The 31-20 result, powered by two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Keelon Russell, pushed Alabama up to a No. 7 seed in The Athletics latest projections, a spot that would put the Tide in position to host BYU in the opening round.
At 6-2, Alabama still has work to do, but the margin for error feels different now than it did a week ago. The next test comes Nov. 7 against LSU, and for a team that spent part of the fall trying to regain its footing, that matchup now carries real postseason weight beyond the usual rivalry noise. [Read more 🡒]