Week 5 turned into a showcase for a former Oregon Ducks running back and a Green Bay safety who keeps stacking standout games.
Bucky Irving put together the biggest performance of his NFL career, powering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 24-16 win at Dallas on Thursday night. Irving ripped off a career-high 165 rushing yards on 21 carries and scored twice.
His night started with a five-yard touchdown catch from rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels, which pulled Tampa Bay even at 7-7 in the second quarter. Then came the burst that changed the game: Irving broke loose for 72 yards in the third quarter to set up a score that gave the Buccaneers a 14-10 lead.
Later in that same quarter, he punched in a one-yard touchdown run to make it 21-10. His previous best was 152 yards in an overtime win over Carolina during his 2024 rookie season.
On the defensive side, Evan Williams kept rolling for Green Bay. For the second week in a row, the Packers safety was the most productive former Ducks defender on the field.
In a 31-7 home win over Chicago, Williams led the team with 11 tackles, seven of them solo, and also recovered a fumble. A week earlier, he had seven tackles, an interception, a pass breakup, a sack and two quarterback hurries in a 17-14 win over Tampa Bay.
Elsewhere, rookie safety Dillon Thieneman made his first start for Chicago and handled every defensive snap in a 61-snap outing. He finished with seven tackles, five solo, plus a tackle for loss and a pass defended. Noah Sewell added one assisted tackle for the Bears, along with 16 special-teams snaps.
Justin Herbert was busy in the Chargers’ 0-5 start, completing 14 of 24 passes for 121 yards, one touchdown and one interception against Indianapolis. He also ran for 54 yards on six carries.
Jamaree Caldwell chipped in two tackles for Los Angeles, including a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry, while Troy Dye started and played on defense and special teams without recording a stat. Rookie offensive lineman Alex Harkey logged his first NFL start and played all 67 offensive snaps.
The Steelers’ 34-22 win over the Colts included a pair of former Ducks on Indianapolis’ side making their marks. Rookie linebacker Bryce Boettcher started and had two tackles in 11 defensive snaps, and DeForest Buckner posted six tackles, one sack and a quarterback hurry in 47 defensive snaps. Pharaoh Brown remains on the practice squad.
Jevon Holland started for the Giants and had two solo tackles in all 62 defensive snaps, while Kayvon Thibodeaux added one assisted tackle in 54 snaps. Nikko Reed was inactive.
Jordan Burch recorded one assisted tackle for Arizona in 29 defensive snaps and another in 15 special-teams snaps. Arik Armstead started for Jacksonville and played 49 defensive snaps without a statistic.
For San Francisco, Deommodore Lenoir started, made two tackles and played all 63 defensive snaps. Jordan James handled kick returns for the 49ers, returning four for 123 yards with a long of 39 and adding a special-teams tackle.
Jackson Powers-Johnson started at right guard and played all 60 offensive snaps.
Troy Franklin caught two passes for 16 yards, and Alex Forsyth logged six special-teams snaps. Calvin Throckmorton remains on the practice squad.
The Jets’ 17-12 win over Cleveland featured a costly moment for Sadiq, who fumbled in the red zone after contact from two Browns defenders and is now in concussion protocol.
The Ravens had zero Ducks on Sunday night, and the Bengals and Dolphins have no former Oregon players on their rosters. Carolina was on bye and also had zero Ducks.
In Other News...
Oregons Bear Alexander Controversy Just Put Dan Lanning Under Pressure
The fallout from Oregons win over UCLA has extended well beyond the scoreboard, with defensive lineman Bear Alexander at the center of the conversation after video showed him punching quarterback Nico Iamaleava while Iamaleava was on the ground. The play came in the middle of a sequence that left UCLA fearing a serious knee injury for its quarterback, and it quickly drew public criticism from Bruins coach Bob Chesney, who called it egregious and regrettable.
Dan Lanning has now been put in the uncomfortable position of defending his player and the programs response, saying Alexander will not be disciplined because he believed the contact was part of an effort to dislodge the ball. Alexander has also expressed remorse and said he never intended to cause harm, but the incident has still become a test of how Oregon handles a moment that has landed far outside the normal bounds of postgame review. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Just Put Dylan Raiola Back In Nebraskas Spotlight
After Oregons loss to UCLA, Dan Lanning had to turn the conversation from the result itself to the Ducks quarterback situation, and that quickly brought Dylan Raiola back into the spotlight. With Dante Moore dealing with a concussion, Lanning said Raiola will compete with Brock Thomas for the starting job, a development that adds another layer of intrigue to an offense still trying to find its footing.
Lanning also pointed to Raiolas composure after being replaced during the game, a small but meaningful sign in a week when the Ducks were looking for steadiness more than flash. He said the teams body language stayed positive even as the offense struggled, and added that some changes are coming to how Oregon operates without getting into specifics, leaving the bigger picture of the quarterback battle and the adjustments around it very much open. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Signals Oregon Offensive Changes As Pressure Builds
After Oregons disappointing loss to UCLA, Dan Lanning made clear the Ducks are not standing still on offense. The head coach confirmed that changes are being made to the operation after a season of uneven production, a notable acknowledgment from a program that entered the year expecting much more from that side of the ball.
Lanning stopped short of spelling out what those changes will look like, and he did not say whether the staff itself will be altered. Offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer has taken heat for the inconsistency, but Lanning also pointed back to what Mehringer has done in the past while stressing the need for the group to improve moving forward. [Read more 🡒]