Week 9 brought a little bit of everything for the former Orange scattered across the NFL: special teams work, practice-squad status, a few notable stat lines, and one move at the trading deadline.
In Atlanta, Matthew Bergeron turned in the strongest performance of the group. According to PFF, he was the Falcons’ highest-rated offensive player in the loss to the Patriots, posting an overall grade of 80.3 and a run-blocking grade of 90.9.
Cleveland’s Andre Szmyt kept stacking points. He made all three of his field goal tries against the Saints and is now 19-for-21 on the season for the Browns.
There was action in Dallas for Justin Barron and Alijah Clark, both of whom saw time on special teams in the win over the Colts. Meeks didn’t play against Miami and now he’s a victim of Orange on Orange crime.
Garrett Williams was part of Arizona’s special teams effort in the Cardinals’ loss to Seattle, while Zaire Franklin missed Green Bay’s game against the Patriots because of injury.
In Jacksonville, LeQuint Allen got on the field on offense and special teams in the win over the Ravens, though he didn’t record any stats. Trebor Pena remains on the practice squad.
The Chargers got contributions from both of their former Orange players. Oronde Gadsden finished with two catches for 17 yards in the loss to the Texans, and Marlowe Wax added six tackles while seeing time on defense and special teams.
A few others are still waiting for their next chance. Jawhar Jordan remains on the practice squad in Houston, Fadil Diggs did not play against the Browns, and Enrique Cruz, Jr. is still on the practice squad in San Francisco.
For the Rams, Villari is also on the practice squad, and with all the injuries in LA maybe he’ll get a look.
Tommy DeVito was 1-for-3 for 21 yards in the loss to the Packers, while the Saints’ Johnathan is on injured reserve. Cisco saw snaps on special teams against the Chiefs and now he gets a chance on a likely playoff squad.
Pittsburgh was on a bye last weekend, so Kevin Jobity didn’t have a game to report.
In Other News...
Syracuse Walks Into An ACC Spot That Could Shift Everything
Syracuse heads into Saturdays trip to Raleigh with a chance to make a real statement in the ACC race, and the betting market has noticed. The Orange are listed as 2.5-point favorites over NC State at Carter-Finley Stadium, a sign that this matchup is being viewed as closer to a prove-it game than a routine conference road test.
NC State will have a different look on the sideline, too, with interim head coach Todd Goebbel taking over after Dave Dorean was fired on Oct. 24, 2026. That kind of midseason change can bring a jolt of urgency, and it adds another layer to a game Syracuse would like to control before the noise in Raleigh has a chance to take over. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Got Standout Performances But One Bigger Problem Remains
Syracuse got several encouraging individual efforts in its 18-13 loss to Clemson, but the overall result still came down to the kind of details that have haunted the Orange at times this season. Third-down execution and defense shaped the game, and while players like cornerback Davien Kerr, tight end Daunte Bacheyie, left tackle Trevion Mack and running back Ahmad Miller all turned in strong showings, the offense could not turn enough of that production into points.
The frustration is that the pieces were there for Syracuse to make the game more competitive, even if the final margin stayed tight. Instead, the Orange are left with a familiar and urgent task: they need two wins in their final three games to reach bowl eligibility, and there is little margin left for wasted opportunities. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Heads Into A Must-Have Road Test With Bowl Pressure Rising
Syracuses two-game winning streak came to a halt against Clemson, and now the Orange are staring at a road game that carries real weight for their postseason hopes. The next stop is NC State, a program in the middle of its own reset after firing head coach Dave Doeren, which adds another layer of uncertainty to a matchup Syracuse cant afford to treat lightly.
With bowl eligibility still hanging in the balance, Syracuse needs two wins in its final three games, so every snap from here on out matters a little more. The matchup has drawn plenty of attention from beat writers weighing how the Orange might respond, and whether this is the kind of spot where they can steady themselves before the seasons pressure really tightens. [Read more 🡒]