Texas Tech University Athletics
Photo by: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Red Raiders In The NFL: Week 16
December 27, 2016 | Football
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Each week, texastech.com details the accomplishments of former Red Raiders who now play in the NFL. This week, DeAndre Washington's breakout game, Cody Davis' first NFL pick and a historical interim coaching appointment are the headlines.
Six former Red Raiders have clinched playoff berths, and Kerry Hyder's Lions will have the chance to do so next Sunday night at home against Green Bay.
HEAD COACHES
On Tuesday, Dec. 27, Lynn became the first former Red Raider player to take an NFL head coaching job as the Bills named him interim head coach ... On Saturday, as the offensive coordinator, Lynn guided the Bills to 31 points and 589 total yards without turning the ball over in an overtime loss to playoff-bound Miami ...  Lynn was a Red Raider running back from 1988-91, and was an All-SWC selection in 1990 ... in his NFL career, he was a member of the back-to-back Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos in 1997 & 1998.
PLAYERS
Amaro did not factor into Saturday's loss to Jacksonville ... Amaro has four catches for 59 yards this season as he looks to build off an impressive 2014 rookie campaign, in which he hauled in 38 passes for 345 yards while hitting paydirt twice ... Amaro was the New York Jets' second-round pick (49th overall) in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Amendola was inactive for Saturday's blowout of New York ... In seven NFL seasons, Amendola has caught 365 passes for 3,452 yards and scored 17 touchdowns … On top of that, he has hauled in three career postseason touchdowns, including a score in Super Bowl XLIX … Amendola was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008.
Le'Raven Clark made his second-straight start at right tackle for the Colts on Saturday ... for the second consecutive week, the Indianapolis offensive line did not allow a sack as the Colts amassed 391 yards of offense ...  Clark was the first of three Red Raiders to hear their names called in the 2016 NFL draft, going at No. 82 overall … Clark started all 51 games of his Red Raider career, and his senior year he was named a CBS Sports second team All-American ... He was the third-round pick of the Colts in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Crabtree continued what has been a fantastic season with seven catches for 90 yards on Sunday ... He now has 84 catches for 956 yards and eight touchdowns so far in 2016, which is turning into one of the most productive years of his NFL career ... Crabtree needs just two catches to set a single-season career high, and 44 yards for his second 1,000-yard season ... He now has 516 receptions for 6,205 yards and 43 regular-season touchdowns in his professional career … Crabtree played two seasons at Texas Tech (2007-08), where he became the first receiver in collegiate history to win the Biletnikoff Award twice, before the 49ers selected him with the 10th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft.
Cody Davis picked up the first interception of his NFL career on Saturday and returned it 29 yards to set up a Los Angeles score late in the first quarter … Davis also had two tackles on the afternoon ... Davis was a four-year letterman with the Red Raiders (2009-12) and then signed as an undrafted free agent with the Rams in 2013.
Grant broke a 41-yard kickoff return in Miami's overtime win in Buffalo, which allowed the Dolphins to clinch a playoff spot … Grant ranks 17th in the NFL, averaging 8.4 yards per punt return this season ... Grant was Miami's sixth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft after a senior year at Tech in which he averaged 181 all-purpose yards per game which ranked fourth nationally, and ranked fourth nationally with 1,017 kickoff return yards and fifth with two kickoff return touchdowns … CBS Sports tabbed him as a second team All-American.
Hyder was named the pregame "Gruden Grinder" on the ESPN Monday Night Football telecast, but the Lions pass rush was neutralized by Dallas in a 42-21 loss ... Hyder had two tackles on the night and what would have been his ninth sack wiped out by a penalty ... His 8.0 sacks this season are tied for 21st in the NFL and 11th in the NFC ... Hyder joined the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2014 after a Red Raider career which included a litany of All-Big 12 honors in 2013 and 2014.
Branden Jackson did not factor into the Oakland win, marking the first time he has not seen the field since being called up from the practice squad a month ago ... Jackson was a four-year starter as a Red Raider, collecting 11 sacks during his tenure in Lubbock ... Jackson was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Raiders in 2016.
Marquez did not play against San Francisco on Saturday, marking the first game this season in which he did not log a snap   … Marquez played four seasons at Texas Tech (2010-14) before the Rams signed him as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2015.
Waddle was inactive in New England's win over the Jets … in 2015, after missing the first two games of the season recovering from off season knee surgery, Waddle came back strong for Detroit, earning a starting spot for the rest of the season … Waddle played four seasons at Tech (2009-12) before being signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent.
In a game that featured four former Texas Tech stars, Washington shined the brightest ... He enjoyed the breakout performance of his 2016 campaign, rushing for 99 yards and his first  two NFL touchdowns on just 12 carries, sealing the deal in Oakland's 33-25 win, which allowed Oakland to stay atop the AFC West ... Both of Washington's scores came on 22-yard scampers, and he added an 18-yard reception to give him 117 total yards on the afternoon ... His 424 rushing yards this season rank third among Oakland running backs ... Washington was the first Red Raider running back to register back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons since former Doak Walker Award winner Byron Hanspard in 1995 and 1996 ... one of five players in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards twice in a career.
Six former Red Raiders have clinched playoff berths, and Kerry Hyder's Lions will have the chance to do so next Sunday night at home against Green Bay.
HEAD COACHES
Anthony Lynn -- Buffalo Bills
Week 16 Matchup: Miami 34, Buffalo 31 (OT)On Tuesday, Dec. 27, Lynn became the first former Red Raider player to take an NFL head coaching job as the Bills named him interim head coach ... On Saturday, as the offensive coordinator, Lynn guided the Bills to 31 points and 589 total yards without turning the ball over in an overtime loss to playoff-bound Miami ...  Lynn was a Red Raider running back from 1988-91, and was an All-SWC selection in 1990 ... in his NFL career, he was a member of the back-to-back Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos in 1997 & 1998.
Get to know @buffalobills interim coach Anthony Lynn, who has gone from RBs coach to OC to head coach in 1 season: https://t.co/n2mQQqLrEl
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) December 27, 2016
Anthony Lynn Coaching Titles This Season
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 27, 2016
Weeks 1-2: RB/Ast. Head Coach
Weeks 3-16: Offensive Coordinator
Week 17: Interim Head Coach
If you wanna know more about Anthony Lynn, we had the Bills interim coach on the podcast in October. Listen here. https://t.co/7VZcz5fxKH
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 27, 2016
Anthony Lynn takes over as interim head coach, a move strongly supported by the front office. He'll have a chance to keep the job
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) December 27, 2016
PLAYERS
Jace Amaro – Tennessee Titans
Week 16 Matchup: Jacksonville 38, Tennessee 17Amaro did not factor into Saturday's loss to Jacksonville ... Amaro has four catches for 59 yards this season as he looks to build off an impressive 2014 rookie campaign, in which he hauled in 38 passes for 345 yards while hitting paydirt twice ... Amaro was the New York Jets' second-round pick (49th overall) in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Danny Amendola – New England Patriots
Week 16 Matchup: New England 41, New York 3Amendola was inactive for Saturday's blowout of New York ... In seven NFL seasons, Amendola has caught 365 passes for 3,452 yards and scored 17 touchdowns … On top of that, he has hauled in three career postseason touchdowns, including a score in Super Bowl XLIX … Amendola was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008.
Le'Raven Clark – Indianapolis Colts
Week 16 Matchup: Oakland 33, Indianapolis 25Le'Raven Clark made his second-straight start at right tackle for the Colts on Saturday ... for the second consecutive week, the Indianapolis offensive line did not allow a sack as the Colts amassed 391 yards of offense ...  Clark was the first of three Red Raiders to hear their names called in the 2016 NFL draft, going at No. 82 overall … Clark started all 51 games of his Red Raider career, and his senior year he was named a CBS Sports second team All-American ... He was the third-round pick of the Colts in the 2016 NFL Draft.
S/o @dwa5hington for putting in work yesterday ???? pic.twitter.com/FWgOHrRqtP
— Le'Raven Clark (@LeRavenClark) December 25, 2016
Hand placement, base, torque, and finish from Le'Raven Clark against Mario Edwards here is very nice pic.twitter.com/qdREDGI0Xz
— Brandon Thorn (@VeteranScout) December 27, 2016
Michael Crabtree – Oakland Raiders
Week 16 Matchup: Oakland 33, Indianapolis 25Crabtree continued what has been a fantastic season with seven catches for 90 yards on Sunday ... He now has 84 catches for 956 yards and eight touchdowns so far in 2016, which is turning into one of the most productive years of his NFL career ... Crabtree needs just two catches to set a single-season career high, and 44 yards for his second 1,000-yard season ... He now has 516 receptions for 6,205 yards and 43 regular-season touchdowns in his professional career … Crabtree played two seasons at Texas Tech (2007-08), where he became the first receiver in collegiate history to win the Biletnikoff Award twice, before the 49ers selected him with the 10th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft.
Carr to Crabtree.
— OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) December 24, 2016
11 yards.
Move the chains! #INDvsOAK
Cody Davis – Los Angeles Rams
Week 16 Matchup: San Francisco 22, Los Angeles 21Cody Davis picked up the first interception of his NFL career on Saturday and returned it 29 yards to set up a Los Angeles score late in the first quarter … Davis also had two tackles on the afternoon ... Davis was a four-year letterman with the Red Raiders (2009-12) and then signed as an undrafted free agent with the Rams in 2013.
ICYMI: @CodyDavis with the sweet INT Kaepernick #SFvsLA https://t.co/IxMcukq1hB
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 24, 2016
INTERCEPTION @CodyDavis #SFvsLA pic.twitter.com/JIa7JWo1el
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 24, 2016
Jakeem Grant – Miami Dolphins
Week 16 Matchup: Miami 34, Buffalo 31 (OT)Grant broke a 41-yard kickoff return in Miami's overtime win in Buffalo, which allowed the Dolphins to clinch a playoff spot … Grant ranks 17th in the NFL, averaging 8.4 yards per punt return this season ... Grant was Miami's sixth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft after a senior year at Tech in which he averaged 181 all-purpose yards per game which ranked fourth nationally, and ranked fourth nationally with 1,017 kickoff return yards and fifth with two kickoff return touchdowns … CBS Sports tabbed him as a second team All-American.
Kerry Hyder – Detroit Lions
Week 16 Matchup: Dallas 42, Detroit 21Hyder was named the pregame "Gruden Grinder" on the ESPN Monday Night Football telecast, but the Lions pass rush was neutralized by Dallas in a 42-21 loss ... Hyder had two tackles on the night and what would have been his ninth sack wiped out by a penalty ... His 8.0 sacks this season are tied for 21st in the NFL and 11th in the NFC ... Hyder joined the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2014 after a Red Raider career which included a litany of All-Big 12 honors in 2013 and 2014.
Tonight's pregame @Nationwide #GrudenGrinder is Lions DE Kerry Hyder. pic.twitter.com/YCwI350ns8
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 27, 2016
Kerry Hyder has earned a 76.6 pass-rush grade this season, 36th among NFL edge defenders. #OnePride
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) December 27, 2016
Branden Jackson – Oakland Raiders
Week 16 Matchup: Oakland 33, Indianapolis 25Branden Jackson did not factor into the Oakland win, marking the first time he has not seen the field since being called up from the practice squad a month ago ... Jackson was a four-year starter as a Red Raider, collecting 11 sacks during his tenure in Lubbock ... Jackson was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Raiders in 2016.
Bradley Marquez – Los Angeles Rams
Week 16 Matchup: San Francisco 22, Los Angeles 21Marquez did not play against San Francisco on Saturday, marking the first game this season in which he did not log a snap   … Marquez played four seasons at Texas Tech (2010-14) before the Rams signed him as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2015.
LaAdrian Waddle – New England Patriots
Week 16 Matchup: New England 41, New York 3Waddle was inactive in New England's win over the Jets … in 2015, after missing the first two games of the season recovering from off season knee surgery, Waddle came back strong for Detroit, earning a starting spot for the rest of the season … Waddle played four seasons at Tech (2009-12) before being signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent.
DeAndre Washington – Oakland Raiders
Week 16 Matchup: Oakland 33, Indianapolis 25In a game that featured four former Texas Tech stars, Washington shined the brightest ... He enjoyed the breakout performance of his 2016 campaign, rushing for 99 yards and his first  two NFL touchdowns on just 12 carries, sealing the deal in Oakland's 33-25 win, which allowed Oakland to stay atop the AFC West ... Both of Washington's scores came on 22-yard scampers, and he added an 18-yard reception to give him 117 total yards on the afternoon ... His 424 rushing yards this season rank third among Oakland running backs ... Washington was the first Red Raider running back to register back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons since former Doak Walker Award winner Byron Hanspard in 1995 and 1996 ... one of five players in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards twice in a career.
TOUUUUCHHHDOOWWNNNN RAAAAIIIIDDERRRS!@dwa5hington's first career score! pic.twitter.com/JwzwMmU2T0
— OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) December 24, 2016
.@dwa5hington is TOO much for the Colts D.
— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2016
Hello, end zone! #RaiderNation https://t.co/bKjbdSKBpx
VOTE for the @Pepsi Rookie of the Week!
— NFL (@NFL) December 27, 2016
Tweet player's name + #NFLROTW:
Prescott. Bosa. Howard. Ramsey. Or Washington? pic.twitter.com/8b8qc3gmqh
DeAndre Washington: first player this season with multiple rushing TD of at least 20 yards.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 24, 2016
The @RAIDERS win a BIG one at home thanks to @dwa5hington's solid day on the ground.
— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) December 25, 2016
8.2 YPC, 2 TDs ??#INDvsOAK pic.twitter.com/lCWTSr6RIU
Players Mentioned
Offensive Line
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Wide Receiver
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Defensive Line
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Running Back
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