Week 4 of the NFL season answered three big questions for Gator fans: How good are Washington’s stars? Who is the NFL’s best former Florida defensive player? And which rookie is off to the best start? Find out which Florida alums shined this week — plus who to watch out for — in our fourth regular-season edition of Gators in the NFL.
Red-hot Redskins:
Washington’s offense has shown shades of Will Muschamp recruiting this season as former Gators Jordan Reed and Matt Jones remain the top two weapons in the Redskins’ arsenal.
Reed, a tight end, made NFL history this week. He caught his 200th career reception this, becoming the fastest tight end to reach the milestone.
It took Reed only 38 games to hit the 200 mark, and he made a show of it on Sunday.
The Redskins’ star tight end had two touchdowns by the end of the first quarter to give Washington a comfortable lead.
Reed’s former Florida teammate Quinton Dunbar also played a role in the win. The former receiver — who has been converted into a defensive back for Washington — recovered a fumble in the second half.
Following a fourth-quarter interception, running back Matt Jones led a scoring drive and punched in a 1-yard touchdown to put the Browns away with four minutes left. Jones has been the Gators’ best back in the NFL so far this season and rushed for his first 100-yard game on Sunday.
Dunlap dominates Miami offensive line:
Florida’s best defensive alumni this week was Cincinnati defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap. Dunlap won a national title with the Gators in 2009 and played like a champ on Thursday Night Football.
Miami’s offensive line stood no chance against Dunlap. He forced a fumble when he sacked Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the second quarter, and followed it up by sacking Tannehill again in the third quarter for an 8-yard loss.
According to ESPN, only six defensive ends have more sacks this year than Dunlap.
Florida’s brightest rookie:
While Vernon Hargreaves was the first Gator drafted in 2016, another first-round pick has lit up the NFC South.
Keanu Neal led the Falcons’ defense on Sunday with a team-high six solo tackles. After missing the start of the season because of a minor knee surgery, the rookie safety has been huge for Atlanta’s defense in back-to-back wins against New Orleans and Carolina.
He had a particularly tall task on Sunday, as the 5-foot 10-inch safety shadowed Greg Olsen, Carolina’s 6-foot-5 Pro Bowl tight end.
Neal locked him down for the first three quarters, until Olsen broke free for a touchdown and 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter.
“I was covering (Olsen) pretty much all day,” Neal told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He’s an amazing player, great tight end. So going against him was a challenge, but I love challenges. He got me a few times, but that’s part of the game.”
What to watch for in Week 5:
Is Mike Gillislee breaking through in Buffalo?
The Bills’ backup running back has seen his role in the offense grow each week, from one touch Week 1 to three in Week 3 and seven against New England this weekend. While star halfback LeSean McCoy has a lock on the starting spot, the Bills used multiple backs to shoulder the load last season — and so far, Gillislee’s making a strong case to be Buffalo’s go-to backup.
Contact Matt Brannon at mbrannon@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @MattB_727.
Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed (86) catches a touchdown pass in front of Cleveland Browns inside linebacker Demario Davis (56) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
