Oklahoma Sooners Football: Sooners in the NFL – Bradford’s Career Day Not Enough in Green Bay

Sam Bradford kept pace with Aaron Rodgers and the blazing Packers offense in the Vikings Christmas Eve road loss at Green Bay, going 34-of-50 for a career-high 382 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Bradford has completed a league-leading 71.3 percent of his passes this season and remains on pace to break Drew Brees’ NFL record of 71.2 set in 2011. Going into Monday night’s game, Sammy B leads all quarterbacks in passing yards in Week 16 and looks to guide the Vikings to their eighth win next week against the Bears to wrap up the season.

The first of two touchdowns Bradford threw to Adam Thielen:

And this one to his favorite target Stefon Diggs:

DeMarco Murray finished with 14 carries for a season-low 42 yards and added 2 receptions for 18 yards in the Titans ugly road loss at Jacksonville. Murray wraps up his Pro Bowl season with a home game against the Texans in Week 17.

Sterling Shepard finished with 7 receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown — his eighth of the season — in the Giants Thursday night loss at Philadelphia. Shep heads into a Week 17 date at Washington tied with the Saints’ Michael Thomas for first among rookies in receiving touchdowns and ranks second behind Thomas in receptions and receiving yards.

Lane Johnson returned from his 10-game suspension on the other side for the Eagles in his first action since Week 5. Johnson’s impact was felt immediately and drew the compliments of a one Cris Collinsworth:

“Lane Johnson has simply made a huge difference already,” Cris Collinsworth said on the NBC broadcast, “with the quickness, his ability to get outside [and] some of the combination blocks. Remember, this is a short week; it’s not like they had practice this week. They were running around in shorts; he hasn’t hit anybody in 10 weeks. He was brilliant on that first drive.”

Corey Nelson made another start for the Broncos in a Christmas night loss to the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Nelson registered 7 tackles including 1 for loss, and wraps up his breakout 2016 season at home against Oakland next week.

2016 Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy grabbed 2 tackles and defended a pass in the Bucs Christmas Eve loss to the Saints. McCoy joins DeMarco Murray and Washington left tackle Trent Williams as the only Sooners to earn all-pro honors, as Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson was puzzlingly left off the roster. It makes no sense to us either, Tony.

But as always Momma knows best:

Unfortunately, Jefferson, who will be a free agent next season, suffered an MCL injury against the Seahawks on Saturday, but it isn’t thought to be serious.

Jefferson’s teammate Jermaine Gresham caught 2 passes for 40 yards in the thrilling Cardinals win in Seattle.

Finally, the Sooner trio of Miami Dolphins enjoyed their tenth win of the season in a thrilling overtime defeat of the Buffalo Bills on the road. Kenny Stills caught 3 passes for 35 yards from backup quarterback Matt Moore, who filled in for injured starter Ryan Tannehill, and found the end zone for the third straight week. Stills heads into Week 17 leading the team with eight receiving touchdowns in his second season in Miami. Damien Williams added 2 receptions for 51 yards, while Jordan Phillips grabbed 2 tackles in the big win.

These Sooners also saw action for their respective teams this weekend:

(*denotes starter)

*Chris Chester (RG - Falcons), Aaron Colvin (CB - Jaguars), Geneo Grissom (DE - Patriots), *Demontre Hurst (CB - Bears), *Tony Jefferson (S - Cardinals), *Aaron Ripkowski (FB - Packers), *Donald Stephenson (RT – Broncos), *Tress Way (P - Washington), *Daryl Williams (RG - Panthers), *Trent Williams (LT - Washington), James Winchester (LS - Chiefs)

The following Sooners were inactive or did not play in Week 16:

Dominique Alexander (LB - Browns), Blake Bell (TE - 49ers, IR), Devante Bond (LB – Bucs, IR), James Hanna (TE – Cowboys, IR), Gabe Ikard (C – Browns), Landry Jones (QB - Steelers), David King (DE - Chiefs), Stacy McGee (DT - Raiders), Adrian Peterson (RB - Vikings), Zack Sanchez (CB – Panthers, IR), Charles Tapper (DE – Cowboys, IR)