Divisional races appear to be tightening up as regular season play heads to a finish in the National Football League. There are six weeks remaining in regular season play before the league’s 2020-21 playoffs take center stage.
San Diego County prep alumni could find themselves in the NFL’s postseason spotlight.
Bonita Vista Middle School alumnus Alex Smith, who attended Helix High School and the University of Utah, has returned to the playing field as the starting quarterback for the Washington Football Team after missing last season while recovering from a severe leg injury suffered in November 2018.
Smith, 36, was thrust into the starting role after Kyle Allen was sidelined with a potential season-ending ankle injury. Allen has undergone ankle surgery and is expected to be unavailable for the rest of the season.
Washington head coach Ron Rivera has elected to lean on Smith, a 15-year NFL veteran, to lead the fortunes of the team over top draft pick Dwayne Haskins.
Smith filled in twice in relief appearances due to injuries to Allen before starting the last two games for Washington.
Smith continued to draw on his extensive experience in his first start in two seasons in a Week 10 game at the Detroit Lions. He completed 38 of 55 passing attempts for 390 yards while being sacked twice in the Nov. 15 NFC contest.
But Smith and his teammates were denied the win as Matt Prater kicked a 59-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Lions to a 30-27 victory.
Smith’s second start, in Sunday’s 20-9 win over the visiting Cincinnati Bengals, was much more satisfying.
The former Highlander standout completed 17 of 25 passing attempts for 166 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
In 170 career NFL games, Smith has thrown for 34,986 yards and 195 touchdown passes.
Washington improved to 3-7 on the season following the victory against the Bengals to remain within striking distance of the NFC East leading Philadelphia Eagles (3-6-1). The New York Giants (3-7) and Dallas Cowboys (3-7) also share second place in the division standings through Week 11.
Smith, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, exuded a sense of humbleness during Washington’s post-game press conference on Nov. 22 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqSLEriPDuI).
“I felt really, really good, another step, another thing I didn’t think I’d ever do again,” he told reporters after the win over the Bengals. “It’s one thing to obviously come out and be able to get that playing time and a whole other deal to play winning football as a starter. We felt we had one last week get away from us.
“It’s amazing to get a win. That’s why you put all that work in, that’s why we do what we do. It’s fun to be back where I am now, grateful to be playing. I’m not looking past each and every day, just trying to make the most of it. That’s my mentality, getting the opportunity to go out and play.”
The NFC East appears up for grabs and divisional match-ups will be key in the final weeks of the season. The Cowboys are set to host Washington on Thanksgiving, with the winner possibly moving into first place in the division standings.
In other games this weekend, the Eagles host the Seattle Seahawks while the Bengals host the Giants.
“We can enjoy this win for a little bit, but I’m excited for the next opportunity coming up for this week to play Dallas on Thanksgiving,” Smith underscored. “That will be pretty special.”
Mater Dei Catholic High School alumnus Jason Myers could be headed to the playoffs for the second consecutive year with Seattle.
The Seahawks are currently involved in a shootout in the NFC West with the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals. The Rams and Seahawks both are 7-3 but the Rams currently own the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win earlier this season. The Cardinals, who have split their season series with Seattle, are 6-4.
The San Francisco 49ers, last season’s Super Bowl runner-up, are 4-6 in the division but remain mathematically alive for a playoff berth.
Myers kicked field goals of 27 and 41 yards while adding an extra-point conversion in Seattle’s 28-21 win over the Cardinals on Nov. 19.
On the season, Myers has converted 36 of 38 extra-point attempts (94.7 percent) and made all 12 field goal attempts. He is currently on a streak of 23 consecutive field goal conversions heading into Sunday’s game in Philadelphia.
He recorded a career long 61-yard field goal www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6Q357nUnGY in a 23-16 loss to the Rams on Nov. 15. It stands as the longest field goal made in franchise history.
In his 80-game NFL career, Myers has converted on 132 of 155 field goal attempts (85.2 percent) and 182 of 203 extra-point attempts (89.7 percent).
Myers, who continues to reside in the area during the offseason, enjoyed a special meet-and-greet with Sharp healthcare workers in June.
“Had a great time at @sharphealthcare Chula Vista to say thanks to social workers, maintenance, cafeteria staff and other personnel,” Myers posted on his Twitter account (@JayMy_31). They often fly under the radar, but they are just as essential during this pandemic.”
In the hunt
The NFL has added an additional wild card team in each conference for the 2020-21 playoffs. That means seven teams, instead of the usual six, will qualify for the American Football Conference and National Football Conference postseason pools.
The revised format will award the No. 1-seeded team in each conference with a bye. The remaining six teams in each conference will meet in an elimination round, with the three survivors advancing to a semifinal round.
The No. 1 seed will meet the team with the lowest remaining seed while the other two teams will vie to advance to the conference championship game.
The playoffs are scheduled to start Jan. 9-10. Super Bowl LV is scheduled Feb. 7 in Tampa, Fla.
The four division winners in each conference will earn playoff seeds, with the remaining three teams receiving wild card berths.
The AFC North leading Pittsburgh Steelers (10-0) are currently the top seed among AFC teams (and the only remaining undefeated team in the league). Other division leaders through Week 11 (of 17 weeks) include the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West with a 9-1 record, the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East with a 7-3 record and the Baltimore Colts in the AFC South with a 7-3 record.
Five teams with winning records are currently chasing the three wild card slots: the Tennessee Titans (second in the AFC South) with a 7-3 record, the Cleveland Browns (second in the AFC North to the Steelers) with a 7-3 record, the Las Vegas Raiders (second in the AFC West) with a 6-4 record, the Baltimore Ravens (third in the AFC North) with a 6-4 record and the Miami Dolphins (second in the AFC East) with a 6-4 record.
Teams that follow in the rankings include the Denver Broncos (third in the AFC West at 4-6), New England Patriots (third in the AFC East at 4-6), Los Angeles Chargers (fourth in the AFC West at 3-7), Houston Texans (third in the AFC South at 3-7), Cincinnati (fourth in the AFC North at 2-7-1), Jacksonville Jaguars (fourth in the AFC South at 1-9) and New York Jets (fourth in the AFC East at 0-10).
The New Orleans Saints, the top team in the NFC South, holds down the No. 1 seed among NFC teams with an 8-2 record. Other divisional leaders include the Rams (7-3 in the NFC West), Green Bay Packers (7-3 atop the NFC North) and Eagles (3-6-1 in the NFC East).
Three teams follow with winning records: Seattle (7-3 in the NFC West), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-4 in the NFC South) and Cardinals (6-4 in the NFC West).
The Chicago Bears (second in the NFC North) are 5-5, followed by the Minnesota Vikings (third in the NFC North at 4-6), Detroit (fourth in the NFC North) at 4-6, San Francisco (fourth in the NFC West at 4-6), Carolina Panthers (third in the NFC South at 4-7), Giants (second in the NFC East at 3-7), Cowboys (third in the NFC East at 3-7), Washington (fourth in the NFC East at 3-7) and Atlanta Falcons (fourth in the NFC South at 3-7).
The division playoff round is scheduled Jan. 16-17, followed by the conference championships on Jan. 24.
Extra points
Castle Park High School alum Luq Barcoo made his NFL debut for the Jacksonville Jaguars in Sunday’s 27-3 setback to the Steelers. Barcoo, who signed with the Jags as an undrafted free agent but had yet to be activated off the team’s 53-man roster this season, was credited with one tackle in the game.
Prior to signing with the Jaguars, Barcoo attended Grossmont College and San Diego State University, where he earned All-American recognition.
Mount Miguel High School alumnus Cory Littleton recorded eight tackles in a harrowing 31-26 AFC West victory against the host Los Angeles Raiders on Nov. 8 in which a potential Chargers touchdown was negated on the final play of the game.
Littleton, who was ruled out of the Raiders’ Nov. 15 game against the Denver Broncos and Nov. 22 game against the Chiefs after being placed on COVID-19 reserve list, has recorded 48 tackles, including 31 first hits and three tackles for a loss, in eight games this season for the Raiders (6-4).
Helix Charter alumnus Jamar Taylor recorded four tackles for the San Francisco 49ers in a 27-13 loss to the host New Orleans Saints on Nov. 15. Taylor has recorded 19 tackles, including 18 first hits and two tackles for a loss, in seven games this season.
Helix alum Levine Toilolo, a tight end for the Giants, recorded offensive 21 snaps, plus eight additional snaps on special teams, in the team’s 27-17 NFC East win over the Eagles on Nov. 15. On the season, the former Highlander has recorded three receptions for 22 yards. In 118 career NFL games with Atlanta, Detroit, San Francisco and New York, he has recorded 100 catches for 1,018 yards and eight touchdowns.
Alumni Report:
CONVERSATION WITH BIG LEAGUER KEVIN GINKEL |
Kevin Ginkel has lived a dream the past two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball.
While the El Capitan High School and Southwestern College alumnus has yet to make it to postseason competition, the ride to the top has been exhilarating.
“Each level I went up — from high school to Southwestern College, from the University of Arizona to pro ball, and to now the Big Leagues — I’ve learned to grow and mature for my age each level I went up,” Ginkel explained. “I always had the mindset that the journey I’m on is all part of the process.
“The biggest jump is going from college to pro ball because now this is a job and the expectations have been magnified. My time at SWC allowed me to grow and mature mentally and physically.
“I walked onto the campus weighing in at 185 pounds and transferred to U-of-A weighing in at 210 pounds. My experience at SWC was so great and I’m still friends with teammates, coaches and people who work at the school as well. Our teams had a lot of success as well making the playoffs both years in 2014 and 2015.”
Ginkel played varsity baseball at El Capitan before playing two seasons at the community college level.
He recorded 17 wins as a junior and senior with the Vaqueros with a sterling 1.07 earned-run average and 113 strikeouts in 124.2 innings pitched. He held opponents to a .145 batting average while hitting .583 with one home run and five RBI in 13 plate appearances.
He advanced to the College World Series with the Arizona Wildcats and won two minor league championships en route to being called up to the Diamondbacks on Aug. 5, 2019.
It was all part of the process.
“I think San Diego County has some of the best amateur baseball in the country,” Ginkel pointed out. “We’ve had some amazing talented players go to college, get drafted and play in the Big Leagues. I don’t think it gets enough credit sometimes. I played in two CIF finals my junior and senior year at El Cap. Those big moments have prepared me for situations that happen in Big League games today and those moments have helped mold me.
“I’ve pitched in big games during my high school career and I could go on and on about some of them, however. I had great teams there and I love that I was a part of those teams because I wouldn’t be where I’m at if it weren’t for them.”
Ginkel played for six teams during his four years in the minor leagues after being drafted in the 22nd round of the 2016 MLB amateur draft by the Diamondbacks.
He finished 3-0 with a 1.48 earned-run average with 28 strikeouts in 24.1 innings during his breakout rookie MLB season.
“I’ve won two pro ball championships since being drafted in the D-backs organization,” Ginkel said. “Winning promotes positive feedback for your hard work and it’s really hard to win. A lot of people don’t realize how hard and how much sacrifice there is in winning a championship.
“I’ve been part of some amazing teams and great runs, and they’ve helped me be the best I can be day in and day out. I’m so proud to have won a championship in the times I was developing and now I’m looking forward to winning a World Series in my career.”
