Alex Smith’s NFL comeback story keeps getting better.
Considered a shoo-in for the Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, the former Bonita Vista Middle School and Helix High School alumnus helped guide the Washington Football Team, off to a miserable 2-7 start to the 2020-21 season, to what some observers may have considered some highly unlikely accolades.
Smith, 36, passed for 162 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday night’s 20-14 win over the host Philadelphia Eagles in front of a national television audience to allow Washington to clinch the NFC East championship and a berth in the upcoming NFL playoffs.
Smith, fighting a calf strain that left him visibly immobile during Sunday’s game, bounced back after missing two games due to the injury to complete his comeback season. Back in the starting quarterback position after missing all last season while recovering from a compound fracture in his right leg that required 17 surgeries, he improved to 5-1 this season as the team’s starter.
It wasn’t the prettiest of wins — Smith threw two interceptions and was sacked three times — but Smith did enough, and the Washington defense did the rest, to keep the New York Giants from winning the division title and advancing to the playoffs.
Washington needed a win or a tie against the Eagles on Sunday night to clinch the division title while a Philadelphia win would have sent the Giants to the NFL’s postseason party instead.
Washington (7-9) got out to an early 10-0 lead on a five-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Terry McLaurin and a 42-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins in the first quarter.
However, the Eagles (4-10-1) scored the next 14 points to present a possible roadblock to Washington’s path to the playoffs as Philadelphia signal-caller Jalen Hurts scored on a pair of six-yard touchdown runs.
Smith completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Logan Thomas just before halftime to give Washington a 17-14 lead.
The Eagles had a glorious opportunity to take the lead in the third quarter with first-and-goal at the Washington five-yard line but turned the ball over on downs.
The outcome of the contest remained in doubt until Hopkins booted a 42-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter.
The visitors came up big in the final quarter with an interception and fumble recovery.
Washington enters the playoffs as the NFC’s No. 4 seed and will host the fifth-seeded Tampa Bay Bucs and quarterback Tom Brady in Saturday’s Super Wild Card Round. The playoff match-up airs at 5:15 p.m. on NBC-TV.
During a post-game interview on NBC Sunday night, Smith acknowledged there is “a lot to be grateful for, starting with those guys in the locker room.”
“We had some bumps early and continue to keep fighting and getting better and here we are,” Smith said. “This speaks to the character of the team with everything stacked against us. For us to find a way to battle back says a lot about the character in the locker room.”
Washington is the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after a 2-7 start.
Smith’s story isn’t the only inspirational one on the team. Head coach Ron Rivera overcame a form of skin cancer in October.
But it’s a tough road ahead for Smith, Rivera and Co. while facing a Bucs team that narrowly missed winning the NFC South and topped the Atlanta Falcons, 44-27, to secure the top wild card playoff berth.
Brady, 43, led Tampa Bay to an 11-5 record this season, equaling the second-highest win total in franchise history.
Smith has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,582 yards this season with six touchdowns and eight interceptions while Brady has completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 4,633 yards with 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Brady, winner of six Super Bowl rings, the most of any player in NFL history, holds a 102.2 quarterback rating while Smith has a 78.5 quarterback rating.
It’s unknown if Smith will return next season. But this season isn’t over yet.
Extra points
Chula Vista native Jason Myers kicked field goals of 36 and 30 yards and tacked on two of three extra-point conversions in Seattle’s 26-23 come-from-behind win at the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. The Seahawks (12-4) secured the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs while the 49ers, last year’s Super Bowl runner-up team, ended the season out of the playoffs at 6-10.
Myers kicked the visitors to an early 6-0 lead while quarterback Russell Wilson rallied Seattle from a 16-6 deficit with two fourth quarter touchdown passes.
Myers, 29, ran his consecutive field goal streak to 35 dating back to last season. He is 24-for-24 in 16 games this season and has kicked 49 of 53 extra points (92.5 percent).
Myers’ single-season best is 33 field goals made during the 2018 season with the New York Jets.
NFL SUPER WILD CARD WEEKEND
Saturday, Jan. 9
(7) Indianapolis Colts (11-5) at (2) Buffalo Bills (13-3), 10:05 a.m. PT (CBS-TV)
(6) Los Angeles Rams (10-6) at (3) Seattle Seahawks (12-4), 1:40 p.m. PT (FOX-TV)
(5) Tampa Bay Bucs (11-5) at (4) Washington Football Team (7-9), 5:15 p.m. PT (NBC-TV)
Sunday, Jan. 10
(5) Baltimore Ravens (11-5) at (4) Tennessee Titans (11-5), 10:05 a.m. PT (ABC-TV/ESPN)
(7) Chicago Bears (8-8) at (2) New Orleans Saints (13-3), 1:40 p.m. PT (CBS-TV)
(6) Cleveland Browns (11-5) at (3) Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4), 5:15 p.m. PT (NBC-TV)
Ex-Trojan Barcoo making the grade as NFL rookie
Castle Park High School and San Diego State University alumnus Luc Barcoo seemed to be getting the hang of playing in the NFL after making his pro debut with the Jacksonville Jaguars this season.
An All-American with the Aztecs in his final season in 2019, Barcoo was credited with one tackle in his first game, a 27-3 loss against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 22. He made four tackles in his second game, a 27-25 loss to the visiting Cleveland Browns on Nov. 19, while making his first career start. He recorded his best outing to date by making five unassisted tackles in a 27-24 overtime loss at the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 6.
In three games, the former Trojan and Aztec made 10 tackles, including seven unassisted stops, with one pass defended and one stuff.
Unfortunately for Barcoo, the 2020-21 season ended early as the Jaguars failed to qualify for the playoffs.
The Jaguars finished at the bottom of the AFC South standings with a 1-15 record and have the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft to look forward to. They also will be looking for a new head coach after owner Shad Khan fired Doug Marrone on Jan. 4.
There is hope for the Jags, who played highly competitive at times this season with narrow losses to the Indianapolis Colts (27-20 on Sept. 13), Tennessee Titans (33-30 on Sept. 20), Cincinnati Bengals (33-25 on Oct. 4), Houston Texans (27-25 on Nov. 8) and Green Bay Packers (24-20 on Nov. 15).
Barcoo hopes to be part of the new direction moving forward.
Homegrown talent
Barcoo, who signed with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent, missed the team’s opening nine games while on the team’s not-active roster.
Barcoo led the college football ranks in 2019 with nine interceptions while recording 25 passes defended as a senior at SDSU. He tied for second in the nation in pass breakups (16).
The nine picks were the most by an Aztec defensive back in the team’s Division I history (since 1969).
He started all 13 games during the 2019 season for SDSU, finishing with 55 tackles (43 unassisted), including five tackles for a loss and one-half sack.
His three interceptions in a game against Colorado State on three successive snaps tied for the most in a FBS game in 2019 and is believed to be the most since at least 2012. He earned Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for the career effort.
He ended the season as the Aztecs defeated Central Michigan, 48-11, in the New Mexico Bowl where he had four tackles and an interception.
He finished his collegiate career as a second team Walter Camp All-American and a third team Associated Press All-American.
The Aztecs finished 10-3 in 2019.
Barcoo recorded 20 tackles (12 unassisted), one interception and five passes defended in 11 games in his first year at SDSU in 2018 after transferring from Grossmont College.
As a Griffin, he had 21 tackles and two interceptions during his freshman year on defense before moving to offense as a sophomore where he had 35 receptions for 767 yards and seven touchdowns. He tallied three career interceptions at the community college level while earning all-conference honors.
He graduated from Castle Park in 2016. During his sophomore year he showed promise by averaging seven yards per rushing play in 11 games while making five catches for 114 yards with one touchdown. As a defender, he averaged 7.5 tackles per game while recording four interceptions and one fumble recovery.
He did a little bit of everything with the Trojans, rushing 57 times for 472 yards (8.4 yards per game) and six touchdowns over his final two seasons while catching 71 passes for 1,314 yards (18.5 per game) and 15 touchdowns. On defense, he totaled 74 tackles (52 unassisted), four tackles for a loss, five interceptions, nine pass breakups and a blocked field goal.
But the accolades during his three varsity seasons at Castle Park did not garner him a college scholarship.
Instead, he’s had to work his way up the ladder on his own, finally making it to the NFL with hard work and determination — qualities he capitalized on to turn both his life and football career around.
That isn’t necessarily a surprise to his coaches.
“It’s fantastic, I’m super excited and impressed,” former Castle Park head coach Hans Graham said. “I communicate with him three-four times a week on Snapchat or Instagram. I’m proud of him.”
Graham is a long-time member of the Trojan family, having served as an assistant coach from 1994 to 2010, upon which he took over duties as head coach through the 2016 season while compiling a 32-44 record.
Barcoo is among a fairly sizable list of ex-Castle Park players to make it to the NFL. That list includes Steve Riley (Minnesota Vikings), John Fox (player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach with the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears), Moses Moreno (Bears and San Diego Chargers, 1998-2000), Zeke Moreno (Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, 2001-05), Demarco Sampson (Arizona Cardinals, 2011) and Rick Crowell (Miami Dolphins draft pick in 2001).
Riley was a member of the history-making 1972 undefeated University of Southern California football team (12-0 as consensus national champions). He played 11 seasons with the Vikings as an offensive tackle from 1974-84. He appeared in 138 games with 128 starts. He was a member of the 1974 and 1976 NFC championship teams and played in Super Bowls IX (16-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers) and XI (32-16 loss to the Oakland Raiders).
As a member of the Vikings, he received the 1984 Ed Block Courage Award as a role model of inspiration, sportsmanship and courage.
Fox coached the Panthers to the NFC championship in 2003 and the Broncos to the AFC championship in 2013 but lost both Super Bowl appearances to the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, respectively.
Jerome Haywood played eight seasons (2002-09) as a defensive tackle in the Canadian Football League and is now the defensive line coach for the University of New Mexico under former SDSU coach Rocky Long, now the defensive coordinator with the Lobos.
“To reach that level is an accomplishment, even if you don’t play a lot,” Graham said in regard to Barcoo. “He had some nice break-ups in the end zone. He made some tackles. His mom is back there in Jacksonville. He’s been pampered.”
CPHS coaching staff knew Barcoo would succeed from the start
Castle Park High School assistant football coach Chris Kryjewski knew Luq Barcoo would succeed the first time he met him in 2012.
“He had really good manners to adults and truly came into our football program as a very humble young man,” explained Kryjewski, who serves as girls lacrosse coach at the school. “He took the knowledge that New Jersey legendary coach Senesky mentored to the freshmen team. As I saw him really learn, I knew this young man would be a special player but a very respectful young man in his adult life.”
During his stay on the varsity team, Barcoo immediately impacted the team’s fortunes. He had two interceptions and made a team high 11 tackles in a 20-0 loss to University City in the opening round of the Division IV playoffs to cap his sophomore season with the Trojans.
Castle Park finished 8-4 with a Metro-Pacific League championship his junior year while advancing to the second round of the CIF playoffs. The Trojans made it to the second round again his senior year while finishing 7-5 overall.
“When I saw the talent of his playing ability, I knew he would be a special and impact player in our Castle Park football program in the years he was on the varsity team,” Kryjewski said. “He has major leadership qualities and his teammates truly followed how he led. He was always working on his craft in every opportunity he had. The knowledge of the game he had and how to run routes on the offensive side of the ball was amazing. He was a coach on the field to his teammates.
But advancing through the ranks did not come easy.
“Luq truly went through some major development going form high school to the junior college route,” Kryjewski said. “Luq suffered an injury to his leg his senior year (at Castle Park) and it affected him. He decided after high school to join the Grossmont College family under coach (Michael) Jordan and his friend Adrian Tolbert. As Luq developed at Grossmont College, he became an All-American player at the junior college ranks his second season.
“After that he truly wanted to go to San Diego State being invited to junior day and after meeting (cornerbacks/recruiting) coach (Tony) White. When San Diego State made an offer while he was at Grossmont College he went for the opportunity. After playing for (head) coach (Rocky) Long, Luq became a top-notch corner in Division I football. None of this came easy to him as he had to compete and face adversity in every direction it came. With the mindset of to achieve for greatness and his faith in god led him to be a successful player and he will be a successful player in the NFL.”
Kryjewski said leadership, confidence and humbleness are Barcoo’s major qualities. All have made him the player — and person — he is today.
“Luq faced adversity in not getting an opportunity out of high school due to injuries he sustained his senior year,” Kryjewski explained. “In junior college, there was adversity of living on his own after his mother had moved to Arizona. There was more adversity going into the pros not having a pro day and going undrafted. With all of this he never backed down to any challenge in front of him. He pushed to be the best he can be and now he is officially now living the dreams he had as young child growing up.”
The Castle Park community remains proud of its latest NFL product.
The Trojan family is very proud of him as he brought so much excitement to the Castle Park Community with the news of him making the (Jaguars) 53-man roster,” Kryjewski said. “The day Luq Barcoo walked through the doors of Castle Park High he gave such a great story that anyone can live their dreams if they believe in themselves and believe in sky the limit. I thank Luq for being a part of my coaching career, watching him grow into such an amazing young man and truly cares for his family and doesn’t forget where he came from. Luq is an inspiration to all of young teenagers at Castle Park High School.”
Fight on.
