Caldwell playing, Andre coming, week 9 Tide in NFL update and picks

November 5, 2:16 AMAlabama Crimson Tide ExaminerVince Ferrara

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Antoine Caldwell (62) tries to recover a Steve Slaton (20) fumble for the Houston Texans
AP Photo - David Duprey

Here is my weekly update on former Alabama football players currently active in the NFL. Be sure to sign-up for e-mail alerts, so you never miss a post on Alabama or the SEC, by selecting subscribe on my main page.

Below you will find information on each player, season stats, my “Alabama in the NFL Player of the Week”, a schedule of games in week 9 this weekend, which players are matched-up in those games and my game predictions.

Alabama in the NFL Player of the Week: Hou OG Antoine Caldwell
Rookie third-round pick from Alabama Antoine Caldwell impressed the Texans from the get-go. He knew he was one play away from getting his chance. Houston then lost both starting guards to season ending injuries. That gave Antoine the opportunity to compete for the starting spot at right guard. He took advantage of his opportunity, and for now, is in the starting line-up and is playing very well. He was big in all three goal line rushing touchdowns by Texans RB Ryan Moats in the win at Buffalo last Sunday 31-10. Watch a recent interview down at the bottom of this post that Antoine did with Texans TV where he talked about his play and the Crimson Tide. The improved Texans (5-3) are two games above .500 for the first time in franchise history. Houston this week has a huge “prove you’re legit” game at unbeaten Indianapolis.

What to look for from former Tide players this weekend:
We may finally see the NFL debut of Bengals first round pick and 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide All-American OT Andre Smith this Sunday. Andre has been sidelined with a foot injury since he ended his holdout in the preseason. He’s reportedly down to 330ish pounds as well. The Cincinnati Enquirer has the latest story on Andre which you can read here.

Former Alabama Players on Active NFL Rosters Today (17) *Updated season stats - Week 8
Roman Harper – New Orleans Saints (#41) Starting SS…..45 tackles – team high/1 sack/2 FR
Justin Smiley – Miami Dolphins (#65) Starting LG
Evan Mathis – Cincinnati Bengals (#66) Starting LG
Andre Smith – Cincinnati Bengals (#71) Backup OT
Jarret Johnson – Baltimore Ravens (#95) Starting LOLB…..24 tackles/5 sacks
Le’Ron McClain – Baltimore Ravens (#33) Starting FB…..18 for 76 yds rush, 1 TD/12 for 76 yds rec
Cornelius Griffin – Washington Redskins (#96) Starting LDT…..18 tackles/1 sack/1 fumble recovery
Demeco Ryans – Houston Texans (#59) Starting MLB…..59 tackles - team high/1 fumble recovery
Antoine Caldwell – Houston Texans (#62) Starting RG
Wallace Gilberry – Kansas City Chiefs (#92) Backup RDE…..12 tackles/2 sacks
Brodie Croyle – Kansas City Chiefs (#12) Backup QB…16 of 24 for 177yds, 2TDs & 0 INTs
Glen Coffee – San Francisco 49’ers (#29) Backup RB…..74 for 194 yds rush, 1 TD/10 for 69 yds rec/2 tac
Deshea Townsend – Pittsburgh Steelers (#26) Backup RCB…..10 tackles
Mark Anderson – Chicago Bears (#97) Backup LDE …..13 tackles/1 sack
Kenneth Darby – St. Louis Rams (#34) Backup RB…11 for 57 rush/4 for 21 rec/54 KO return yds/5 tac
Rashad Johnson – Arizona Cardinals (#41) Backup FS…..5 tackles
John Parker Wilson – Atlanta Falcons (#4) 3rd Team QB
Injured & Out For The Year (3): Antwan Odom-#98 (CIN), Chris Samuels-#60 (WAS), Charlie Peprah-#26 (GB)
Practice Squads (3): Anthony Bryant (Giants), Bobby Greenwood (Chiefs), Simeon Castille (Chargers)

Week 8 NFL Picks Record 8-5
Season Total Record = 81-35 (70%)

Sunday, November 8
Noon
FOX: 2-5 Washington at 4-3 Atlanta (WAS-Cornelius Griffin-#96 vs. ATL-John Parker Wilson-#4)…ATLANTA
FOX:4-3 Arizona at 4-3 Chicago (ARZ-Rashad Johnson-#41 vs. CHI-Mark Anderson-#97)…CHICAGO
FOX: 4-3 Green Bay at 0-7 Tampa Bay…GREEN BAY
CBS: 4-3 Baltimore at 5-2 Cincinnati (BAL-Le’Ron McClain-#33/Jarret Johnson-#95 vs. CIN-Evan Mathis-#66/Andre Smith-#71)…BALTIMORE
CBS: 5-3 Houston at 7-0 Indianapolis (HOU-Demeco Ryans-#59/Antoine Caldwell-#62)…INDIANAPOLIS
CBS: 3-4 Miami at 5-2 New England (MIA-Justin Smiley-#65)…NEW ENGLAND
CBS: 1-6 Kansas City at 3-4 Jacksonville (KC-Brodie Croyle-#12/Wallace Gilberry-#92)…JACKSONVILLE

3:05/3:15pm
FOX: 3-4 Carolina at 7-0 New Orleans (NO-Roman Harper-#41)…NEW PRLEANS
FOX: 1-6 Detroit at 2-5 Seattle…SEATTLE
CBS: 1-6 Tennessee at 3-4 San Francisco (SF-Glen Coffee-#29)…TENNESSEE
CBS: 4-3 San Diego at 5-3 N.Y. Giants…SAN DIEGO

7:20pm
NBC: 5-2 Dallas at 5-2 Philadelphia…PHILADELPHIA

Monday, November 9
7:30pm
ESPN: 5-2 Pittsburgh at 6-1 Denver (PIT-Deshea Townsend-#26)…DENVER

Bye Weeks
3-5 Buffalo, 1-7 Cleveland, 2-6 Oakland, 1-7 St. Louis (Kenneth Darby-#34), 7-1 Minnesota & 4-4 N.Y. Jets

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