Eastlake High School alumnus Tony Jefferson was credited with three tackles in Thursday night’s nationally telecast NFL game between the host Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins. The Ravens snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating the Dolphins 40-0.
The game pitted two former San Diego County high school standouts who were teammates at the University of Oklahoma — Jefferson (Baltimore) and La Costa Canyon High School graduate Kenny Stills Jr. (Miami).
Both played at Oklahoma from 2010-12. Both elected to pass up their senior seasons with the Sooners to turn pro.
Stills, a three sport athlete in high school (football, basketball and track), was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. The Saints later traded Stills to the Dolphins.
Jefferson went undrafted but signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals and played four years with the Cardinals before signing as a free agent over the offseason with the Ravens (4-4).
Stills led the Dolphins (4-3) with five catches for 65 yards, including one catch and carry for 28 yards, in Thursday’s game.
On the season, Stills has 25 catches for 313 yards with four touchdowns and one fumble. He had 45 catches for 914 yards and 10 touchdowns his senior season at LCC. He set a San Diego Section record for career rushing yards with 3,041.
Stills set freshman records at Oklahoma with 61 receptions for 786 yards and five touchdowns. In three seasons with the Sooners, the former Maverick prep standout amassed 204 catches for 2,594 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Jefferson, a strong safety, has recorded 38 tackles, including 25 unassisted stops, and two sacks in eight games this season.
During his varsity career at Eastlake High School, Jefferson racked up 88 tackles, including 12 tackles for a loss, two caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries to lead the Titans to the San Diego Section Division I championship his senior year.
He represented the east side Chula Vista school at the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He earned honors as a freshman All-American and Big 12 Conference co-Defensive Freshman of the Year at Oklahoma.
The Baltimore defense came up huge in the shutout win over Miami with two interception returns, one fumble recovery and two sacks.
C.J. Mosley, the league’s top tackler, returned an intercepted pass 63 yards to help the Ravens jump out to a 26-0 lead in the early part of the fourth quarter.
Chris Moore recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown to extend Baltimore’s lead to 33-0 midway through the quarter.
Jimmy Smith returned an intercepted pass 50 yards for the game’s final touchdown.
The Ravens overcame the loss of starting quarterback Joe Flacco, who was injured in the second quarter. Flacco, who sustained a concussion during a hit to the head on a rushing play, completed 10 of 15 passing attempts for 101 yards with one touchdown before leaving the game.
Ryan Mallet came in relief of Flacco and completed three of seven passes for 20 yards and one touchdown.
Alex Collins rushed 18 times for 113 yards to lead Baltimore’s ground game. Jeremy Maclin keyed the Ravens receiving corps three catches for 53 yards.
Justin Tucker hit on two of three field goals and converted on all four extra-point attempts to finish the night with 10 kicking points. He split the uprights from 55 and 48 yards out.
Matt Moore completed 25 of 44 passes for 176 yards with two pick sixes in the loss for Miami.
Baltimore next plays at the Tennessee Titans in a non-divisional game on Nov. 5 while the Dolphins host the Oakland Raiders in a Sunday Night Football national telecast, also on Nov. 5.
Monday Night Football
Alex Smith (Bonita Vista Middle School/Helix High School) completed 14 of 31 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown as the Kansas City Chiefs snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating the visiting Denver Broncos, 29-19, in a key AFC West encounter.
Smith passed 29 yards to tight end Travis Kelce to put the Chiefs up 14-0 in the first quarter. That turned out to be the only offensive touchdown the hosts would score in the game.
Marcus Peters scored a defensive touchdown for Kansas City when he returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown to put the Chiefs up 7-0.
Harrison Butker kicked five field goals in the game to account for the team’s remaining 15 points. He has kicked 18 consecutive field goals since joining the team.
The Chiefs improved to 6-2 with the pre-Halloween (Oct. 30) win while the Broncos dropped to 3-4.
Kelce made seven receptions for 133 yards while Tyreek Hill had two catches for 38 yards. Rookie sensation Kareem Hunt rushed 22 time for 46 yards. Smith rushed four times for 33 yards. Smith also fumbled once.
The KC defense intercepted Denver quarterback Trevor Siemian three times. Siemian did pass for 198 yards and one touchdown in the game.
Devontae Booker scored on a six-yard run to make the score 20-13 in the third quarter. But the hosts responded with three field goals by by Butker to extend their lead to 29-13.
Butker hit from 45, 29, 43, 51 and 42 yards in the game.
The Broncos scored the game’s final touchdown on an 11-yard pass from Siemian to A.J. Derby in the dying minutes but failed on the ensuing two-point conversion and failed to recover an onside kick.
Denver out-gained Kansas City 364-276 in total yards but committed five turnovers, including three picks by Siemian. Peters also had an interception in the game.
Smith, 33, is having his best season as an NFL quarterback. He has passed for 2,181 yards with 16 touchdowns against no interceptions this season. He has a quarterback efficiency rating of 115.4. The 16 TDs already eclipse the total that Smith threw last season.
Smith is currently on pace to shatter personal records. He threw 23 touchdowns passes with Kansas City during the 2013 season. The Chiefs’ franchise record is 30 touchdowns by Len Dawson in 1964.
Smith threw for 3,502 yards with Kansas City last season. He is on pace to beat that record by more than 1,000 yards this season.
He entered Monday nights’ game with a completion percentage of 72.4 percent. Minnesota’s Sam Bradford holds the NFL record for highest percentage for completions in one season at 71.6 (set in 2016).
The Chiefs next have a high profile encounter against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Nov. 5. The Cowboys are coming off a 33-19 win at the Washington Redskins.
The Broncos next play at the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Nov. 5. The Eagles currently possess the NFL’s best record at 7-1.
Alex Smith Career Milestones
Completion percentage: 70.2 percent (San Francisco, 2012)
Passing yards: 3,502 (Kansas City, 2016)
Yards per attempt: 7.97 (San Francisco, 2012)
Touchdowns: 23 (Kansas City, 2013)
Rating: 104.1 (San Francisco, 2012)
