Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Jake Brendel during Week 18 (Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports)
Football
Three of the four NFL Divisional Round games featured former UCLA standouts, with seven Bruins playing in all of those games. Six earned starts.
TE Devin Asiasi (Cincinnati Bengals) and OL Jake Brendel (San Francisco 49ers) are on active rosters of Conference Championship Round teams. The Super Bowl LVII participants will be determined Sunday. CB Qwuantrezz Knight is a member of San Francisco’s practice squad.
• Eli Ankou, DT, Buffalo Bills – Starter Ankou registered two total tackles versus Cincinnati. Ankou, who spent the entirety of the regular season on the practice squad or practice squad injured list, contributed four total stops over two playoff games.
• Anthony Barr, LB, Dallas Cowboys – Starter Barr logged five total tackles and one pass defensed at San Francisco. In his first year as a Cowboy, Barr put up 58 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, one pass defensed and two fumble recoveries across 14 regular-season games.
• Darnay Holmes, CB, New York Giants – Starter Holmes made one tackle at Philadelphia. During the regular season, Holmes posted career highs of 38 total stops and eight passes defended in 15 games played. He also forced a fumble for the first time in his professional career.
• Fabian Moreau, DB, New York Giants – Starter Moreau recorded two total tackles at Philadelphia. In his first season in the Big Apple, Moreau made a career-high 66 total tackles and added 10 passes defended over 14 regular-season games played.
• Osa Odighizuwa, DT, Dallas Cowboys – Starter Odighizuwa turned in five total tackles – including one sack for a loss of nine yards – and one quarterback hurry at San Francisco. Odighizuwa played in all 17 regular-season games, notching 43 total tackles while doubling his rookie-year output with 4.0 sacks. He also forced one fumble.
• TE Asiasi (Cincinnati Bengals) and OL Brendel (San Francisco 49ers) also played, but did not record any statistics.
Up next for Asia: AFC Championship Round – Sunday, Jan. 29 at Kansas City (3:30 p.m. PT on CBS)
Up next for Brendel: NFC Championship Round – Sunday, Jan. 29 at Philadelphia (12 p.m. PT on FOX)
Jake Brendel’s job is to keep everyone together #49ers O-line on the same page and working as a team. With a newborn at home, his wife, Zan, assumes that all-important role.
To read: https://t.co/cB5Og06eDi
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 20, 2023