Tennessee football NFL Week 15 recap: Rookie DB shines
![Oct 30, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (27) reacts to making a hard tackle against Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports Oct 30, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (27) reacts to making a hard tackle against Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/c223ce3648d144a0f6c90c66fbfbf13f83d09f9b9d5a5fdf810aacded4d2526e.jpg)
Stars of the week
Alontae Taylor – DB – New Orleans Saints
He’s been getting better all year, but the Tennessee football rookie had his best performance Sunday as the New Orleans Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons 21-18. Alontae Taylor three pass deflections, four solo tackles and allowed just three catches while forcing four incompletions on nine targets. With a 42.4 forced passer rating, Taylor had an 86.7 PFF coverage grade.
Alvin Kamara – RB – New Orleans Saints
Helping the Saints win the game Sunday was Alvin Kamara returning to form. Kamara had over 100 total yards from scrimmage, averaging just over seven and a half yards with 12 carries for 91 yards. He added two catches for 13 yards, so despite not scoring any touchdowns, he proved he’s still a huge offensive weapon.
Cordarrelle Patterson – RB – Atlanta Falcons
On the other side of the Saints, Cordarrelle Patterson looked like his old self to a degree. Now, he didn’t manage to average four yards a carry, gaining only 52 on 14 carries. However, he got one carry into the end zone for a score, and that was enough to put him on here.
Trey Smith – OL – Kansas City Chiefs
It’s clear Trey Smith is emerging into a star, as Tennessee football fans knew he would. Although Patrick Mahomes was sacked twice in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 30-24 overtime win over the Houston Texans, Smith anchored an interior that paved the way for 189 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries.