While serving as Auburn’s kicker from the 2014 through 2017 seasons, Daniel Carlson broke the SEC scoring record. But as a freshman, Carlson also averaged 42.0 yards on 41 punts for the Tigers.
Carlson had not punted in a game since that season — until Sunday. In his 117th NFL game, Carlson ended the Las Vegas Raiders’ first possession of the second half with a 30-yard punt that went out of bounds at the Indianapolis Colts 32-yard line.
Why was the former All-Pro kicker punting for Las Vegas?
In the second quarter, the Colts blocked a punt by the Raiders’ AJ Cole, one of the many things to go wrong for Las Vegas in its 40-6 loss to Indianapolis.
Cole sustained an ankle injury on the play. While the punter was able to fulfill his duties as the holder for Carlson’s kicks, he couldn’t perform his primary job, so Carlson was pressed into service.
Carlson got only one chance to punt. After his third-quarter punt, the Raiders’ possessions ended on an interception, a failed fourth-and-1 at the Las Vegas 44-yard line, a 37-yard field goal by Carlson and the end of the game.
Carlson made a 24-yard field goal for the game’s first points with 3:21 left in the first quarter. He had a 57-yard field-goal attempt go wide right on the final snap of the first half.
Carlson was among the 19 former Auburn players who got on the field on the fifth Sunday of the NFL’s 106th season.
Three other former Auburn players were involved in the Las Vegas-Indianapolis game:
- Raiders wide receiver Shedrick Jackson (Hoover) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
- Raiders defensive tackle JJ Pegues made one tackle.
- Braden Smith started at right offensive tackle for the Colts.
In the other Sunday games:
Minnesota Vikings 21, Cleveland Browns 17
- Browns tight end Sal Cannella is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
- Vikings linebacker Austin Keys made one tackle on special teams.
Carolina Panthers 27, Miami Dolphins 24
- Dolphins linebacker K.J. Britt (Oxford) made three tackles.
- Derrick Brown started at defensive end for the Panthers. Brown made three tackles and recorded one sack. Brown’s first sack of the season was the ninth of his career.
New Orleans Saints 26, New York Giants 14
- Saints linebacker Eku Leota made one tackle on special teams in his first appearance of the 2025 season. New Orleans elevated Leota from its practice squad to make him eligible to play.
- Darius Slayton started at wide receiver for the Giants. Slayton had three receptions for 31 yards, but he lost a fumble after making one of his catches.
Dallas Cowboys 37, New York Jets 22
- Jets defensive tackle Byron Cowart is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
- Cowboys tight end Rivaldo Fairweather is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
- Jamien Sherwood started at linebacker for the Jets. Sherwood led New York with seven tackles and registered one quarterback hit.
Denver Broncos 21, Philadelphia Eagles 17
- Eagles running back Tank Bigsby returned two kickoffs for 44 yards and made one tackle on special teams.
- Bo Nix (Pinson Valley) started at quarterback for the Broncos. Nix completed 24-of-29 passes for 242 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and ran three times for 22 yards. Nix threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Evan Engram, then connected with wide receiver Troy Franklin on a 2-point conversion pass as Denver took an 18-17 lead with 7:36 to play.
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- Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham dressed for the game but did not play.
Tennessee Titans 22, Arizona Cardinals 21
- Titans linebacker Dorian Mausi made two tackles on special teams.
- Titans cornerback Roger McCreary (Williamson) made one tackle.
- Cardinals inside linebacker Owen Pappoe made one tackle on special teams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38, Seattle Seahawks 35
- Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean was designated as a game-day inactive. A hip injury kept Dean out of the lineup.
- Derick Hall started at linebacker for the Seahawks. Hall made one tackle.
- Buccaneers defensive tackle Jayson Jones (Calera) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
- Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (Jackson) made two tackles.
Detroit Lions 37, Cincinnati Bengals 24
- Lions safety Daniel Thomas (Lee-Montgomery) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Washington Commanders 27, Los Angeles Chargers 10
- Chargers long snapper Josh Harris is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
- Commanders cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (Hewitt-Trussville) did not record any stats.
- Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
- Chargers wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith returned four kickoffs for 88 yards.
New England Patriots 23, Buffalo Bills 20
- Carlton Davis started cornerback for the Patriots. Davis made four tackles and registered on quarterback hit.
Week 5 started on Thursday night, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 26-23 in overtime.
Week 5 concludes on Monday, when the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. ABC and ESPN will televise the game.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
The 2025 season is the 12th that Mark Inabinett has covered players with Alabama football roots in the NFL. Inabinett’s byline appeared in a newspaper for the first time in 1976. The intervening years have…
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