By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
Week 16 within the NFL noticed some phenomenal performances from gamers who performed collegiately within the West.
Every week, we spotlight the most effective NFL performances from former SuperWest gamers.
This week may need been one of the troublesome to pare down, as we noticed so many strong performances across the league.
Listed here are my decisions for the most effective of them.
Prime NFL Performances
1. Puka Nacua, WR, Rams/BYU
Nacua had an incredible evening on the sphere on Thursday evening.
The previous Cougar caught 12 passes for a career-high 225 yards within the Rams’ thrilling loss at Seattle. Two of the 12 receptions went for TD’s.
It’s remarkably simply the second time Nacua has caught a number of TD passes in a single recreation, and it comes simply two weeks after doing it for the primary time.
2. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders/Boise State (R)
The former Boise State phenom had one in every of his greatest video games as a professional within the loss at Houston.
Jeanty ran for 128 yards and a landing and caught one move for a 60-yard landing within the 23-21 defeat.
Jeanty is the third rookie all-time with at the very least 50 receptions, 5 speeding touchdowns and 5 receiving touchdowns.
3. Jared Goff, QB, Lions/Cal
Jared Goff accomplished 34 of 54 move makes an attempt for 364 yards and three touchdowns within the Lions loss to the Steelers.
The previous Golden Bear has 4,036 passing yards and 32 touchdowns this season and is the sixth quarterback all-time with at the very least 4,000 passing yards and 30 landing passes in three consecutive seasons.
Goff is the fifth participant in NFL historical past with at the very least 350 passing yards in 20 video games in his first 10 profession seasons
4. Carson Schwesinger, LB, Browns/UCLA (R)
The rookie out of UCLA continues to be a tackling machine for the Browns.
He recorded 14 tackles, a sack, and a couple of QB hits in opposition to Buffalo on Sunday.
The previous Bruin has had at the very least 10 tackles in every of his previous six video games, tying Luke Kuechly for the longest such streak by a rookie since 2000.
Schwesinger now has at the very least 10 tackles in seven video games this season, the fifth most by a rookie since 2000.
5. Bobby Wagner, LB, Commanders/Utah State
The Washington offense definitely struggled within the loss to the Eagles, and the protection didn’t choose them up an excessive amount of.
Nevertheless it was not for lack of effort by the previous Aggie.
Wagner tallied 10 tackles for the Commanders, and the previous Utah State star added a sack and two tackles for loss.
6. Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers/Oregon
Herbert accomplished 79% of his passes within the win over Dallas on Sunday.
The previous Duck threw for 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns, marking the third time within the final 4 video games that he has reached the 300-yard mark. He additionally added 42 yards and a TD on the bottom.
Herbert has thrown for at the very least 300 yards in 31 video games since getting into the NFL in 2020, the third-most such video games in a participant’s first six seasons in NFL historical past. Solely Patrick Mahomes and Dan Marino had extra.
7. Taysom Hill, QB/TE, Saints/BYU
The Swiss military knife of a participant confirmed his versatility within the Saints’ win over the Jets.
The previous BYU QB produced 42 yards on the bottom, caught 4 passes for 36 yards, and threw a 38-yard TD move to Chris Olave. He additionally got here up huge on a pretend punt for New Orleans.
Hill joins Christian McCaffrey as the one gamers since 1990 with at the very least 35 passing yards, 35 speeding yards, and 35 receiving yards in a single recreation.
He now has 23 profession video games with a accomplished move, rush try, and reception, surpassing John David Crow (22 video games) for probably the most such video games in NFL historical past.
8. Caleb Williams, QB, Bears/USC
Williams continues to play excellent soccer in 12 months two for the primary place Bears.
He helped Chicago put a stranglehold on their lead within the division with a comeback win over Inexperienced Bay to run their file to 11-4.
Within the win, the previous Trojan tallied 250 yards passing and a pair of TDs whereas including 30 yards on the bottom.
9. Romeo Doubs, WR, Packers/Nevada
Doubs recorded the one TD for the Packers within the loss to the Bears on Saturday evening hauling in a 33 yard TD reception from Malik Willis within the third quarter.
For the evening, the previous Wolf Pack move catcher caught 5 balls for 84 yards and the TD.
10. Bobby Okereke, LB, Giants/Stanford
The Giants fell to the Vikings in a defensive showdown.
The New York protection was led by the previous Stanford LB, who racked up 13 tackles within the loss.
He additionally knocked down a move to get credited with a move defended.
11. Bo Nix, QB, Broncos/Oregon
Denver fell to the Jaguars on Sunday, however the second-year QB out of Oregon put up some numbers within the defeat.
Nix threw for 352 yards and a landing and added 11 extra yards on the bottom for the Broncos.
The previous Duck has 53 profession landing passes, tied for the third-most landing passes by a participant of their first two seasons in NFL historical past.
12. Alex Singleton, LB, Broncos/Montana State
The former Bobcat continues to have an enormous season for the Broncos.
Within the loss to Jacksonville, he tallied a crew excessive 13 tackles.
That determine additionally marks a season excessive in stops and his most in a recreation because the finale within the 2023 season.
13. Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers/Stanford
The former Cardinal racked up 146 yards of complete offense within the 49ers’ win over the Colts.
McCaffrey had 117 yards on the bottom and 29 receiving yards with two touchdowns.
14. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Panthers/Arizona (R)
The rookie out of Arizona hauled in a 22-yard TD within the Panthers’ win over the reeling Buccaneers.
McMillan and Bryce Younger related six occasions on ten targets for 73 yards to prepared the ground within the win.
writes about numerous subjects for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and information, faculty sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Middle (SERC).
