Each week, we highlight the region’s best pro performances from the standout alumni veterans and rookies
Here are my choices for the best of them.
1. Jordan Love, QB, Packers/Utah State
Love enjoyed playing on Thanksgiving as the former Aggie threw for 234 yards and four touchdowns in the Packers win over the Lions.
The four TD tosses matched a career high for Love, who had a pair of four TD games last season.
2. Cameron Jordan, DE, Saints/California
Jordan ended the day against Miami with four tackles, two sacks, and three hits on Tua Tagovailoa.
The two sacks give the former Cal Bear 128 sacks and 745 tackles in his career, joining former Sun Devil Terrell Suggs as the only players since 2000 to record at least 125 sacks and 745 tackles in their career.
3. Trey McBride, TE, Cardinals/Colorado State
McBride had eight receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown in Week 13.The former CSU Ram has 309 receptions since entering the NFL in 2022 and has surpassed Jimmy Graham (301 receptions) for the most receptions by a tight end in his first four seasons.
His season totals now sit at 88 catches for 879 yards, making him he sixth tight end in NFL history with at least 80 receptions and 800 receiving yards in three consecutive seasons.
4. Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers/Stanford
McCaffrey ran for 53 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers’ 26-8 victory at Cleveland.
This season, the former Stanford star has 849 rushing yards and 806 receiving yards.
He joins San Diego State star Marshall Faulk as the only players in NFL history with at least 800 rushing yards and 800 receiving yards in three career seasons.
5. Nick Folk, K, Jets/Arizona
Folk booted a 56-yard field goal as time expired to win it for New York.
In the Jets’ victory over the Falcons, he was 2-3 on FGs, with his lone miss also coming from 50+.
The former Wildcat has now booted 46 kicks of 50+ yards in his career, the fourth most in NFL history.
6. Davante Adams, WR, Rams/Fresno State
The former Fresno State star has been a scoring machine this season for the Rams.
He found the end zone twice in the LA loss to Carolina, giving him an NFL-leading 14 receiving TDs on the season.
This was his fourth multiple TD reception game of the season and his 28th such game in his career, the sixth most of any player in NFL history.
7. Devaughn Vele, WR, Saints/Utah
The former Ute hauled in eight passes for 93 yards and a TD in the Saints’ loss to Miami.
The eight receptions equaled a career-high for the second-year wideout, while the 93 yards were the most he has recorded in the NFL.
8. Talanoa Hufanga, S, Broncos/USC
The safety out of USC was instrumental in Denver’s win over Washington on Sunday Night.
The former Trojan collected a career-high 13 tackles with two of the stops for a loss of yardage, and in coverage, he recorded one pass defended.
9. Carson Schwesinger, LB, Browns/UCLA (R)
For the fourth game in a row, the rookie out of UCLA recorded double-digit tackles with 10 in the Browns’ loss to the 49ers.
One of the stops was in the backfield, and he had a pressure and hit on Brock Purdy.
His 106 tackles this season are tied for the sixth most in the NFL.
10. Marcus Mariota, QB, Commanders/Oregon
The former Duck almost pulled off the upset of Denver on Sunday Night.
Mariota came up big for the Commanders in the OT loss, completing 28 of his 50 pass attempts for 294 yards and a pair of TDs. He added another 55 on the ground.
The 294 passing yards were the most the QB has thrown in a game since throwing for 304 in week 3 of 2019.
11. Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers/Oregon
In the Chargers’ win over the Raiders, Herbert completed 75% of his passes with a pair of TDs and 151 yards through the air.
The former Duck has 51 games with at least two touchdown passes, the fourth most by any player in their first six seasons in the NFL.
12. Josh Allen, QB, Bills/Wyoming
Allen completed 65.2% of his passes for 123 yards and a touchdown while adding 28 yards on the ground and a second TD in the Bills’ win over the Steelers.
The former Wyoming Cowboy now has 76 career rushing touchdowns, the most in NFL history by a QB.
His TD pass was the 214th of his career, good for the fifth-most of any player in NFL history.
