**Jalen Thompson** (Washington State) is a consistent contributor for Arizona, but he’s worked in relative anonymity this season – though he’s always on the field for the Cardinals’ defense, Thompson had yet to take the spotlight with a highlight-reel play this season. Until Sunday.
The veteran strong safety made the play of the game for Arizona during the team’s 27-24 overtime loss against visiting Jacksonville.
On a third-and-6 late in the first quarter, with the Jags offense at its own 12-yard line, Thompson blitzed off the edge and popped Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence for a sack, knocking the ball out of his hands in the process.
Arizona defensive end Walter Nolen III plucked the fumble out of the air and raced 7 yards for a touchdown, tying the score at 7-7.
It was the best play of the season for Thompson, who finished the game tied for the team lead with nine tackles and logged the second sack of his seven-year career – his first sack in two years. Thompson appeared on all 62 defensive snaps, recording three QB pressures and allowing three catches for 53 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
Thompson, who made his 83rd career start Sunday, caught on quickly in the NFL with Arizona, which selected him in the 2019 supplemental draft after three standout seasons at WSU.
This season, Thompson is Arizona’s No. 3 tackler with 72.
• **Jaylen Watson** (WSU), a rising name at cornerback for Kansas City, made a few notable plays to help the Chiefs to a 23-20 overtime win over Indianapolis.
The fourth-year pro, who has started all 11 games for KC this year, played all 51 defensive snaps Sunday, finishing with three tackles and a deflection on a deep pass. Watson allowed just one catch on three targets for 4 yards, per Pro Football Focus, which gave Watson the fourth-best overall grade among the game’s defenders (77.9).
Watson assisted on a 3-yard tackle for loss on Colts running back Jonathan Taylor on a first-and-goal play from the Chiefs’ 3-yard line in the first quarter. He broke up a deep pass to Josh Downs on a third-and-1 late in the second quarter to force a punt, and covered up Michael Pittman Jr. on a third-down pass in the fourth quarter to bring up another Indianapolis punt.
A seventh-round draft pick in 2022, Watson is a breakout defender to keep an eye on in the weeks (and years) to come.
• **Jaden Hicks** (WSU) came off the bench at strong safety for the Chiefs, appearing on 15 snaps, per PFF.
The second-year pro totaled three tackles and broke up one pass. He was targeted twice and allowed one catch for 6 yards, according to PFF.
Hicks brought down Pittman for a 6-yard reception on a third-and-10, forcing a punt late in the fourth, and the Chiefs kicked a field goal on the next possession to send it to OT.
• **Abraham Lucas** (WSU), the Seahawks’ right tackle, played every offensive snap in a 30-24 win over Tennessee. Making his 40th-career start, Lucas gave up two QB pressures, but no sacks.
Lucas, a third-round draft pick in 2022 who’s been the Seahawks’ starter at RT since his rookie season (when healthy), grades as PFF’s No. 24-ranked tackle out of 77 overall this season.
• **Cooper Kupp** (EWU) still hasn’t cemented himself as a consistent threat in Seattle’s pass game during his first season as a Seahawk.
The veteran receiver had two catches on four targets for 24 yards against the Titans, raising his season totals to 414 yards on 31 receptions.
• **Cam Ward** (WSU) had one of his best games of the year against a stout defense, but the rookie Tennessee quarterback couldn’t get his team’s offense going until it was too late and the Titans fell to 1-10.
Ward was PFF’s top-graded Titans player (74) and was the game’s No. 4-graded player overall, completing 28 of 42 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown, adding a team-high 37 rushing yards and a score on the ground. He ran for a 6-yard score in the third quarter and tossed a 1-yard TD with 43 seconds left in the game as the Titans attempted to rally back from a 20-point deficit.
Ward completed one of those wild passes he’s known for on a third-and-4 early in the fourth quarter, scrambling backwards and out of danger and racing toward the sideline before throwing a deep ball across his body while taking a big hit out of bounds. The ball floated into the arms of Titans receiver Xavier Restrepo for a 14-yard gain.
Ward took four sacks, pushing his NFL-leading total to 45 sacks on the year, but had his first game of the season without an interception or fumble.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, Ward has thrown for 2,210 yards and seven touchdowns with six interceptions on a 59% completion rate this year.
• **Kyle Williams** (WSU), a third-round rookie receiver/return specialist for New England, had one catch for 18 yards during a fourth-quarter drive that ended with a field goal and added a couple of nice kick returns in the Patriots’ 26-20 win over Cincinnati.
Williams, shouldering special-teams responsibilities for the first time this season, tallied 86 yards on three returns, breaking off returns of 36 and 27 yards.
• Previously, the Pats’ kick-return duties had belonged to **Efton Chism III** (EWU), an undrafted rookie receiver, who had been productive in that role since making his debut Oct. 12 against New Orleans. But Chism was inactive Sunday as the Patriots made room on the roster to bring back several key players who had been injured.
• **Samson Ebukam** (EWU), a veteran defensive end, returned to the Colts’ lineup after missing three games due to injury. Ebukam appeared on 28 of 96 snaps off the bench, finishing with three tackles – including a third-quarter stop of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on a 2-yard scramble.
• **Kaden Elliss** (Idaho) had a solid showing against the team that drafted him back in 2019.
The star Atlanta linebacker finished second on his team with nine tackles, adding a tackle for loss during the Falcons’ 24-10 win over New Orleans.
Elliss received the third-best PFF grade among defenders (78.3). He made three run stops for minimal gains and blew up a short pass to Devin Neal in the backfield for a 5-yard loss late in the game.
Now in his third season with Atlanta, Elliss has become a staple of the Falcons defense after a four-year stay with the Saints, who selected him in the seventh round. Elliss leads the Falcons with 74 tackles and nine TFLs on the year.
• **Christian Elliss** (Idaho), a linebacker for New England, returned after missing the last two games with a hip injury.
The fifth-year pro started his eighth game of the season and appeared on 28 of 64 snaps, finishing with five tackles and a QB hit.
• **Marcus Harris** (Idaho) played a considerable role at cornerback for Tennessee for the third straight week.
Appearing on 30 of 48 defensive snaps against the Seahawks, the rookie made two tackles and broke up two passes. Harris didn’t allow a reception on three targets, per PFF, which gave him a sparking overall grade of 90 – second among all defenders.
• **Ryan Rehkow** (Central Valley) averaged 45.4 yards on five punts for Cincinnati, placing three inside the Patriots’ 20-yard line and booting one 60 yards.
The BYU grad entered the week ranked first in the NFL in gross punting (53.1 yards per punt).