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IN FRONT OF a national TV audience on Sunday Night Football, former WSU safety Jaden Hicks proudly boasted "Go Cougs!" during his player intro. And then he proceeded lay out the boom on primetime.
Of his five solo takedowns in the Kansas City Chiefs' nail-biting 33-30 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, none were more meaningful than his open-field mauling of pro bowl tight end Tyler Warren, who checks in at 6-6, 256-pounds. Hicks is listed at 6-1, 215 pounds.
With the Chiefs trying to protect a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, Hicks sniffed out the underneath route from the get-go, making a beeline across the field to stop Warren for a two-yard loss and forcing a third-and-long. The double-leg takedown was a thing of beauty.
It wasn't all positive vibes for Hicks however, as he earned a roughing the passer call on Daniel Jones during the game's first drive, going helmet-to-helmet in the process. It'll be worth monitoring if a fine comes down from New York for this hit.
QB JUSTIN HERBERT and head coach Jim Harbaugh are taking most of the heat for the LA Chargers' alarming 0-2 start, but defensive captain Daiyan Henley is putting together his own rough start.
In a flabbergasting 26-14 loss to the LA Raiders, Henley had no solo tackles, and through two games he's on pace for just 17 this season. For context, Henley averaged 69 solo tackles per season the past two years.
The fourth-year pro has certainly not looked like himself in coverage either: his 45.5 pass coverage grade according to PFF is by far a career-low.
Henley and the Chargers have a well-publicized murderers row schedule in front of them: at Buffalo, at Seattle, Denver, at Kansas City, at the Rams, Houston, and at Baltimore.
THE PRESSURE HAS been on LA Rams cornerback Jaylen Watson to live up to his new three-year, $51-million deal; through two games, no news has been good news for the fifth-year pro.
Watson had four tackles and broke up a pass in a 28-6 win over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.
Although Watson may be closer to the end of his prime than the beginning (having just turned 28), these will be crucial years to cash in on his pro career. His rookie contract as a seventh round pick for the Chiefs was four-years, $3.75 million, an absolute bargain for the Chiefs, given Watson's ultra-reliability.
NFL COUGAR NUGGETS:
Seattle Seahawks right tackle Abraham Lucas did his usual thing in a 31-7 thrashing of Arizona, helping pave the way for a quality 162 rushing yards.
Safety Jalen Thompson played every single snap of Dallas' 37-20 victory over Washington, tallying five stops.
New England wide receiver Kyle Williams did not see an uptick in opportunities, despite AJ Brown going on IR. The 2025 third-round pick had one reception for 10 yards, while playing 11 snaps.
Carolina nickel Chau Smith-Wade was a surprising healthy scratch in a 34-3 victory over Atlanta. It's the first time Smith-Wade has been a scratch in his three years in Carolina, so it'll be worth monitoring if this was a one-off.
Linebacker Frankie Luvu did not play in Washington's 37-20 loss to Dallas due to a groin injury he suffered in week one. Until this week, Luvu was on a 51-game streak of being active on gameday. The Commanders' team captain was not placed on IR, meaning he's expected to return within the next three weeks.
Although Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett had a miserable game in their 31-7 loss to Seattle, throwing for 95 yards and one touchdown, there are no obvious whispers to call-in backup Gardner Minshew. The good news for Minshew is he's one of the NFL's highest paid backups, sitting on a one-year, $5.75 million deal.
NOTABLES:
Ex-Coug and Tennessee quarterback Cameron Ward had something of a bounce-back game in a 24-20 loss to Philadelphia, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing no picks. Even so, the now 24-year old is 3-15 as a starter, and his Titans would appear destined to garner another top-five NFL draft pick.
Ex-Coug defensive back Kapena Gushiken (2023-24), who finished his college career at Ole Miss, made his NFL debut on Sunday Night Football for the Colts. The undrafted free agent was thrust into action after a slew of in-game injuries. On Gushiken's very first snap, the 5-9, 184-pounder shed his block and shut down a screen pass for no gain.
Jaden Hicks celebrates KC's win (Photo: ReutersConnect/Biggerstaff)