Week 9 didn’t exactly light the world on fire for every former Tiger in the NFL, but a few LSU alums still made plenty of noise.
The loudest performance came in Madrid, where Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase put on a show in the Bengals’ 34-17 win over the Falcons. Burrow was sharp from start to finish, completing 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns while posting a 140.1 QBR through the air.
He also added three carries for 7 yards and another score. Chase was just as electric, hauling in 10 of his 12 targets for 155 yards and a 47-yard touchdown.
He also set a franchise record with 142 yards in the first half. On the Falcons side, Maason Smith logged a QB hit, and Harold Perkins Jr. finished with three tackles, two solo, including a tackle for loss.
There was also a big day for Kayshon Boutte in Houston. The Texans rolled past the Chargers 44-22, and Boutte was a major part of that offensive outburst, catching four of five targets for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
Derek Stingley Jr. added a strong defensive line with four tackles, three solo, three pass defenses and an interception. Danielle Hunter chipped in with two tackles, one solo.
For the Chargers, Donte Jackson recorded a solo tackle and a pass breakup. Foster Moreau and Ed Ingram both played, though neither showed up in the box score.
Ingram was on the field for every offensive snap and wasn’t flagged.
Elsewhere, the Rams’ 20-13 win over Washington featured a pair of LSU defenders making plays. K’Lavon Chaisson had three tackles, two solo, and forced a Puka Nakua fumble that led to a turnover.
Two plays later, Omar Speights recovered a Jayden Daniels fumble and returned it for a yard. Daniels still put together a solid passing line, going 24 of 35 for 274 yards and a touchdown while adding four carries for 16 yards.
Speights finished with five tackles, two solo, and a tackle for loss.
Barion Brown turned in one of the more chaotic stat lines of the week in the Saints’ 23-22 overtime win over the Browns. He caught his only offensive target for a 52-yard bomb, then made his presence felt in the return game with three kickoff returns for 78 yards and five punt returns for 68 yards.
One of those returns ended with the ball coming loose, though the Saints were able to survive after a goal-line stop. Grant Delpit had four tackles, three solo, and a tackle for loss for Cleveland, while Davon Godchaux added one solo tackle for New Orleans.
No former Tigers played a snap in that game beyond those listed.
Not every LSU connection had much to work with. Brian Thomas Jr. was on the field for 19 offensive snaps in Jacksonville’s 33-10 loss at Baltimore, but he never saw a target.
Sai’vion Jones had two assisted tackles in Denver’s 26-21 win over Carolina. Malik Nabers caught five of eight targets for 43 yards in the Giants’ 19-11 win over the Eagles, and he also recovered his own fumble and recovered an Eagles onside kick.
Mason Taylor caught one of two targets for 11 yards in the Jets’ 35-12 loss to Kansas City, while Kristian Fulton had four tackles, two solo, for the Chiefs.
A few other Tigers showed up in smaller roles. Anthony Bradford was the lone former Tiger in Seattle’s 17-3 win over Arizona, and while the PFF grades weren’t available, he at least wasn’t a liability.
Will Campbell started for New England in the Patriots’ 45-27 loss to Green Bay and was graded 10th out of 20 Patriots offensive players by PFF, with the lowest run-blocking grade. Bauer Sharp played in Tampa Bay’s 27-24 loss to Chicago without recording a stat, while Zavion Thomas caught one of two targets for 13 yards and added three kickoff returns for 88 yards.
Lloyd Cushenberry III played just three offensive snaps and five special teams snaps in Buffalo’s 23-6 win over Minnesota, and Reid Ferguson had a good night. Justin Jefferson was the target of rough quarterback play in that same game, finishing with three catches on 11 targets for 58 yards.
There were also several games where former Tigers never got on the field at all, including Lions-Dolphins and 49ers-Raiders. On the whole, Week 9 landed at an overall grade of B-.
In Other News...
Kim Mulkey Just Landed Another Frontcourt Talent LSU Fans Will Love
LSUs frontcourt plans for the future got a boost in February when Caroline Bradley, one of the nations top recruits out of Oak Grove, Louisiana, chose the Tigers. The highly regarded prospect is set to make it official during the NCAA early signing period, adding another in-state name to Kim Mulkeys growing pipeline of talent.
Bradleys commitment matters not just because of her ranking, but because of the connection she already has with Mulkey and the fit she appears to offer for LSUs womens basketball program. She is expected to arrive with the chance to make an immediate impact starting next season, giving the Tigers another promising piece to build around up front. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Gets A Whit Weeks Boost As Texas Prep Brings New Concern
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The report also added fresh concern, with offensive tackle Weston Davis and defensive end Gabriel Reliford showing up among the seven players listed. LSU is already working without Phillip Wright III, Dashawn Spears and Charles Ross II, all of whom are out for the season with leg injuries, so the Tigers are managing both the hope of a boost and the reality of a growing health list as the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Playoff Push Just Took A Hit Fans Cant Ignore
A trip to Alabama was always going to be a measuring stick for LSU, but the Tigers came away with a 31-13 loss that leaves them 6-3 and with plenty to sort through. Even in defeat, there were a few bright spots, with Jackson Harris and TreyDez Green turning in notable performances, but the overall picture was hard to ignore as LSU spent much of the night chasing the game.
Braelin Moore had a rough outing, and the bigger concern was how often the offense seemed to fight itself in key moments. The play calling and coaching decisions drew criticism as LSU struggled to find rhythm, leaving the Tigers with more questions than answers as the playoff push gets tighter. [Read more 🡒]
