Top LSU, Louisiana performers in NFL Week 12

Week 12 marked one of the slower Sundays of the NFL season in terms of top performances by LSU and Louisiana representatives around the league.

Consistent stars like Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase enjoyed byes, while others had relatively down days by their standards.

But each week contains a few highlights, as well-stocked as rosters are with talent from the state and program. Here are 10 performances that stood out.

Danielle Hunter (LSU)

The veteran edge-rusher continued his consistent run through the middle of this season for the Texans with his first three-sack game in nearly two calendar years. Hunter finished with seven tackles, including team-highs of six solo stops and five tackles for loss, in the team’s 32-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Devin White (North Webster, LSU)

In his fifth game since signing with the Texans, the Louisiana native earned his highest Pro Football Focus grade of the season — albeit in 17 snaps — and one of the highest of his career. White finished with a pair of tackles and kept the lone target his direction in front of him for just a 2-yard gain by the Titans.

Grant Delpit (LSU)

The former Jim Thorpe Award winner helped lead his Cleveland Browns past the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-19, with his team-high 10 tackles, matching his season-high and one off his career-high. Delpit’s run defense highlighted his performance, according to his Pro Football Focus grades, but he also finished with a pass break-up on the stat sheet.

KaVontae Turpin (Neville)

Turpin’s first kickoff-return touchdown of his three-year career count came at a pivotal moment for his Cowboys. Just as NFC East rival Washington pulled back within three points with three minutes to play Sunday, the former Neville star initially had trouble fielding the kick off the bounce, but went back to the 1-yard line, grabbed the ball with one hand, spun free of one would-be tackler and was gone through a seam for the 99-yard score. The Commanders never cut the margin back as close the rest of the way. Turpin finished with 179 total yards on four kick returns on the day and now has a league-leading 762 kick return yards on the season and 906 combined kick- and punt-return yards.

Jayden Daniels (LSU)

The Commanders’ rookie star overcame a slow start Sunday — and a struggle of an afternoon for many of his teammates — to give Washington a chance late before falling, 34-26, to Dallas. Daniels completed 25 of 38 passes for 275 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which came on a hail-mary heave 50-plus yards toward the end zone as time expired. He also rushed seven times for a team-high 74 yards and a score.

Kevin Dotson (Plaquemine, Ragin’ Cajuns)

The veteran right guard was a bright spot in a long day for the Rams’ offensive line as Los Angeles struggled to protect quarterback Matthew Stafford or keep up with Saquon Barkley’s record-setting day for Philadelphia. Dotson earned his highest pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus of his five-year career and the second-highest mark of any player around the league this weekend. His run-blocking grade was also sixth-highest among all offensive linemen in Week 12 and his third-best run-blocking mark of the season and eight-best of his career.

Donte Jackson (Riverdale, LSU)

The speedy cornerback ended a four-game drought without an interception to snatch his fourth of the season for the Steelers, tying him for fourth-most in the league. His four interceptions matches his rookie season in 2018 for the highest total in his career, with six weeks still to play. Jackson also recorded three tackles and a fumble recovery, his first in more than five years.

Israel Mukuamu (Parkway)

The former Parkway cornerback snatched the second interception of his career, his first in nearly two years, as on Sunday to help close the Cowboys’ 34-26 as he hauled in the aforementioned Daniels’ Hail Mary. He also recorded a tackle.

Derius Davis (West Feliciana)

Davis was one of the most efficient return-game weapons anywhere in the league in Week 12 as he made the most of his two opportunities with a 46-yard kick-off return and 19-yard punt return in the Chargers’ 30-23 loss to Baltimore. Those averages were both in the top three in the league, with the punt return helping set up a field-goal drive.

Xavier Woods (West Monroe, Louisiana Tech)

The veteran safety was among the league’s top tacklers with eight, including one for loss, in the Panthers’ 30-27 loss to Kansas City. His tackling grade from Pro Football Focus was No. 11 among all defenders in Week 12, and he allowed just one catch, for a 4-yard loss, on three targets.