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Hawkeyes in the NFL: Week Nine Top Performers

On3 imageby: Kyle Huesmann4 hours agoHuesmannKyle
Sam LaPorta found the end zone for the Lions on Sunday. (Photo by Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images)
Sam LaPorta found the end zone for the Lions on Sunday. (Photo by Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images)

Week nine of the NFL season is complete. Actually, it was a few days ago when the Cardinals beat the Cowboys on Monday Night. Better late than never with this week’s look at former Hawkeyes in the NFL because it’s a good one. This week, 28 former Hawkeyes were on active rosters, while 15 players are listed atop the depth chart at their position. We take a look at the top five performances from the weekend.

1. Detroit TE Sam LaPorta

Sam LaPorta has been a really consistent option for Detroit quarterback Jared Goff this season, tallying 3+ catches in every game and 30+ yards in six of eight games. Although it came in a losing effort against the Vikings on Sunday, LaPorta broke out for a big performance. He finished with six catches for a season-high 97 yards and one touchdown in the 27-24 loss. Sam got the game going the right way with a 40-yard touchdown reception on 4th and 4 to put the Lions up 7-0 after their opening drive. He also had a critical 17-yard catch and run on 4th and 2 in the fourth quarter, but the drive ended in a blocked field goal.

On the season, LaPorta has totaled 35 catches for 436 yards (12.5 ypr), 20 first downs and three touchdowns. He is on track for 74.4 catches and 926.5 yards, which would eclipse his rookie receiving yards total (889).

2. Cincinnati TE Noah Fant and Minnesota TE TJ Hockenson both find the end zone

Neither of these two guys had their most fruitful games in terms of catches and receiving yards, but they both found the end zone. Any time a former TEU alumni makes a touchdown catch it is well worth talking about.

The Bengals lost a wild one to the Bears on Sunday that included a near miracle comeback by Cincinnati in the final minutes. Noah Fant tried his best to help the cause hauling in a 23-yard touchdown catch to cut the deficit to 41-35. On the year, Fant has caught 25 passes for 220 yards (8.8 ypr) and three touchdowns.

As for Minnesota, they got the surprise win over the Lions in Detroit, hanging on for a 27-24 win. Sam LaPorta put the Lions on the board early, but JJ McCarthy turned around and found his Hawkeye, TJ Hockenson, for a 7-yard score to make it 14-7 Vikings late in the first quarter. On the season, Hockenson has caught 29 passes for 233 yards (8.0 ypr) and two touchdowns.

3. New York DB Dane Belton

A guy that seldomly gets talked about as a rotational piece on the Giants defense, Dane Belton has been playing some really good ball the last couple of weeks. This past Sunday, in New York’s 34-24 loss to the 49ers, Belton tallied a career-high tying15 tackles on 66 snaps played, which the third-most he’s played in a single-game during his career. Over the past three weeks, Dane has made two starts and racked up 33 tackles. On the season, he has totaled 59 tackles, averaging 6.6 tackles per game. He has already set a career-high for tackles in a season and is currently on track for 111.4 tackles.

4. Detroit LB Jack Campbell

Speaking of a career-high for tackles, Jack Campbell appears to be making a run at eclipsing the 131 tackles he made last season. In Sunday’s loss to the Vikings, Campbell finished with nine tackles and a sack, which gives him four sacks on the season after tallying 3.5 over his first two seasons. On the year, Jack has totaled 73 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. At his current pace, averaging 9.13 tackles per game, Campbell is on track for 155.13 tackles this season.

5. Baltimore C Tyler Linderbaum

It’s been an up and down season for Baltimore with the injury to Lamar Jackson and a bad record. However, Lamar is back and the Ravens appear to be back on track. They defeated the Dolphins 28-6 on Thursday Night, and center Tyler Linderbaum put together a solid blocking performance. His 79.2 game grade by Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 12th-best offensive lineman for week nine and the third-highest graded center for the week. He did not allow a single pressure on 27 pass blocking snaps.

On the season, Linderbaum ranks as the 13th-best offensive lineman in the league and the fourth-highest graded center with a 79.9 rating. He’s also the third-highest graded run blocker (88.8) in the entire league behind only Penei Sewell (Detroit) and Quenton Nelson (Indianapolis).

Play of the Week: Cincinnati WR Charlie Jones takes the opening kick back for six

Say what you want about Charlie Jones and his transfer to Purdue. As the saying goes, once a Hawkeye, always a Hawkeye. Also, this play was pretty sweet and definitely worth highlighting. A precursor for what was to follow in a wild 47-42 game, Jones took the opening kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown. He now has a special teams touchdown in each of his three seasons with the Bengals.

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