AROUND THE SHIELD — Puka Nacua has been making unreal catches look routine since he was a sophomore in high school, but the third-year Rams wide out may have even topped himself Sunday afternoon.
Nacua caught five catches for 59 yards in the Rams’ 31-28 loss to the Panthers, including a one-handed grab that is already being hailed as a catch of the year candidate.
On a crucial second-and-11 at the Carolina 38, Nacua went up and over a defender to snag a one-handed grab, secured it against his body, and land 31 yards later on a drive that set up Kryen Williams’ 7-yard touchdown run that gave Los Angeles a 28-24 lead.
“I definitely feel like I could have sold the route more; he was ready for it,” Nacua said in the postgame locker room. “When the ball’s up in the air, it’s my job to go make a play and try to find some way to come down with it.
“It was a wild one, for a second I thought he was going to bat it down, and it ended up in my hands. It felt good.”
The play already has competition, though, from Washington’s Treylon Burks, who made a falling, one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone on Sunday Night Football against the Denver Broncos.
Either way, with another grab — a screen pass for six yards in the fourth quarter — Nacua passed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the second time in three seasons and still has five weeks to add to his haul.
The former NFL rookie record-setter’s 1,019 receiving yards (and four touchdowns) currently ranks third in the NFL, behind only Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1,336 yards, 7 touchdowns) and Dallas’ George Pickens (1,142 yards, 8 touchdowns).
Here’s how other former Utah high school and college football standouts performed in Week 13 of the 2025 NFL regular season.
Monday Night Football
New York vs. New England
Patriots (10-2)
- Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger High
Giants (2-10)
- Jaxson Dart, QB, Corner Canyon High (via Ole Miss)
Sunday Night Football
Denver 27, Washington 26 (OT)
Broncos (10-2)
- Garett Bolles, OT, Utah/Snow/Westlake High: Started at left tackle
- Jonah Elliss, LB, Utah: Inactive for Week 13
Commanders (3-9)
- Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: Starting linebacker totaled team-high eight tackles and an interception
Sunday afternoon
Carolina 31, Los Angeles 28
Panthers (7-6)
- No locals on the active roster
Rams (9-3)
- Puka Nacua, WR, BYU/Orem High: Starting receiver caught six passes for 72 yards
San Francisco 26, Cleveland 8
49ers (9-4)
- Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem High: Kicked field goals of 25 and 31 yards with two PATs
Browns (3-9)
- Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker made three tackles on defense, one on special teams
Houston 20, Indianapolis 16
Texans (7-5)
- Dalton Shultz, TE, Bingham High (via Stanford): Reserve tight end caught team-high seven passes for 55 yards
Colts (8-4)
- No locals on the active roster
Miami 21, New Orleans 17
Dolphins (5-7)
- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU/Corner Canyon High: Active, but did not play
Saints (2-10)
- Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Reserve cornerback also played on special teams
- Taysom Hill, TE/QB, BYU: Starting tight end caught one pass for 5 yards, added one carry for 2 yards
- Terrell Burgess, S, Utah: Reserve safety totaled seven tackles and a pass defended
- Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah: Starting receiver caught eight passes for 93 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown and also recovered a fumble, in addition to an onside kick recovery
- Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Reserve defensive end also played on special teams
New York 27, Atlanta 24
Jets (3-9)
- Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham High (via USC): Reserve defensive tackle also played on special teams
Falcons (4-8)
- Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Reserve tailback ran for 20 yards on eight carries, including a 1-yard touchdown, and caught two passes for 35 yards
- Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial (via Idaho): Starting linebacker made eight tackles on defense
Tampa 20, Arizona 17
Buccaneers (7-5)
- No locals on the active roster
Cardinals (3-9)
- Kedon Slovis, QB, BYU: Active, but did not play
Jacksonville 25, Tennessee 3
Jaguars (8-4)
- Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker totaled a team-high eight tackles on defense
- Tim Patrick, WR, Utah: Reserve receiver caught one pass for 11 yards
Titans (1-11)
- Cody Barton, LB, Utah/Brighton High: Starting linebacker had two tackles and a tackle for loss
Seattle 26, Minnesota 0
Seahawks (9-3)
- Connor O’Toole, LB, Utah: Inactive for Week 13
- Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: Reserve receiver caught one pass for 7 yards, added one carry for 9 yards in 32 offensive snaps; returned three punts for 43 yards (14.3 yards per punt) with two fair catches in six snaps on special teams
Vikings (4-8)
- Tyler Batty, LB, BYU/Payson High: Reserve linebacker played 23 snaps on special teams
Los Angeles 31, Las Vegas 14
Chargers (8-4)
- Andre James, OC, Herriman High (via UCLA): Reserve center also played on special teams
Raiders (2-10)
- Leki Fotu, DT, Utah/Herriman High: Starting defensive lineman made two tackles
Buffalo 26, Pittsburgh 7
Bills (8-4)
- Cole Bishop, S, Utah: Starting safety made four tackles on defense
- Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Inactive for Week 13
- Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted twice for 99 yards (49.5 yards per punt) with one touchback
- Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Reserve nickel made three tackles on defense
- Jackson Hawes, TE, Highland High (via Georgia Tech/Yale): Starting tight end caught one pass for 10 yards
Steelers (6-6)
- Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East (via Oklahoma State): Starting running back had 35 yards on 10 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown, and caught two passes for 9 yards
Friday night
Chicago 24, Philadelphia 15
Bears (9-3)
- Noah Sewell, LB, Orem High (via Oregon): Inactive for Week 13
Eagles (8-4)
- Cameron Latu, TE, Olympus High (via Alabama): Reserve tight end played five snaps on offense, 16 on special teams
Thursday Night Football
Green Bay 31, Detroit 24
Packers (8-3-1)
- Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Starting quarterback completed 18-of-30 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for 4 yards on five carries with no sacks taken and a fumble recovered in 63 offensive snaps
- Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury High: Reserve safety made one tackle in 15 snaps on special teams
- Chris Brooks, RB, BYU: Reserve running back caught two passes for 9 yards in 18 offensive snaps, made one tackle in 13 snaps on special teams
Lions (7-5)
- Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills High (via Oregon): Starting right tackle played all 63 snaps on offense
- Sione Vaki, RB, Utah: Reserve running back made two tackles in 15 snaps on special teams
Dallas 31, Kansas City 28
Cowboys (6-5-1)
- No locals on the active roster
Chiefs (6-6)
- Kingsley Suamataia, OG, BYU/Orem High: Starting left guard played all 66 snaps on offense
- Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State: Inactive for Week 13
- Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Kearns High (via Oregon): Reserve linebacker played 19 snaps on special teams
Cincinnati 32, Baltimore 14
Bengals (4-8)
- Ryan Rehkow, P, BYU: Punted twice for 105 yards (52.5 yards per punt) with one touchback and one punted downed inside the 20 in 10 snaps on special teams
Ravens (6-6)
- Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker had two tackles and a quarterback hit in 37 defensive snaps
- Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Active, but did not play
- Alohi Gilman, S, Orem High (via Notre Dame): Starting safety had eight tackles and a pass defended in all 83 defensive snaps