Locals in the NFL: 2 former BYU rushers approach 1,000-yard mark in Week 17

AROUND THE SHIELD — In the history of BYU running backs in the NFL, a list that goes as far back as John Stringham in 1938 through last year's fifth-round selection by the Atlanta Falcons, no running back has rushed for 1,000 yards in a single season as a professional.

The Cougars might have two in 2022.

Jamaal Williams broke free for a career-high 144 yards and a touchdown, and added a 13-yard catch for 157 total yards, in the Detroit Lions' 41-10 rout of the Chicago Bears on Sunday, leaving the former BYU all-time leading rusher just 6 yards shy of the historic mark in his best season as a professional.

Led by an offensive line that included former Desert Hills star Penei Sewell at right tackle, the Lions' 265 rushing yards against the Bears are the most in a single game in the franchise's history since 1991.

Williams was the biggest beneficiary of that commitment to the run game, setting a career mark after easily eclipsing his previous best rushing season — the 601 yards he posted a year ago in his first campaign with the Lions.

With one game to go, Williams is just shy of becoming the first former Cougars player to run for 1,000 yards in a season. With his 15th rushing touchdown of the season, he's also just one score shy of Barry Sanders' single-season record of 16 TD runs in Detroit.

"It was great to get Jamaal going again, man, we've been talking about this — wanting to really get him lathered up and let him go," Lions coach Dan Campbell told reporters of his tail back. "And our offensive line took this serious, they took last week serious and there again, we went to work, our tight ends, receivers, everybody had a hand in it. So, there again it was a great job."

Williams is serious about his craft, but he also just wants to watch TV and play Pokemon.

Prior to Williams' entry into the NFL, Bill Ring had the most rushing yards by a former BYU running back in the NFL with 732 yards and seven touchdowns, according to the Deseret News. Williams eclipsed that mark after Week 12.

While Williams might be the first 1,000-yard rusher from BYU, he might not be the last this year. Tyler Allgeier ran for a team-high 83 yards on 20 carries in the Falcons' 20-19 win over the Cardinals, including a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

That brings the former BYU walk-on and fifth-round draft pick to 900 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games of his rookie season. His season-high for yardage is 139 yards in a 21-18 loss to the Saints in Week 15.

A likely goal? Maybe. Attainable? Certainly.

But with 95 total yards from scrimmage against the Cardinals, Allgeier became one of just four players in Falcons history to surpass 1,000 scrimmage yards as a rookie, according to AtlantaFalcons.com. The tailback's 1,039 yards from scrimmage are the most by an Atlanta rookie in the last 40 years, according to NFL stats and research.

The Falcons, who lead the NFL in players under the age of 26, have been eliminated from the playoffs but are building a foundation for the future. And that future, at least right now, seems to include a hefty portion of Allgeier.

Other breakout stars include Tyler Huntley, the former Utah quarterback who threw for 130 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and ran for 24 yards in the Ravens' 16-13 loss to the Steelers; and former Weber State receiver Rashid Shaheed, who caught a career-high six receptions for 79 yards in the Saints' 20-10 win over the Eagles — including his sixth catch of 30 or more yards of his rookie season.

Here's a look at how other former local high school and college football standouts performed in Week 17 of the NFL's 2022 regular season.

Monday Night Football

Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Bills (12-3)

• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State

Bengals (11-4)

• Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State
• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham

Sunday Night Football

Pittsburgh 16, Baltimore 13

Steelers (8-8)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East: Reserve running back ran for 76 yards on 12 carries, caught three passes for 22 yards in 28 snaps on offense
• Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah: Reserve safety played 13 snaps on special teams

Ravens (10-6)

• Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Starting quarterback completed 14-of-21 passes for 130 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and ran for 24 yards on seven carries in all 52 snaps on offense

Sunday afternoon

San Francisco 37, Las Vegas 34 (OT)

49ers (12-4)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting middle linebacker posted game-high 12 tackles in all 70 snaps on defense, six on special teams
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted twice for 93 yards (46.5 yard average) with one punt downed inside the 20 in 10 snaps on special teams

Raiders (6-10)

• Harvey Langi, LB, BYU/Bingham: Starting linebacker tied for team-high with nine tackles and a quarterback hit on defense while playing 45 snaps on defense, 21 on special teams with his third NFL team in 2022
• Andre James, C, Herriman: Started at center and played all 70 snaps on offense
• Jackson Barton, OT, Utah/Brighton: Reserve tackle played six snaps on special teams

Atlanta 20, Arizona 19

Falcons (6-10)

• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Reserve running back ran for a game-high 83 yards on 20 carries, including a 5-yard touchdown, and caught one pass for 12 yards in 34 snaps on offense, two on special teams

Cardinals (4-12)

• Leki Fotu, DT, Utah/Herriman: Starting nose tackle made two tackles and recovered a fumble in 40 snaps on defense, 10 on special teams

Jacksonville 31, Houston 3

Jaguars (8-8)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker posted five tackles in 42 snaps on defense, two on special teams

Texans (2-13-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Detroit 41, Chicago 10

Lions (8-8)

• Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU: Starting tailback ran for career-high 144 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, caught one pass for 13 yards in 33 snaps on offense
• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills: Started at right tackle and played all 71 snaps on offense

Bears (3-13)

• Patrick Scales, LS, Utah State/Weber: Made one tackle in nine snaps on special teams
• Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah/Murray: Started at left tackle and played all 52 snaps on offense, two on special teams

Kansas City 27, Denver 24

Chiefs (13-3)

• No locals on the active roster, but coached by former BYU offensive lineman and graduate assistant Andy Reid

Broncos (4-12)

• No locals on the active roster

New England 23, Miami 21

Patriots (8-8)

• No locals on the active roster

Dolphins (8-8)

• Eric Rowe, S, Utah: Starting safety had two tackles in 52 snaps on defense

NY Giants 38, Indianapolis 10

Giants (9-6-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Colts (4-11-1)

• Julian Blackmon, S, Utah/Layton: Starting free safety made three tackles and played all 63 snaps on defense, 11 on special teams
• Zack Moss, RB, Utah: Starting running back ran for team-high 74 yards on 15 carries in 34 snaps on offense

New Orleans 20, Philadelphia 10

Saints (7-9)

• Taysom Hill, TE, BYU: Reserve tight end ran for 46 yards on 14 carries, including 1-yard touchdown; completed two passes for 24 yards with a sack taken; and caught one pass for nine yards in 31 snaps on offense, 14 on special teams
• Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: Starting wide receiver caught team-high six passes for 79 yards in 47 snaps on offense,; returned three punts for 18 yards with two fair catches, and returned a kickoff for 27 yards in nine snaps on special teams
• Chase Hansen, LB, Utah/Lone Peak: Inactive for Week 17
• Daniel Sorensen, S, BYU: Starting safety totaled six tackles in all 55 snaps on defense, 15 on special teams
• Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial: Starting linebacker made five tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, and forced a fumble in 37 snaps on defense, six on special teams

Eagles (13-3)

• Sua Opeta, OG, Weber State/Stansbury: Inactive for Week 17
• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: Reserve receiver returned one punt for seven yards with four fair catches in six snaps on special teams

Tampa Bay 30, Carolina 24

Buccaneers (8-8)

• Deven Thompkins, WR, Utah State: Reserve receiver made three fair catches on punt returns in nine snaps on offense, nine on special teams

Panthers (6-10)

• Brady Christensen, OG, BYU/Bountiful: Started at left guard and played all 66 offensive snaps and four on special teams

Cleveland 24, Washington 10

Browns (7-9)

• No locals on the active roster

Commanders (7-8-1)

• Dax Milne, WR, BYU/Bingham: Reserve receiver returned one punt for 15 yards in four snaps on special teams

LA Chargers 31, LA Rams 10

Chargers (10-6)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Starting cornerback had three tackles and a pass defended on defense, three on special teams
• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Reserve edge rusher had two tackles, a sack, a pass defended and a forced and recovered a fumble in 26 snaps on defense
• Alohi Gilman, S, Orem: Reserve safety made three tackles in all 49 snaps on defense, 10 on special teams

Rams (5-11)

• Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: Starting middle linebacker posted seven tackles in all 64 snaps on defense
• Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem: Kicked a 23-yard field goal, an extra point and three touchbacks on kickoff in five snaps on special teams
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Starting defensive tackle made one tackle in 32 snaps on defense, 11 on special teams

Seattle 23, NY Jets 6

Seahawks (8-8)

• Cody Barton, LB, Utah/Brighton: Starting linebacker had six tackles and a tackle for loss in 62 snaps on defense, 10 on special teams

Jets (7-9)

• Zach Wilson, QB, BYU/Corner Canyon: Inactive for Week 17

Green Bay 41, Minnesota 17

Packers (8-8)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Reserve quarterback completed 2-of-3 passes for nine yards, kneeled down the final series in seven snaps on offense
• Dallin Leavitt, S, Utah State/BYU: Reserve safety made one tackle, recovered blocked punt in 19 snaps on special teams

Vikings (12-4)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger: Starting defensive lineman posted five tackles in 38 snaps on defense, seven on special teams

Thursday Night Football

Dallas 27, Tennessee 13

Cowboys (12-4)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham: Starting tight end caught seven passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns in 65 offensive snaps

Titans (7-9)

• No locals on the active roster

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