Locals in the NFL: Puka Nacua, Cole Bishop among highlights on wild-card weekend

AROUND THE SHIELD — Former Utah high school and college football players were all over the place on wild-card weekend to open the 20252 NFL playoffs.

From touchdowns to pass breakups to wild comebacks, several players who were previously featured at BYU to Utah to one of the state's high schools helped their teams advance to next week's divisional rounds.

Here's a look at the several key plays.

Sunday

Buffalo 27, Jacksonville 24

Next up: No. 6 Bills at AFC No. 1 Broncos, Jan. 17

Former Utah teammates Dalton Kincaid and Cole Bishop helped the Buffalo Bills to their first road playoff victory in 33 years with a 27-24 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.

Trailing 17-13 in the fourth quarter, Bills star Josh Allen found Kincaid for a 15-yard touchdown on first-and-10 from the Jacksonville 15 to lift Buffalo to a 20-17 advantage with 8:56.

After Trevor Lawrence put the AFC South champs back in front with 4:03 remaining, Allen finished off a nine-play, 66-yard drive with a 1-yard TD dive with 1:04 remaining.

Bishop sealed the win on the next play from scrimmage, picking off Lawrence's short pass attempt over the middle to lift the Bills to their first road playoff victory since a win over Miami in the 1992 AFC championship game — the second-longest, active road playoff streak in the league.

"We talk a lot about trying to be closers, closing out the game in those situations," Bishop said after the game. "We feel like we thrive in those situations, and we're prepared to. But to go out and close it is huge."

Bills (13-5)

• Cole Bishop, S, Utah: Starting safety had two tackles and an interception
• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Reserve tight end caught three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted three times for 130 yards (43.3 yards per punt) with one punt downed inside the 20
• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Reserve cornerback made two tackles
• Jackson Hawes, TE, Highland High (via Georgia Tech/Yale): Starting tight end did not record a catch

Jaguars (13-5)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker made six tackles on defense and recovered a fumble on special teams
• Tim Patrick, WR, Utah: Reserve receiver was targeted once
• Ja'Quinden Jackson, RB, Utah: Did not play (practice squad)

San Francisco 23, Philadelphia 19

Next up: No. 6 49ers at No. 1 Seahawks, Jan. 17

Brock Purdy threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, and Christian McCaffrey scored two touchdowns including a 29-yard toss from receiver Jauan Jennings as the injury-ravaged San Francisco 49ers defeated the defending champions 23-19 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Battered and beat up, the 49ers moved one week closer to a potential return of former BYU linebacker Fred Warner, who was thought to be lost for the season with a severe ankle injury but has openly talked about a potential return for the NFC championship game.

49ers (13-5)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Did not play (injured reserve)
• Jakob Robinson, CB, BYU/Orem High: Did not play (injured reserve)

Eagles (11-7)

• Cameron Latu, TE, Olympus High (via Alabama): Reserve tight end also played on special teams
• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: Reserve receiver returned two kicks for 61 yards (30.5 yards per return)

New England 16, Los Angeles 3

Next up: No. 5 Texans/No. 4 Steelers at No. 2 Patriots, Jan. 18

Drake Maye threw for 268 yards and a touchdown and ran for 66 yards on 10 carries as New England won their first playoff game since the 2018 season when the Patriots last won a Super Bowl with a 16-3 win over the Chargers.

Patriots (15-3)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger High: Inactive for AFC wild card
• Miles Battle, CB, Utah: Did not play (practice squad)

Chargers (11-7)

• Andre James, OC, Herriman High (via UCLA): Reserve center also played on special teams
• Thomas Yassmin, TE, Utah: Did not play (practice squad)
• Marcus Williams, S, Utah: Did not play (practice squad)

Saturday

Los Angeles 34, Carolina 31

Next up: No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Bears, Jan. 18

On the same day Puka Nacua was named a unanimous AP All-Pro first-team selection for the first time in his career, the former BYU and Orem High star showed why.

Nacua had 13 touches for 125 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-high 10 receptions for 111 yards and a 14-yard score, before the Los Angeles Rams held off the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

But Nacua's biggest play involved playing a little defense, when the third-year rising star at receiver made like a defensive back.

Trailing 24-20 with 11 minutes remaining, Matthew Stafford threw one up for Nacua in the end zone on 3rd-and-1. But Carolina cornerback Chau Smith-Wade had the early jump, snatched the ball out of the air, and attempted to secure it.

That's when Nacua's instincts took over, as the receiver rattled the ball loose for an incompletion.

"If it's not me coming down with the ball, nobody can come down with it," Nacua told reporters after the game.

Six plays later, Stafford found Kyren Williams for a 13-yard touchdown to take the lead in a closer-than-expected game after Nacua gave Los Angeles a 14-0 lead to open the second quarter with his second touchdown.

Rams (13-5)

• Puka Nacua, WR, BYU/Orem High: Starting receiver caught game-high 10 passes for 111 yards and a 14-yard touchdown, and added 14 yards on three carries including a 5-yard score in 60 offensive snaps

Panthers (8-10)

• Brady Christensen, OG, BYU/Bountiful High: Did not play (injured reserve)

Chicago 31, Green Bay 27

Next up: No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Bears, Jan. 18

After arriving in an eye-catching all-red fashion piece, former Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson helped the Bears make a statement.

Johnson made three tackles with two passes defended as the Bears rallied from a 21-3 halftime deficit to stun former Utah State quarterback star Jordan Love and the Packers 31-27 at Soldier Field.

Love had one of his best games of the season, throwing for 323 yards and four touchdowns, including a 1-yard toss to Romeo Doubs with 1:56 left in the second quarter, to give Green Bay a 21-3 advantage.

But Caleb Williams threw for 361 yards and two second-half touchdowns to mount the largest comeback win in Chicago's playoff history.

"This one might be of the ones I was a part of, the craziest one, for sure," Johnson told reporters in the locker room.

"For us, it felt good to pull through," he added, "considering how the first half went, and to seal this win for the team."

Bears (12-6)

• Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah: Starting defensive back notched three tackles and two passes defended in 58 defensive snaps
• Noah Sewell, LB, Orem High (via Oregon): Did not play (injured reserve)
• Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah/Murray High: Did not play (injured reserve)

Packers (9-8-1)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Starting quarterback completed 25-of-46 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, and ran for 11 yards on one carry with one sack taken and a fumble (recovered) in 71 offensive snaps
• Chris Brooks, RB, BYU: Reserve running back had a 16-yard carry and an 11-yard reception in 19 offensive snaps, made one tackle in 16 snaps on special teams
• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury: Did not play (injured reserve)

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