There were not a ton of dominant performances by former USC Trojans in the NFL last weekend. However, the return of Caleb Williams was good enough to make USC fans happy. Caleb Williams looked like a star, and promising young receiver Ja'Kobi Lane showed some things to like in his first game back from an injury layoff.
Here is my breakdown of how some former USC football players fared in the sixth week of the NFL season:
Leonard Williams
Leonard Williams played a big part in the Seattle Seahawks' effectiveness in limiting the Denver Broncos' success offensively. Williams had 5 total tackles against Denver. The Broncos ran for a total of 74 yards. Leonard Williams led the Seattle defense, giving the Seahawks a chance to win this football game. Unfortunately, the offense
could not come through.
Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold's struggles continued this past week. Darnold threw for 278 yards on 51 pass attempts. He had 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions on the day. His performance alone hindered the Seahawks' chances to win against the Broncos. It would not have taken that much for Seattle to beat Denver, as they fell 14-17. The ceiling is not very high for the Seahawks if Sam Darnold continues to play like this.
Woody Marks
In his first week back as the starting running back, Woody Marks was serviceable. C.J. Stroud has been playing at a high level, and the Texans' offensive success mainly came from the passing attack. However, Woody Marks did his part, ensuring the Texans pulled off a big upset in London. Marks had 15 carries for 56 yards and 2 catches for 25 yards early Sunday morning. This is not production that will place Woody Marks in top running back conversations, but it will help keep the Texans' offense afloat.
Calen Bullock
Calen Bullock showed off his elite ball skills in Week 6. Bullock logged his first interception of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars and finished the game with 5 total tackles. When Bullock is at his best, the Houston Texans usually come out victorious.
Drake London
Michael Penix looked towards Drake London a ton of times against the Chicago Bears. London got 10 targets but only managed to come down with 4 catches. The big and successful plays the Atlanta Falcons had against the Bears' defense came from Drake London. London finished the game with 62 receiving yards. Not his best production, but it is clear that he will always get a chance to have a productive day when Penix is at quarterback.
Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams was the star of the week for Trojan alums. Williams, in his return, threw for 305 passing yards and a touchdown. Caleb Williams looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the league against a really good Atlanta Falcons defense. When Caleb is playing like this, the Bears can beat any team in the NFL.
Ja'Kobi Lane
In his return, Ja'Kobi Lane showed great promise. Lane had 4 catches for 40 yards with the Baltimore Ravens' backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. When Lamar Jackson returns and Lane gets fully healthy, Lane will meet the expectations that were set for him to start the season. Nonetheless, he is a playmaker who needs the football.
Makai Lemon
It was another less-than-productive week for Makai Lemon. Lemon, in his 6 targets, hauled in 3 catches for 19 yards. His rookie season may just not live up to expectations.
Tuli Tuipulotu
The defense and the offense have both been underperforming for the Los Angeles Chargers. One person you can rely on to be productive, however, is Tuli Tuipulotu. Tuli flew all over the field, tallying up 4 tackles on the day. He needs to be more dominant for the defense to improve, but even then, the Chargers will still be in the same situation, record-wise.
Chris Roland-Wallace
Roland-Wallace has carved a nice role for himself this season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He had 4 tackles for the Chiefs against the Chargers. The Chiefs lost a ton of talent in their secondary this past offseason. This year, Roland-Wallace has been a nice surprise in helping them overcome that.
Marshawn Lloyd
Marshawn Lloyd's production takes a big dip in Week 6. Lloyd finished Sunday night's game with just 8 carries for 10 yards. His workload with production like this is going to be cut short completely with the return of Josh Jacobs.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC NFL report - Caleb Williams shows he is back to being himself
