NFL locals: Former WSU standout Daiyan Henley emerging as crucial piece of Chargers defense

For the third week in a row, Daiyan Henley (WSU) stood out as one of the best defenders on the field for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Henley, a linebacker, led the team in tackles for the third consecutive game. He had 12 combined tackles – nine solo and one for a loss – along with a pass defended.

His tackle total set a new career high for the former Coug. Many Chargers fans praised Henley’s explosive performance on social media.

Despite Henley’s performance, the Los Angeles defense struggled to contain Justin Fields and the Pittsburgh Steelers offense, and the Chargers lost 20-10.

Fields racked up 245 passing yards on 25 completions, while the Steelers racked up over 100 rushing yards.

The loss pushed the Chargers to 2-1 on the season.

• A week after providing a spark for the Las Vegas Raiders, Gardner Minshew (WSU) and his offense took a big step back in a loss to the Carolina Panthers.

The Raiders came back to take down the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday but struggled all day on both sides on the ball against a struggling Carolina team.

Minshew finished with 18 completions on 28 passes for 214 yards. He also had a touchdown and an interception.

The Panthers had run away with the game by the third quarter, ending with a 36-22 victory. Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, who replaced Bryce Young, torched the Las Vegas defense, racking up 319 passing yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Minshew was replaced by backup quarterback Aiden O’Connell for the final drive of the game, which led to a touchdown.

“Just a lot of bad. Not good enough all around. We came out a little flat today. I just didn’t have the execution and focus just to stay in drives and stay on the field. That was frustrating,” Minshew said in the news conference after the game.

The Raiders move to 1-2.

• Jalen Thompson (WSU) continues to be a key piece for the Arizona Cardinals defense.

The starting strong safety recorded his best statistical game of the year so far against the Detroit Lions, racking up nine tackles – one for a loss.

Thompson tracked down a reverse play in the third quarter, tackling Lions receiver Jameson Williams for a seven-yard loss.

The Cardinals defense did its job against the Lions on Sunday, holding Detroit to zero points in the second half. But the Cardinals offense also struggled in the final 30 minutes, and Arizona lost 20-13.

The loss pushes Arizona to 1-2.

• Kaden Elliss (Idaho) has been turning heads for the Atlanta Falcons’ defense and continued to impress Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The sixth-year linebacker had seven tackles – five solo – in the 22-17 loss.

After a disruptive game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, Elliss’ pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes led to an interception in the first quarter.

Kansas City cornerback Jaylen Watson (WSU) recorded four tackles and a pass defended in the Chiefs’ win. Jaden Hicks (WSU) had two tackles on special teams.

• Los Angeles Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp (EWU) remained out this week after injuring his ankle in a blowout loss to the Cardinals last week.

Rams coach Sean McVay initially said Kupp would miss an “extended period of time” and would potentially hit the injured reserve. But the team elected to keep Kupp on the active roster in hopes of seeing him return sooner rather than later.

Despite missing Kupp and receiver Puka Nacua, the Rams squeezed out a 27-24 win over the San Francisco 49ers.