Idaho ties in the NFL: Pocatello native, two Broncos score TDs; Rypien gets promoted

The third week of the NFL regular season saw 15 players with Idaho ties take the field, including seven starters.

Of the 15 men who logged playing time, 10 are former Boise State standouts, while three are University of Idaho alums. Four also played high school ball in the Gem State.

Three players with connections to Idaho reached the end zone, and an Idaho alum had a touchdown called back.

Below is a look at how players with Idaho ties performed during Week 3 of the NFL regular season.

BOISE STATE

TE, John Bates, No. 87 Washington Football Team: Came off the bench and played one snap on offense and 11 on special teams (38%). He was whistled for an offensive holding penalty on a kick return in the third quarter of Washington’s 43-21 loss to Buffalo.

G, Ezra Cleveland, No. 72 Minnesota Vikings: Started at left guard and played all 75 of the Vikings’ offensive snaps and six on special teams as they beat Seattle 30-17.

CB, Dont’e Deayon, No. 21 Los Angeles Rams: Deayon is a member of the Rams’ practice squad and was not called up for their 34-24 win over Tampa Bay.

WR, John Hightower, No. 82 Philadelphia Eagles: Hightower is a member of the Eagles’ practice squad and was not called up for their 41-21 loss to Dallas.

DE, DeMarcus Lawrence, No. 90 Dallas Cowboys: Lawrence is expected to miss six to eight weeks after fracturing a foot during practice on Sept. 15.

OT, Charles Leno Jr., No. 72 Washington Football Team: Started at left tackle and played all 54 of Washington’s offensive snaps and three on special teams (10%).

RB, Alexander Mattison, No. 25 Minnesota Vikings: Got the start in place of injured starter Dalvin Cook and ran for a career-high tying 112 yards on 26 carries, with a long of 24 yards. He also caught six passes for 59 yards while playing 51 snaps on offense (68%). His 171 yards from scrimmage are a career high.

“(Cook) knew I was ready for the opportunity, and he told me just go run with it,” Mattison told ESPN. “He’s with me every step of the way. I come to the sideline, get some advice from him if he saw something. Most of the time, though, he’s telling me I was doing exactly what he would do, so that just made me proud to kind of be that little brother in a sense where I’m just there and trying to learn from him, and it prepared me for this moment. Being behind him these past couple years, it’s been a huge blessing for me and my game.”

RB, Jeremy McNichols, No. 28 Tennessee Titans: Came off the bench and caught his first receiving touchdown in the NFL on a 10-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill with 12:56 to go in the fourth quarter. He also added two carries for 6 yards and returned two kicks for 31 yards. McNichols played 18 snaps on offense and six on special teams as the Titans defeated Indianapolis 25-16. His only other NFL TD came on the ground in 2020.

DT, David Moa, No. 96 New York Giants: Moa is a member of the Giants’ practice squad and was not called up for their 17-14 loss to Atlanta.

G, John Molchon, No. 75 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Remained on injured reserve with a leg injury. He was expected to miss at least the first three weeks of the season. Molchon missed all of last season with an undisclosed leg injury.

C, Matt Paradis (Council High), No. 61 Carolina Panthers: Started at center and recovered a pair of fumbles by Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold, who was strip-sacked by Jonathan Greenard and then Ross Blacklock. Paradis played all 73 offensive snaps and one on special teams in Carolina’s 24-9 win over Houston.

QB, Brett Rypien, No. 4 Denver Broncos: Rypien is a member of the Broncos’ practice squad and was not called up for their 26-0 win over the N.Y. Jets. On Tuesday, Rypien was promoted to Denver’s active roster after another team expressed interest in signing him, according to 9News reporter Mike Klis.

“Can’t let go of QB who won his only start last year and is well-thought of for what he brings to QB room,” Klis wrote on Twitter.

S, Darian Thompson, No. 23 Dallas Cowboys: Thompson is a member of the Cowboys’ practice squad and is currently listed as injured.

ILB, Tanner Vallejo, No. 51 Arizona Cardinals: Came off the bench and played one snap on defense — committing a false start — and 21 snaps (72%) on special teams in Arizona’s 31-19 win over Jacksonville.

LB, Leighton Vander Esch (Salmon River High), No. 55 Dallas Cowboys: Got the start at outside linebacker and tied for second-most tackles on the team with four. He played 44 snaps on defense (76%) and three on special teams (10%) as the Cowboys defeated Philadelphia 41-21.

DE, Curtis Weaver, No. 59 Cleveland Browns: Weaver is a member of the Browns’ practice squad and was not called up for their 26-6 win over Chicago.

CB, Avery Williams, No. 35 Atlanta Falcons: Returned three punts for 24 yards — with a long of 15 — while playing 20 snaps on special teams (87%) and three on defense (4%). While playing cornerback, Williams defended one pass in Atlanta’s 17-14 win over the N.Y. Giants.

WR, Cedrick Wilson, No. 1 Dallas Cowboys: Came off the bench and scored his first receiving touchdown of the season — and third of his NFL career — on a 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott with 11:26 to play in the fourth quarter. Wilson caught two passes for 17 yards and returned one punt for 5 yards. He played 29 snaps on offense (38%) and eight on special teams (27%).

IDAHO

WR, Jeff Cotton, No. 88 Jacksonville Jaguars: Cotton is a member of the Jags’ practice squad and was not called up for their 31-19 loss to Arizona.

G/T, Jesse Davis, No. 77 Miami Dolphins: Started at left guard and played all 83 offensive snaps and five on special teams in the Dolphins’ 31-28 overtime loss to Las Vegas.

LB, Christian Elliss, No. 53 Philadelphia Eagles: Elliss is a member of the Eagles’ practice squad and was not called up for their 41-21 loss to Dallas.

LB, Kaden Elliss, No. 55 New Orleans Saints: Came off the bench and contributed four total tackles and a QB hurry in the Saints’ 28-13 win over New England. Late in the second quarter, Ellis pressured Patriots QB Mac Jones into an interception, which Saints cornerback P.J. Williams picked off and returned to the New England 9-yard line before fumbling. Elliss recovered the fumble at the 1-yard line and ran it in for a touchdown, but his TD was called back after the replay official ruled Williams’ knee was down before he lost control of the football. Ellis played 34 snaps on defense (47%) and 23 on special teams (79%).

DE, Benson Mayowa, No. 10 Seattle Seahawks: Mayowa was not on the Seahawks’ active roster for their 30-17 loss to Minnesota because of a neck injury.

RB, Elijhaa Penny, No. 39 New York Giants: Came off the bench and played eight snaps on offense and 13 on special teams, totaling two carries for 6 yards.

HIGH SCHOOLS

DE, Porter Gustin (Emmett High), No. 94 Cleveland Browns: Gustin is a member of the Browns’ practice squad and was not called up for their 26-6 win over Chicago.

QB, Taysom Hill (Highland High), No. 7 New Orleans Saints: Started on offense, though not at QB, and finished with six carries for 32 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He played 33 snaps on offense (53%) and five on special teams (17%).

OL, Tristen Hoge (Highland High), No. 69 Cleveland Browns: Hoge is a member of the Browns’ practice squad and was not called up for their 26-6 win over Chicago.

DT, Tommy Togiai (Highland High), No. 93 Cleveland Browns: Togiai was not on the Browns’ active roster for the third straight game.

DL, Jonah Williams (Rocky Mountain High), No. 92 Los Angeles Rams: Came off the bench and played seven snaps on defense (10%) and six on special teams (20%) but did not record any stats.