How Hawaii players fared in Week 7 of the NFL
Oct. 23—Jahlani Tavai, Patriots linebacker : Started at linebacker in the win over the Bills, getting in on three tackles (two solo ) on defense and one on a kickoff in the fourth quarter.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII—Jahlani Tavai, Patriots linebacker : Started at linebacker in the win over the Bills, getting in on three tackles (two solo ) on defense and one on a kickoff in the fourth quarter. He also hit Josh Allen once, the first time in his career he has hurries in successive games. That gives him 11 quarterback hits in his career, tying Pisa Tinoisamoa for third-most among players who went to Hawaii, behind Isaac Sopoaga (19 ) and Travis LaBoy (40 ) since it became a statistic in 2006.—Keith Kirkwood, Saints receiver : Came off the bench in the loss to the Jaguars on Thursday and didn't receive a target for the second week in a row. He took 16 percent of the snaps on offense and that number has decreased four weeks in a row. He is also down to 19 percent of the special teams snaps.—Rigoberto Sanchez, Colts punter : Punted the ball five times for an average of 52 yards in the loss to the Browns. He also served as holder on Matt Gay's two field goals (one of them was blocked ) and five extra points.
FARRINGTON—Breiden Fehoko, Steelers defensive lineman : Was declared inactive before the win over the Rams. Fehoko played the first three years of his career in Los Angeles and called SoFi Stadium home before signing with Pittsburgh.
KAHUKU—Alohi Gilman, Chargers safety : Was declared inactive for the 31-17 loss to the Chiefs because of a heel issue that forced him to miss practice on Wednesday and Friday. His replacement, Dean Marlowe, led the Chargers with 11 tackles, 10 of them solo. Gilman has missed three straight games after starting the first three games of the season, the first time he had started three in a row in his career.
KEAAU—Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Ravens offensive line : Was not active in the win over the Lions as he awaits his NFL debut. Only two of the offensive linemen selected after Aumavae-Laulu, Jarrett Patterson of Houston and Pittsburgh's Spencer Anderson, have seen action already. Seven haven't.
KAMEHAMEHA—Kamu Grugier-Hill, Panthers linebacker : Carolina had a bye this week and hopes to get its first win of the season on Sunday against Houston.
LEILEHUA—Netane Muti, Raiders offensive lineman : Was sent back down to the practice squad after playing six special teams snaps in his Raiders debut in week six.
PUNAHOU—DeForest Buckner, Colts defensive tackle : Started in the loss to the Browns, getting in on five tackles (three solo ), hitting the quarterback once and batting down a pass. Buckner nearly had the first interception of his career in the second quarter but the call was overturned and was whistled for roughing the passer in the third quarter. It was Buckner's first game without fellow defensive tackle Grover Stewart since coming to Indianapolis in 2020, as Stewart was suspended six games for using performance-enhancing substances.
"It's unfortunate it happened to him, " Buckner told si.com. "We all know Grove's character and we know that he would never intentionally cheat himself or cheat the game. We're all responsible for what we put in our bodies. We've all got to make sure we take the right steps to knowing what's going in our body. It was just unfortunate that it was him."—Kaimi Fairbairn, Texans kicker : Houston was on a bye this week and returns against Carolina on Sunday. Fairbairn is currently No. 10 on the NFL's career list for field goal accuracy ; there are seven active kickers in the top 10.—Andrei Iosivas, Bengals receiver : Cincinnati had a bye this week and returns next week at San Francisco. Iosivas still plays mostly on special teams but caught his first career touchdown pass last week and is one of the 14 wide receivers from that draft to score. Nineteen of them have not scored a touchdown yet, including a first rounder.
SAINT LOUIS—Nate Herbig, Steelers offensive line : Came off the bench in the win over the Rams with James Daniels returning from two games off with injury. Herbig had played 100 percent of the snaps in the previous two games before the veteran returned.—Nick Herbig, Steelers linebacker : Earned his first career sack in the win over the Rams. Despite entering the game limited with a quad issue, Herbig took down Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford at midfield in the second quarter. Herbig finished with two tackles on defense and one on kick coverage.—Marcus Mariota, Eagles quarterback : Mariota was active but didn't play in the win over the Dolphins. It was his third time playing the Dolphins with Tua Tagovailoa on the team, but they have never taken the field in the same game.
"It's a full-circle moment, " Mariota told si.com before the game. "I've known Tua since he was a young man. And even at a young age, he had the skills and the abilities that we all kind of looked at each other like, he's going to be pretty good. To see where he's at now and all the things that he's persevered through, it's been really, really cool for me."—Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins quarterback : Completed 23 passes for 216 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the loss to the Eagles. Tagovailoa was sacked three times and ran once for a loss of 3 yards. The Dolphins have lost their last six contests when Tagovailoa has been sacked multiple times and has won seven straight when he has not been sacked or taken down once.
WAIANAE—Kana'i Mauga, Raiders linebacker : Came off the bench and had the first defensive snaps of his career in the loss to the Bears, assisting on two tackles on short passes after starting linebacker Robert Spillane was injured early in the third quarter. Spillane returned a series later. The Raiders gave up a touchdown on Mauga's lone drive in defense.
