Locals in the NFL: After pair of injury setbacks, Tim Patrick right where he needs to be in Detroit

AROUND THE SHIELD — There are plenty of reasons to help explain the Detroit Lions' back-to-back 12-win seasons — from former Desert Hills lineman Penei Sewell to Jared Goff, who has thrown for 3,759 yards and 30 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 2024.

But, perhaps, none are more awe-inspiring than Tim Patrick.

The former Utah wide receiver caught his third touchdown in two weeks Sunday before the Lions lost a shootout to the Buffalo Bills 48-42 that dropped Detroit to 12-2 on the year.

But with 379 yards on 31 receptions in 13 games this year, Patrick is proving he's exactly where he needs to be.

The 31-year-old former Utah standout motored to Detroit at the start of the season having not played a snap in each of the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos, when he tore an ACL one season and ruptured his Achilles' tendon in another.

Patrick scored two touchdowns on 43 yards last week in a 34-31 win over the Green Bay Packers, then added 30 yards on four receptions, including a 12-yard touchdown in the second quarter Sunday afternoon from Goff.

"The journey was long," Patrick said last week, per 97.1 radio in Detroit. "But it was worth it. It made me the man I am today, and it brought me here to Detroit.

"I've won the most games I've won in my career, just had a two-touchdown performance on Thursday Night Football," he added. "I got, like, 30 reporters in front of me right now. I'm blessed for this team."

He's also quickly become a fan-favorite in Detroit, and a star around his teammates.

"I'm so happy he's on our team," said Goff, who threw for 494 yards and five touchdowns in Sunday's loss, his second game of the year topping 400 yards and ninth without an interception.

But Josh Allen threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two scores, and former Weber State cornerback Taron Johnson recovered the game-clinching onside kick attempt in the final moments to help the Bills hold on to win Sunday's shootout.

"A whole lot of pulling, a whole lot of pinching, putting fingers where they're not supposed to be — all that stuff," Johnson said in the postgame locker room in describing the final play. "We did a good job on that play."

Patrick and Johnson weren't the only former Utah high school and college football standout to excel in Week 15 of the 2024 NFL regular season. Here are the others.

Monday Night Football

Minnesota 30, Chicago 12

Vikings (12-2)

• No locals on the active roster

Bears (4-10)

• Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah: Starting cornerback had three tackles with a tackle for loss
• Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah/Murray: Inactive for Week 15
• Noah Sewell, LB, Orem (via Oregon): Inactive for Week 15

Atlanta 15, Las Vegas 9

Falcons (7-7)

• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Reserve tailback ran for 43 yards on 12 carries
• Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah: Active, but did not play
• Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial (via Idaho): Starting linebacker posted a game-high 11 tackles with a sack and two quarterback hits

Raiders (2-12)

• Andre James, OC, Herriman (via UCLA): Rotated at center
• Jackson Powers-Johnson, OG, Corner Canyon (via Oregon): Started at center

Sunday Night Football

Green Bay 30, Seattle 13

Packers (10-4)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Starting quarterback completed 20-of-27 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns without an interception or a sack taken
• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury: Reserve safety also downed a punt on special teams
• Chris Brooks, RB, BYU: Reserve running back had 6 yards on one carry, and caught one pass for 9 yards

Seahawks (8-5)

• Sataoa Laumea, OG, Utah: Started at right guard
• Jaren Hall, QB, BYU/Maple Mountain: Inactive for Week 15

Sunday afternoon

Dallas 30, Carolina 14

Cowboys (6-8)

• Nick Vigil, LB, Utah State/Fremont: Reserve linebacker also played on special teams

Panthers (3-11)

• Brady Christensen, OG, BYU/Bountiful: Reserve lineman also played on special teams
• Deven Thompkins, WR, Utah State: Returned three kickoffs for 88 yards, including a long return of 33 yards on special teams

Kansas City 21, Cleveland 7

Chiefs (13-1)

• Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU/Orem: Reserve tackle also played on special teams

Browns (3-11)

• Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker made three tackles
• Winston Reid, LB, Weber State/Copper HIlls: Reserve linebacker also played on special teams

Houston 20, Miami 12

Texans (9-5)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham (via Stanford): Starting tight end caught two passes for 13 yards

Dolphins (6-8)

• Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Active, but did not play

New York 32, Jacksonville 25

Jets (4-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Jaguars (3-11)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker had one tackle and a quarterback hit

Washington 20, New Orleans 19

Commanders (9-5)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Inactive for Week 15
• Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: Starting linebacker made five tackles with a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit

Saints (5-9)

• Dallin Holker, TE, BYU/Lehi (via Colorado State): Reserve tight end also played on special teams
• Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU: Reserve runningback returned two kickoffs for 57 yards (28.5 yards per return)

Baltimore 35, New York 14

Ravens (9-5)

• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker had three tackles, including a sack for a 7-yard loss
• Marcus Williams, S, Utah: Inactive for Week 15

Giants (2-12)

• No locals on the active roster

Cincinnati 37, Tennessee 27

Bengals (6-8)

• Tanner McLachlan, TE, Southern Utah (via Arizona): Inactive for Week 15
• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham (via USC): Reserve defensive tackle made one stop

Titans (3-11)

• Gabe Jeudy-Lally, CB, BYU (via Tennessee): Reserve cornerback also played on special teams

Arizona 30, New England 17

Cardinals (7-7)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger: Inactive for Week 15

Patriots (3-11)

• Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker had four tackles

Denver 31, Indianapolis 13

Broncos (9-5)

• Zach Wilson, QB, BYU/Corner Canyon: Inactive for Week 15
• Cody Barton, LB, Utah/Brighton: Starting linebacker made eight tackles
• Garett Bolles, OT, Utah/Snow/Westlake: Started at left tackle
• Jonah Elliss, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker had two tackles and a tackle for loss on defense, and one tackle on special teams
• Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah: Starting receiver was targeted one time

Colts (6-8)

• Blake Freeland, OT, BYU/Herriman: Reserve tackle also played on special teams
• Julian Blackmon, S, Utah/Layton: Starting safety made four tackles
• Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem: Kicked field goals of 37 and 49 yards with one PAT

Buffalo 48, Detroit 42

Bills (11-3)

• Cole Bishop, S, Utah: Starting safety totaled five tackles
• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Starting tight end caught four passes for 53 yards
• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Starting cornerback made eight tackles with a pass defended, and recovered an onside kick to clinch the win

Lions (12-2)

• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills (via Oregon): Started at right tackle
• Sione Vaki, RB, Utah: Reserve running back also made two tackles on special teams
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Reserve defensive end played 11 snaps on defense
• Tim Patrick, WR, Utah: Starting receiver caught four passes for 30 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown

Philadelphia 27, Pittsburgh 13

Eagles (12-2)

• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: Inactive for Week 15

Steelers (10-4)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East (via Oklahoma State): Reserve running back ran for 12 yards on four carries, caught one pass for 3 yards
• Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah: Reserve safety made one tackle and shared another on special teams

Thursday Night Football

Los Angeles 12, San Francisco 6

Rams (8-6)

• Puka Nacua, WR, BYU/Orem: Starting receiving caught seven passes for game-high 97 yards, ran twice for 11 yards on offense

49ers (6-8)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker totaled a game-high 15 tackles and a pass defended

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