Clemson in NFL: A former player sports the Tiger Paw and ties his season best

When rookie sensation and former Clemson Tiger Deshaun Watson was lost for the season with an ACL injury, some assumed we’d see a natural dip in statistics for another ex-Tiger: fellow Houston Texan DeAndre Hopkins.

But Hopkins has continued his torrid play, so much so that his performance this past weekend — eight receptions for 80 yards — could be considered a disappointment. It was his first time not having at least 100 yards receiving or a touchdown catch since Week 3.

All told, however, Hopkins remains at or near the top of just about every major statistical category for wideouts in the NFL: He leads the league in targets and is tied for first in touchdown catches, second in receiving yards, second in catches of at least 20 yards, second in first-down catches and tied for fourth in receptions.

On Sunday, Hopkins was playing for a good cause, sporting white cleats with purple stripes in support of Aid for Victims of Domestic Abuse as part of the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” week.

Former Clemson kicker Chandler Catanzaro also participated in the charitable effort, directly supporting his alma mater with cleats bearing the Tiger paw to benefit Clemson LIFE, a program designed for students with intellectual disabilities.

Catanzaro also had a strong performance for the New York Jets in their win against Tampa Bay, going a perfect 3 for 3 on field goals with a long of 47 yards. Those three kicks match his season high and also the first time he has needed only three attempts to get them. He has gone four consecutive games without a miss.

For the Atlanta Falcons, old college teammates Vic Beasley Jr. and Grady Jarrett both put up big numbers, with Beasley recording a season high in solo tackles, with five, while Jarrett picked up five tackles and a sack. Jarrett is within striking distance of setting career highs in season tackles and sacks with four games still left to play.

How they fared

Dwayne Allen, TE, New England Patriots: 1 catch on 1 targets for 3 yards, his fourth consecutive game with at least one catch

Stephone Anthony, LB, Miami Dolphins: 5 tackles, 4 solo

Mackensie Alexander, CB, Minnesota Vikings: 1 pass defended, his fourth in four weeks

Vic Beasley Jr., LB, Atlanta Falcons: 5 tackles, all solo, his season high. Wore red, white and blue cleats for the Rally Foundation, which raises awareness of child cancer research

Andre Branch, DE, Miami Dolphins: 1 tackle, 1 sack, his fourth on the season, wore bronze cleats for equality

Bashaud Breeland, CB, Washington Redskins: 2 tackles, both solo, 1 pass defended, tied for sixth in the league in passes defended

Jaron Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals: No targets or catches for the first time since Week 1. Wore silver and red cleats for the Wounded Warriors Project

Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: Yet to play

Chandler Catanzaro, K, New York Jets: 3 for 3 on field goals with a long of 47 yards, 3 for 3 on extra points, wore white cleats for Clemson LIFE

Kevin Dodd, LB, Tennessee Titans: 1 tackle, his second week in a row with 1 stop, 3 total this season

Andre Ellington, RB, Houston Texans: 2 attempts for -4 yards, 5 catches for 56 yards, his first stats with the Texans

Wayne Gallman, RB, New York Giants: 3 rushing attempts for 11 yards, 1 catch for 8 yards, his third consecutive game with a reception

Marcus Gilchrist, S, Houston Texans: 4 tackles, all solo, 1 pass defended, his fifth of the season

B.J. Goodson, LB, New York Giants: 4 tackles, 2 solo, but left early with an ankle injury

T.J. Green, S, Indianapolis Colts: 5 tackles, 3 solo, both tied for season highs. Wore pink and blue cleats for the March of Dimes in honor of his daughter

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans: 8 catches on 14 targets for 80 yards, wore white cleats with purple stripes to support Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA)

Adam Humphries, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4 catches on 4 targets for 33 yards, his second consecutive game with that many receptions

Grady Jarrett, DT, Atlanta Falcons: 5 tackles, 3 solo and 1 sack, wore cleats for Rockdale Coalition, which supports children and families

Jarvis Jenkins, DT, Kansas City Chiefs: Played but recorded no stats, wore red, white and blue cleats for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Jayron Kearse, S, Minnesota Vikings: 1 tackle, his seventh of the season, which exceeds the total from his rookie season

Shaq Lawson, DE, Buffalo Bills: 2 tackles, 1 sack, his fourth on the season. Wore cleats for cystic fibrosis

Jordan Leggett, TE, New York Jets: DNP, injured reserve

Byron Maxwell, CB, Seattle Seahawks: 7 tackles, 4 solo, 2 passes defended

Charone Peake, WR, New York Jets: DNP, injured reserve

Bradley Pinion, P, San Francisco 49ers: 2 punts for 72 yards with a long of 44, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Wore one orange cleat and one American flag-themed one to support Convoy of Hope

D.J. Reader, DT, Houston Texans: 1 tackle, his lowest mark on the season, wore white, orange and black cleats for the National Kidney Foundation in honor of his late father

Coty Sensabaugh, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers: Yet to play

Tyler Shatley, G, Jacksonville Jaguars: Appeared in his 12^th game of the season but did not start

Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Miami Dolphins: 2 tackles, now has 31 in his rookie season

Sammy Watkins, WR, Los Angeles Rams: 3 catches on 4 targets for 38 yards and a touchdown, has scored four times in five games, wore gray cleats with colored ribbons to support his grandparents and father who battled cancer

Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans: DNP, injured reserve

Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers: DNP with a knee injury suffered last week

This story was originally published December 4, 2017 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Clemson in NFL: A former player sports the Tiger Paw and ties his season best."