While several college football programs are heading into the final month of the regular season around the state of Utah, former local stars are reaching the midway point in the pros.
From former Ute Eric Weddle continuing to maintain his status as a top-flight defender and ex-Cougar Brett Keisel making one of the year's most interesting plays, it's been a busy first half of the season.
For other locals, like Dennis Pitta and Kyle Van Noy of BYU, injuries have derailed the first half.
Here's a look at several awards at the midway point of the 2014 season for Utah ties in the NFL.
OFFENSIVE MVP
Alex Smith, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Smith has quietly led the Chiefs into playoff contention in a tough AFC West division, with 1,692 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions through the first half of the season. Those numbers are more impressive for the former Ute quarterback in the past six games, as he’s led the Chiefs to a 5-1 record — including wins over New England, Miami and division rival San Diego — while throwing for 10 touchdowns to one interception.
Runner-up: Steve Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens. A new home in Baltimore hasn’t stopped the former Utah wide receiver from producing in his 14th season in the NFL. Through the first half of the season, he has 46 receptions for 711 yards and four touchdowns and is well on his way to his eighth 1,000 receiving season of his pro career. The only thing keeping Smith from earning the offensive MVP is his production has slowed in recent weeks.
DEFENSIVE MVP
Eric Weddle, FS, San Diego Chargers
The two-time Pro Bowl defender is having another standout season leading a Chargers defense that is 11th in the league in pass defense, giving up 229.1 passing yards per game. Weddle, a former Ute, has a team-leading 64 tackles halfway through the season, including an eye-popping 51 solo tackles. The disruptive Weddle also has six pass deflections, a forced fumble and an interception. The only downside? San Diego has lost three straight after a 5-1 start. The Chargers will try to end the skid Nov. 16 against the Oakland Raiders.
Runner-up: Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Detroit Lions. The pass rusher out of BYU is coming into his own in his second season in the NFL. Ansah leads the Lions, the NFL’s top-ranked defensive team, with 4.5 sacks, and his 26 tackles are sixth on the squad; he also has added a pair of forced fumbles. Ansah’s best game came against Minnesota on Oct. 12, when he had five tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in a 17-3 Lions victory.
ROOKIE MVP
Xavier Su’a-Filo, OL, Houston Texans
Su’a-Filo was taken early in the second round (33rd overall) by the Texans in this year’s draft, and he’s delivered by playing on the line in eight of the nine games for Houston this year. That includes one start for the Timpview High product against Indianapolis on Oct. 9.
Runner-up: Tenny Palepoi, DE, San Diego Chargers. Palepoi made the Chargers’ opening-day active roster as an undrafted free agent and he’s stayed on the active roster all through the first half of the season. So far, Palepoi — a Utah, Snow College Skyline High product — has played in nine games and recorded seven tackles.
BEST PLAY
Brett Keisel, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers, The “Immaculate Interception”
Is it blasphemous to call Keisel’s interception against the Texans on Oct. 20 the “immaculate interception”? A little bit. But for a 13-year veteran — with BYU and Snow College ties — to make his second career interception by deflecting the ball at the line, then grabbing the ball one-handed once it bounced off a teammate’s helmet, it’s OK to break the rules sometimes.
Runner-up: Steve Smith’s first of two touchdowns vs. his old team. Smith clearly had a point to prove when he faced his old team, the Carolina Panthers, on Sept. 28. His stat line is perfect evidence: seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens’ 38-10 win. His first touchdown was particularly beautiful, as Smith caught a pass that was tipped by teammate Owen Daniels, then ran the final 40 yards untouched on a 61-yard TD pass.
BEST SURPRISE STARTER
Matt Asiata, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Asiata went from backup to starter when news broke of the Adrian Peterson child abuse allegations in September. He’s responded by rushing for 277 yards and six touchdowns on 84 carries this season. The Hunter High product who played collegiately at Snow and Utah has started four games and caught 22 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown, though he’s been splitting carries with Jerick McKinnon more in recent weeks. Fun fact: Asiata’s nine career rushing touchdowns have come in three games. In each game, he’s rushed for three touchdowns, including last Sunday’s 29-26 win over Washington.
Runner-up: Jordan Devey, OL, New England Patriots. Devey is a second-year pro out of American Fork who spent last year on the practice squad. Now, the 6-foot-6 lineman who also played collegiately at Snow for two years has started four games this season for the Patriots and played in six games overall.
THE INCOMPLETE AWARD
Kyle Van Noy, LB, Detroit Lions
Van Noy’s pro career was put on hold when he underwent surgery for a sports hernia in August. The injury caused the Lions to put him on the short-term injured reserve, which meant he couldn’t return to the playing field until after Week 8. Well, the time has arrived, as the former BYU star returned to the practice field already and is aiming to make his first appearance in the regular season Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
BEST RIVALRY MOVE
Will Tukuafu, FB, Seattle Seahawks
Tukuafu, an East High alum, switched from one NFC West rival to another in late October. The former 49er was shelved went he went on the injured reserve, but he reached an injury settlement with San Francisco on Sept. 8. He joined the rival Seahawks on Oct. 29, after Seattle needed help at the fullback position when starter Derrick Coleman went out for the season with a foot injury. Another little local twist to the story: former Utah State running back Robert Turbin filled in as the starting fullback after Coleman went down.
MILESTONE MAN
John Denney, LS, Miami Dolphins
One of the most under-the-radar local ties in the NFL recently hit a nice milestone in his career. Denney, who played on the defensive line at BYU, played in his 150th consecutive regular-season game on Oct. 19 against Chicago. The Dolphins’ longest tenured player has never missed a regular-season game in his 10-year career.
TOUGHEST BREAK
Dennis Pitta, TE, Baltimore Ravens
A once-promising career for Pitta doesn't have a clear future after the former BYU tight end dislocated and fractured his right hip in a 23-21 Ravens victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 21, ending his 2014 season. That came one year after Pitta fractured and dislocated the same hip during training camp. “In a few months, we’ll see how I’m feeling and how things are going, and we’ll be able to make some determinations then," Pitta told the Baltimore Sun about his prognosis in late October. "It’s still too early to kind of tell, and I’ll continue on like I did last year and get myself ready to get back on the field.”
MOST QUESTIONABLE CALL
Weddle audibling to a fake punt on fourth and 35
In the Chargers’ 31-28 win over Oakland on Oct. 12, Eric Weddle, who plays on the Chargers’ punt team, called for an audible on fourth and 35 at the Raiders 46. Weddle audibled to a pass play, received the snap and threw an incomplete pass to receiver Seyi Ajirotutu. It led to a Raiders touchdown on the ensuing drive. “I could probably say that was not the smartest decision I’ve made in eight years,” Weddle told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Here's a look at all the Utah ties on NFL rosters as of Thursday:
Buffalo Bills
Stevenson Sylvester, LB, Utah (on injured reserve)
Miami Dolphins
Will Davis, CB, Utah State
John Denney, LS, BYU
Koa Misi, LB, Utah
Derrick Shelby, DE, Utah
Sam Brenner, C, Utah (practice squad)
New England Patriots
Jordan Devey, OL, Snow College and American Fork High
Sealver Siliga, DT, Utah and Copper Hills High (on injured reserve, designated to return)
New York Jets
Trevor Reilly, OLB, Utah (rookie)
Tevita Finau, DT, Utah (practice squad)
Baltimore Ravens
Haloti Ngata, DT, Highland High
Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU (on injured reserve)
Steve Smith Sr., WR, Utah
Cincinnati Bengals
Jake Murphy, TE, Utah and American Fork High (rookie) (practice squad)
Cleveland Browns
Paul Kruger, LB, Utah and Timpanogos High
Paul McQuistan, OL, Weber State
Pittsburgh Steelers
Brett Keisel, DE, BYU and Snow College
Brice McCain, CB, Utah
Houston Texans
Xavier Su’a-Filo, OL, Timpview High and UCLA (rookie)
Anthony Denham, TE, Utah (rookie) (practice squad)
Jacksonville Jaguars
Zane Beadles, G, Utah and Hillcrest High
Kansas City Chiefs
Alex Smith, QB, Utah
Sean Smith, CB, Utah
Daniel Sorensen, S, BYU (rookie)
Hebron Fangupo, DT, BYU (practice squad)
Oakland Raiders
Tony Bergstrom, OL, Utah and Skyline High
Keith McGill, CB, Utah (rookie)
Donald Penn, T, Utah State
Bojay Filimoeatu, LB, Utah State and Granger High (rookie) (practice squad)
Spencer Hadley, ILB, BYU (rookie) (practice squad)
San Diego Chargers
Tenny Palepoi, DT, Utah, Snow College and Skyline High (rookie)
Eric Weddle, FS, Utah
Dallas Cowboys
Reggie Dunn, WR, Utah (practice squad)
New York Giants
Dallas Reynolds, C, BYU and Timpview High
Washington Redskins
Tevita Stevens, OL, Utah (practice squad)
Chicago Bears
Stephen Paea, DT, Snow College, Timpview High and Oregon State
Detroit Lions
Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU
Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State (rookie) (on injured reserve)
Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (rookie)
Green Bay Packers
Jarrett Bush, CB, Utah State
Tay Glover-Wright, CB, Utah State (practice squad)
Joe Kruger, DE, Utah and Pleasant Grove High (practice squad)
Minnesota Vikings
Matt Asiata, RB, Utah, Snow College and Hunter High
Atlanta Falcons
Paul Soliai, DT, Utah
Carolina Panthers
Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah, Snow College and Bingham High
Arizona Cardinals
Kerwynn Williams, RB, Utah State
St. Louis Rams
Maurice Alexander, S, Utah State (rookie)
San Francisco 49ers
Chuck Jacobs, WR, Utah State (on injured reserve)
Seattle Seahawks
Will Tukuafu, FB, East High
Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State
Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State
Email: bjudd@deseretnews.com; Twitter: @brandonljudd