Week 5 of the NFL season included Maryland football alums making plays everywhere: a two-touchdown scorer, an interception and even a game-winning kick from a practice squad-pullup.
In his lone active appearance so far this season, Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland was ready for his moment against the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers. In Santa Clara, Ryland nailed a 35-yard game-winning kick to give Arizona a 23-20 lead with 97 seconds left.
Ryland finished the game tying a career-high with three field goals on four attempts, also hitting from 30 and 42 yards out.
Against his former team, Chicago’s DJ Moore was a deep ball-threat in the Bears’ 36-10 win over the Carolina Panthers. Moore hauled in five of his eight targets for a season-high 105 yards, catching two first-half touchdowns that were each more than 30 yards. Sunday’s performance represented the fifth multi-touchdown game of his seven-year career and the first game in which Moore caught two or more touchdowns from 30-plus yards out.
Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs also picked up a win on Sunday while welcoming a former team into his new home. Diggs’ game-high six catches, eight targets and 82 yards paced the Texans in their 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills.
In a 37-34 losing effort to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross pulled in the only interception thrown by Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence on the quarterback’s 25th birthday.
Covering rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. on a deep third-quarter pass, Cross undercut Thomas’ route and plucked Lawrence’s pass out of the air, preventing the Jaguars from moving the ball to the red zone and potentially taking a two-score lead.
The takeaway was Cross’ second career interception in 38 games played.
In the Giants-Seahawks game, another former Maryland defensive back came up with a big third-quarter turnover.
Giants cornerback Deonte Banks helped New York in its 29-20 win by wrapping up Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf on a tackle inside the Giants’ 35-yard line, punching the ball free for a forced fumble. Banks’ rookie teammate Tyler Nubin then scooped the fumble up for New York’s lone turnover in the win.
It was his first career forced fumble.
Other players
- Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson posted three carries for 15 yards.
- Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage Jr. contributed a season-high three tackles.
- Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett made two solo tackles.
- Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle DJ Glaze appeared off the bench at right tackle.
- Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Spencer Anderson came in as a reserve on Sunday Night Football.
- Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue played for the first time this season.
- Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson played, but did not record a tackle for the first time this season.
- Los Angeles Chargers safety Tarheeb Still and Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo were both on bye.
- Seattle Seahawks tight end Tyler Mabry did not play.
- Baltimore Ravens safety Beau Brade remained inactive.
- Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Michael Dunn was taken off the reserve/non-football illness list, but did not play.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Rakim Jarrett remained on injured reserve.
