Terps in the NFL: Moore, Okonkwo make big impacts

Here’s how former Maryland football players performed in the NFL this past week.

Week 12 of the NFL season featured a few Maryland football alumni finding the end zone for the first time in weeks.

No alum came through in a more important moment this weekend than Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo.

For the second time in three weeks, Okonkwo only had one catch on his lone target, but the 2021 All-Big Ten honorable mention’s reception Sunday against the Houston Texans may have been the biggest of his career.

With Tennessee down 23-20 and less than 10 minutes to play at Houston, Okonkwo caught a pass just short of the chains on first down. But Okonkwo then hit another level, gaining the yardage needed and then some while racing in for a 70-yard game-winning touchdown.

The touchdown was Okonkwo’s first since Week 1 against the Chicago Bears and represents the longest reception in his three-year NFL career.

For the second straight week, Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore hauled in all seven of his targets. But on Sunday in an overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Moore scored for the first time in more than a month.

In the second quarter at Soldier Field, Moore brought in a screen pass from quarterback Caleb Williams and scurried 10 yards for a Bears touchdown. Moore finished the game with a team-high 106 receiving yards, his first game with more than 100 yards since Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers.

Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland provided all of Arizona’s offense on Sunday in a 16-6 loss at the Seattle Seahawks.

Ryland went 2 for 3 on field goal attempts, making tries from 35 and 22 yards out before missing a fourth-quarter 47-yard attempt. In 24 career games played, Sunday was the first time in Ryland’s NFL career in which he made multiple field goals and accounted for all of his team’s points.

Other players

• San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Sam Okuayinonu made three tackles for a second consecutive week, also adding a tackle for loss.
• Cleveland Browns guard Michael Dunn and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Spencer Anderson played against each other in the snow on Thursday Night Football.
• Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs remained inactive after being placed on season-ending IR for a torn ACL.
• New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks tied a season-high with six tackles and five solo tackles to go with a pass deflection.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Rakim Jarrett caught his only target for a season-long 30 yards against the New York Giants. Banks was in coverage on the play.
• Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage Jr. and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson were on bye week.
• Las Vegas Raiders right tackle D.J. Glaze started his eighth game this season.
• Chicago Bears defensive tackle Byron Cowart had a solo tackle and assisted tackle.
• New England Patriots defensive end Yannick Ngakoue made his first two tackles with the team after signing on Nov. 8.
• Baltimore Ravens rookie safety Beau Brade was active and played on Monday Night Football.
• Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett didn’t play.
• Seattle Seahawks tight end Tyler Mabry remained on the team’s practice squad.