Terps in the NFL: Ngakoue records first sack and Diggs scores again

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

A third of the NFL’s 2024 regular season is in the books, and most recently, a handful of Maryland football alums made their presence known in Week 6.

After being picked up by the Baltimore Ravens late last month, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue was flying into the Washington Commanders’ backfield in Baltimore’s 30-23 win.

Helping the Ravens win their fourth consecutive game, the nine-year NFL veteran flashed speed off the edge, collapsing the Commanders’ pocket for a big fourth-quarter sack of Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels.

The sack is Ngakoue’s only tackle this season and represents his first recorded sack since he was with the Bears in last year’s regular season finale.

Ngakoue was teammates in Chicago last season with wide receiver D.J. Moore who, still on the Bears, had a quiet performance on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In Chicago’s 35-16 beatdown of the Jaguars in London, Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was spraying the ball all over Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, setting new career-highs with four passing touchdowns on a 79% completion percentage. But even with the success, Chicago’s wide receiver rarely needed to be involved.

Moore finished with only four catches on a season-low five targets and 20 yards. The yardage total is Moore’s lowest in a single game since Week 15 of last season; in that game, Moore had 18 yards against the Arizona Cardinals, his only time finishing a game with 20 or fewer yards in all of 2023.

Unlike Moore, Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs was heavily utilized in his team’s Week 6 win. Being emphasized more in Houston’s offense with receiver Nico Collins recently being placed on injured reserve, Diggs hauled in six catches for a team-high 77 yards and a touchdown against the New England Patriots.

The Texans ended up beating New England 41-21 with Digg’s score being a 10-yard post route in the second quarter for his first receiving touchdown this season.

Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland was again called up from the team’s practice squad this week to start against the Green Bay Packers. In a 34-13 losing effort at Lambeau, Ryland was perfect, making both field goal attempts and nailing an extra point try.

Ryland hit from 38 and 40 yards out against Green Bay. The 2022 second-team All-Big Ten selection is now five for six on field goal attempts across two straight starts with Arizona.

Las Vegas right tackle D.J. Glaze started his third consecutive game for the Raiders, proving to be ready for his head-to-head moment against one of the league’s best defenders.

In Las Vegas’ 32-13 loss to Pittsburgh, Glaze contained former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, holding him to zero quarterback pressures in a game for the first time since 2018.

Other players

• San Francisco 49ers defensive end Sam Okuayinonu recorded two tackles and his second sack this season.

• Baltimore Ravens rookie safety Beau Brade made his NFL debut against the Washington Commanders, logging his first career assisted tackle.
• Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo tied a season-high with three catches for six yards and a first down.
• Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson carried the ball four times for 34 yards on Monday Night Football.
• Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross had eight total tackles and one tackle for loss against the Tennessee Titans.
• New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks made three solo and five total tackles versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
• Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage Jr. contributed in London with two solo tackles.
• Los Angeles Chargers safety Tarheeb Still posted three tackles.
• Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett made a solo tackle.
• Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Spencer Anderson came in as a reserve.
• Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson was inactive for the first time this season.
• Seattle Seahawks tight end Tyler Mabry did not play.
• Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Michael Dunn was active but did not play.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Rakim Jarrett remained on injured reserve.