Terps in NFL: Chig Okonkwo notches new career high

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

Week 16 of the NFL season featured Maryland football alum coming through when their teams needed them the most.

For the second consecutive week, Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo put together a career performance in a close loss.

After setting a career high with eight catches in Week 15, Okonkwo outdid himself with nine catches and a career-high 81 receiving yards in a 38-30 loss at the Indianapolis Colts. Okonkwo averaged just 2.3 catches and 22.8 receiving yards per game in his first 13 games this season.

As he’s done consistently this season, Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland delivered in a big moment for Arizona. The Cardinals lost in overtime at the Carolina Panthers, 36-30, but Ryland helped extend the game.

He went 3 for 3 on field goal attempts against Carolina, with his last being a career-long 58-yard make to tie the game as the fourth-quarter clock expired.

Ryland also hit from 48 and 30 yards out.

Buffalo running back Ty Johnson was crucial in the Bills’ 24-21 win over the New England Patriots.

Johnson posted a season-high six carries against the Patriots for 30 yards. More than half of Johnson’s yardage Sunday, including a 12-yard first-down run, came on Buffalo’s final drive of the game.

Other players

• Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore hauled in seven of his 10 targets for 68 receiving yards.
• Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs remained inactive after being placed on injured reserve for a torn ACL.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Rakim Jarrett made a 6-yard catch, his first reception in four weeks.
• Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still posted three solo tackles and a pass deflection on Thursday Night Football.
• Chicago Bears defensive tackle Byron Cowart totaled three tackles (one solo).
• New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks returned from injury and made two tackles (one solo) against the Atlanta Falcons.
• Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage Jr. made a tackle and sustained a head injury against the Las Vegas Raiders.
• Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross made a solo tackle and deflected a pass.
• Las Vegas Raiders right tackle D.J. Glaze started his 12th straight game this season.
• San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Sam Okuayinonu made two tackles for the second straight week.
• New England Patriots defensive end Yannick Ngakoue made a solo tackle.
• Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson assisted on a tackle.
• Baltimore Ravens rookie safety Beau Brade and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Spencer Anderson played against each other on Saturday. Both saw the field on special teams.
• Cleveland Browns guard Michael Dunn saw game action against the Cincinnati Bengals.
• Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett remained on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
• Seattle Seahawks tight end Tyler Mabry remained on the team’s practice squad.