Week 3 gave Maryland football fans a familiar sight: Terps showing up all over the NFL landscape. Eleven alumni saw action by the time the week wrapped, and a handful of them played real roles on Sunday.
The biggest day belonged to Miami Dolphins safety Dante Trader Jr., who kept stacking good tape in his starting job. Against the Kansas City Chiefs, the second-year Terp logged nine tackles and broke up a pass in Miami’s 24-10 loss. He was on the field for 52 snaps and finished with the second-most tackles on the Dolphins’ defense.
Trader has settled into one of Miami’s safety spots and kept producing through the first three games. He’s up to 14 tackles and two pass deflections, and he picked off his first career interception in Week 1. Pro Football Focus has graded him above 70 in both run defense and tackling over those three games, and his tackling grade against Kansas City came in at 85.9.
The 23-year-old is trying to keep building as a starter while Miami searches for answers after an 0-3 start. The Dolphins head to Minnesota next, with a Week 4 matchup against the Vikings set for 4:05 p.m. Sunday.
Elsewhere, several other Terps had active weekends in different roles. Buffalo Bills receiver DJ Moore hauled in six catches on 10 targets for 67 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers, returning after being listed questionable all week with a shoulder injury.
Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still added three tackles and forced a fumble in that game. Bills running back Ty Johnson also got back on the field, catching four passes for 50 yards in his season debut after missing the first two weeks.
On the Commanders’ side, Stefon Diggs caught four passes on seven targets for 33 yards in a matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. Arizona kicker Chad Ryland stayed busy too, drilling three field goals against the San Francisco 49ers, including a long of 49 yards, and adding three extra points.
A few other Terps filled smaller but still notable roles. Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips had two tackles against Kansas City.
Falcons linebacker Josh Woods recorded one tackle against the Green Bay Packers. Raiders lineman DJ Glaze played every offensive snap and earned a 63.6 overall blocking grade from Pro Football Focus against the Saints.
Panthers lineman Corey Bullock logged 23 snaps against the Browns and received a 59.8 blocking grade from PFF. Vikings receiver Tai Felton was on offense for 32 snaps against the Buccaneers, with Kyler Murray targeting him twice but not finding a connection.
Not everyone was available. Jaguars safety Jalen Huskey was a healthy scratch against the New England Patriots, while Saints lineman Alan Herron stayed on the practice squad for Week 3.
Steelers lineman Spencer Anderson missed the Bengals game after suffering a bone chip in his right leg 11 plays into the Week 2 matchup with New England. Commanders safety Nick Cross sat out against Seattle after an undisclosed internal injury that landed him in the hospital and then allowed him to be released during Week 2.
Giants cornerback Deonte Banks was inactive against the Titans and has now missed two weeks with a calf injury. Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo also sat out against Seattle, missing a second straight game after a Week 1 hamstring injury.
On the practice squad and injured reserve front, Commanders defensive tackle Byron Cowart, Dolphins lineman Gottlieb Ayedze and Chargers lineman Josh Kaltenberger all remained on practice squads. 49ers defensive end Sam Okuayinonu stayed on injured reserve after early September foot surgery, with the team hoping for a late-season return. Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett remained on IR with a knee injury and is eligible to come back in Week 5 against the Jaguars. Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II also stayed on injured reserve after shoulder surgery; he was waived with an injury designation on Aug. 30, went unclaimed and reverted to Chicago’s IR, and can’t play unless he reaches an injury settlement with the Bears.
In Other News...
Maryland Football Faces An Ugly Fan Reality After UCLA Collapse
Marylands homecoming game against Rutgers was supposed to have a built-in buzz, but the secondary market is telling a different story. Ticket prices for the Oct. 17 matchup have slipped under $10, a sharp sign of how quickly fan interest has cooled after the loss to UCLA and a disappointing start that has already put pressure on the programs early-season momentum.
The attendance problem is now part of a bigger conversation inside the athletic department, where leaders are dealing with both the optics and the revenue hit that comes with a half-empty building. Maryland heads to Nebraska and Ohio State next, and by the time the Terps return home for Rutgers, the mood around the season will have had plenty of time to either recover or sink even further. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Defensive Surge Sets Up A Real Test For Marylands Offense
Nebraskas defense walked away from its Michigan State win with real momentum, and defensive coordinator Rob Aurich had plenty to like about what the Huskers put on tape. Forcing three turnovers in one game gave that group a clear lift, and Aurich pointed to the continued growth of the defensive tackles as another encouraging sign as Nebraska turns its attention to Maryland.
The matchup now shifts to a different kind of challenge, with Maryland quarterback Malik Washington giving Nebraska a new problem to solve. Aurich also flagged the Huskers need to handle tempo changes more cleanly, a detail that could matter plenty once the Terps start pushing the pace and testing whether Nebraskas recent defensive surge can hold up on the road. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Fans Have One Big Reason To Watch Nebraska This Week
Nebraskas 4-0 start has given the Cornhuskers a real sense of momentum, and a big part of that has been a defense that has helped carry the early season while the offense has settled in behind quarterback Anthony Colandrea. Its Nebraskas best opening run since 2016, which is why the game against Maryland carries a little extra intrigue for anyone watching the Big Ten race unfold.
Maryland brings a tempo attack that can force defenses to adjust on the fly, even if the Terrapins have had their share of recent struggles. For Nebraska, this is more than just another game on the schedule, because a tricky style matchup sits in front of what many around the league are circling as an anticipated meeting with Indiana. [Read more 🡒]