Week 4 closed with 15 Maryland football alumni on NFL fields, but the biggest Terps moment belonged to Deonte Banks.
The New York Giants cornerback delivered the kind of finish that can flip a game in one snap, intercepting Jacoby Brissett on a fourth-down throw in the red zone and racing 98 yards for a touchdown to seal a 36-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. Arizona was trying to pull off a walk-off finish against New York when Brissett looked for Michael Wilson on a short curl route. Banks read it cleanly, jumped the pass and took it the other way for the score.
It was Banks’ first interception since his rookie season in 2023, and it doubled as his first career defensive touchdown. The Baltimore native also picked up his third career interception overall. He had already worked through a rough moment earlier in the game, bouncing back after a pass interference penalty while covering Marvin Harrison Jr. that helped move the Cardinals to the 8-yard line and give them a fresh set of downs.
Banks’ day went well beyond the game-clinching pick-six. He finished with four deflected passes and tackles in his return after missing two weeks with a calf injury. Pro Football Focus gave him an 88 overall grade and a 90 in pass coverage, and he missed only one tackle in 66 snaps.
The win pushed New York to 3-1 and into first place in the NFC East for the first time since 2022. The Giants head to Washington in Week 5 to face the Commanders on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
Elsewhere, several other Terps had notable roles in Week 4 action. Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs caught five passes on nine targets for 35 yards against the Indianapolis Colts, while tight end Chig Okonkwo returned after missing two games with a Week 1 hamstring injury and finished with two catches on four targets for five yards.
Miami Dolphins safety Dante Trader Jr. recorded five tackles against the Minnesota Vikings, and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips added one tackle in that same game. Vikings wide receiver Tai Felton caught one pass for 14 yards and played 46 offensive snaps. Jeshaun Jones also saw the field for Minnesota, making his season debut after serving a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance policy; he played three snaps against the Dolphins.
On the AFC side, Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore left Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots with a left shoulder injury after catching one pass for 11 yards and adding one rush for six yards. It was the same shoulder issue he dealt with in Week 2. Bills running back Ty Johnson had three rushing yards on one carry and added two catches for nine yards.
Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland converted a 60-yard field goal against the Giants and also hit three extra points. On the defensive side, Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still defended two passes against the Seattle Seahawks, and Raiders offensive lineman DJ Glaze received a 65 overall blocking grade from PFF against the Kansas City Chiefs while playing every snap.
There were also several Terps in supporting roles or on the move. Falcons linebacker Josh Woods made three tackles against the Saints.
Panthers offensive lineman Corey Bullock started against the Detroit Lions and played 81 snaps at left guard after Damien Lewis was ruled out with an UCL injury; PFF gave Bullock a 58.4 blocking grade. Commanders safety Nick Cross did not play in Week 2 and is expected to return to practice on Wednesday.
Among the roster and practice-squad updates, Jacksonville Jaguars safety Jalen Huskey was a healthy inactive against the Patriots, while Saints offensive lineman Alan Herron stayed on the practice squad. Safety Beau Brade signed with the Bengals’ practice squad on Sept.
- Commanders defensive tackle Byron Cowart, Dolphins offensive lineman Gottlieb Ayedze and Chargers offensive lineman Josh Kaltenberger all remained on practice squads for Week 4.
On injured reserve, 49ers defensive end Sam Okuayinonu remained sidelined after early September foot surgery, with the team hoping for a late-season return. Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett stayed on IR with a knee injury and is eligible to return in Week 5 against the Jaguars. Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II remained on IR after shoulder surgery and cannot play unless he reaches an injury settlement with Chicago.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson did not play against the Browns after suffering a bone chip in his right leg in Week 2. And longtime Terps running back Roman Hemby remained on the Raiders’ practice squad for Week 4.
In Other News...
Maryland Lands In Another Big Ten Officiating Controversy
A week after the final whistle, Maryland still finds itself tied to the fallout from a Big Ten game that left Nebraska irritated and the conference explaining itself. The league acknowledged that an officiating crew incorrectly enforced a roughing-the-snapper penalty during the Terrapins game against the Cornhuskers, a call that altered how an extra-point try was handled and added another layer to an already messy night.
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said there was a miscommunication with officials about whether the kick had been good, and he voiced frustration with the officiating throughout the game. The crew at the center of the controversy also drew criticism earlier this season for mistakes in a Michigan-Western Michigan game, which only sharpened the spotlight on how this one was handled. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Fans Get Another Frustrating Reminder From Nebraska Loss
Marylands loss to Nebraska came with one of those familiar after-the-fact reminders that only deepens the frustration. The Big Ten acknowledged this week that Nebraskas missed extra-point try should have been retaken because of a Maryland penalty, a rule application mistake that surfaced after the game and added another layer to a defeat the Terrapins already had to absorb.
The conference said it will emphasize more consistent enforcement going forward, but the result on the field will stand since the botched sequence did not alter the outcome. For Maryland, it is another entry in the long file of close-game grievances, a replay review of sorts that does little to soften the sting of a loss the program can only move past now. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Washington Has Become Marylands Biggest Early-Season Debate
Malik Washington entered the 2026 season as one of Marylands most closely watched players after a record-breaking freshman year set expectations unusually high for a sophomore quarterback. Through roughly a quarter of the schedule, he has kept the Terps offense moving with 1,288 passing yards and a 63% completion rate, but the early returns have been uneven, with seven touchdown passes against six interceptions and very little added on the ground.
The bigger issue for Maryland has been the way the games have looked against Big Ten competition, where Washingtons accuracy and decision-making have come under sharper scrutiny. He has shown enough arm talent to keep the conversation from getting simplistic, but the turnovers have made him the focal point of an early-season debate the Terps did not need, and one that still feels far from settled. [Read more 🡒]