By R.L. Bynum
Ty Chandler had a career game in the spotlight of Sunday Night Football, but his Minnesota Vikings couldn’t stop Javonte Williams’ red-hot Denver Broncos. Sam Howell threw three interceptions in a Washington loss on a week that many UNC alums were either inactive or on open dates.
In his second season with Minnesota, Ty Chandler only had 14 carries and five catches in his career before running into a more prominent role for the Vikings in the last two games.
After rushing for 45 yards and a touchdown in a 27–19 home win over New Orleans a week earlier, Chandler combined for 110 total yards in the Vikings’ 21–20 loss Sunday night at Denver, with 10 rushes for 73 yards and four catches for 37 yards.
Williams didn’t put up big numbers — with 11 carries for 37 yards and two catches for 16 yards — but Denver is on a roll with a league-high four-game win streak to reach .500 at 5–5. The 53 total yards were Williams’ fewest since rushing for 52 yards and not catching any passes in the 19–8 Week 6 loss at Kansas City.
Chandler’s performance had many Vikings fans on social media calling for him to be a starter over Alexander Mattison, who ran for 81 yards but on eight more carries than Chandler. Chandler only played 23 offensive snaps, compared to 48 for Mattison.
Chandler’s mistake in not picking up the blitz early in the fourth quarter contributed to quarterback Joshua Dobbs throwing a fourth-quarter interception. Although Chandler made the tackle on the play, Denver eventually got one of five Will Lutz field goals.
Chandler made up for that on the next series when he took a direct snap on a fake punt and sped around the right side on a 31-yard run into Denver territory.
“I’m excited to see him grow and make plays for us,” Dobbs said of Chandler.
Later in that drive, on a third-and-20, Chandler took a short pass from Dobbs and gained 19 yards. That drive produced a 30-yard Greg Joseph field goal, giving the Vikings a 17–15 lead with 3:17 remaining.
Courtland Sutton’s leaping 15-yard touchdown reception with 1:03 left won it for Denver. Williams came up short trying to run in the two-point conversion.
Howell was 31 of 45 for 255 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions for a 62.7 passer rating in Washington’s 31–19 home loss to the New York Giants.
That was the second-lowest passer rating of his career, with the only lower one being the 41.5 he put up in the Week 3 37–3 home loss to Buffalo. Howell also ran for 35 yards and a touchdown and put up 20.7 fantasy points, his fifth game with at least 20 points.
“He’s learning; he’s growing,” Washington coach Ron Rivera said. “He made some mistakes, but he hung in there; he fought and gave us a chance to win the football game.”
Washington’s offensive line protected Howell better than in the Giants’ 14–7 win in Week 7. The Giants sacked him six times in that first meeting and four times on Sunday.
“I think the most frustrating part is that I think we have a really good football team,” said Howell after a second consecutive loss dropped Washington to 4–7. “We have so much potential in that locker room. That’s the disappointing thing — that we’re not getting the results that we feel like we were definitely capable of.”
In the first quarter, he overthrew Dyami Brown on a deep pass that cornerback Nick McCloud intercepted. Brown, who had one catch on three targets for seven yards, assisted on the tackle.
Washington drove 75 yards in 12 plays and Howell scrambled and ran seven yards for a touchdown to cut the Commanders’ halftime deficit to 14–9. He took a big hit to his left side from the Giants’ Xavier McKinney at the end of the play, and was slow to get up.
Howell returned, said he was fine and that the hit didn’t affect his play afterward.
Howell threw two fourth-quarter interceptions, one of which Giants linebacker Isaiah Simmons returned 54 yards for a touchdown to put the game away.
“Felt the pocket kind of collapse in on me, so I was just trying to get the ball out of bounds, and it just didn’t get far enough,” Howell said.
Offensive lineman Marcus McKethan played five special-teams snaps for the Giants.
Four UNC alums were inactive for their teams’ games this weekend: Arizona running back Michael Carter (who signed with the Cardinals after the New York Jets waived him), Detroit running back Antoine Green, Dallas offensive lineman Asim Richards and New York Jets linebacker Chazz Surratt. In addition, Mitchell Trubisky didn’t play in the Steelers’ 13–10 loss at Cleveland.
Teams with Tar Heels who had open dates this weekend were Indianapolis (wide receiver Josh Downs), Atlanta (Mack Hollins and Mike Hughes) and New Orleans (James Hurst).
Dyami Brown, Washington Commanders wide receiver
Age 23 | 6–0, 195 | third NFL season | UNC 2018–20
Roster situation — Second-string WR behind Terry McLaurin
31–19 loss vs. New York Giants— 1 catch on 3 targets, 7 yards; 1 assist on a tackle after an interception on a pass intended for him; 21 offensive snaps (26%), 10 special-teams snaps (34%)
Season statistics — 11 games, 1 start; 11 catches, 164 yards (35 longest), 1 TD; 1 rush, 0 yards; 1 assist
Up next — 4:30 Thursday at Dallas, CBS
Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals running back
Age 24 | 5–8, 201 | third NFL season | UNC 2017–20
Roster situation — Competing for time with James Conner, Earl Demercado and Keaontay Ingram
21–16 loss at Houston — Inactive for game
Season statistics — 9 games, 8 carries, 38 yards (9 longest); 15 catches, 68 yards (10 longest)
Up next — 4:05 Sunday vs. Los Angeles Rams, Fox
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings running back
Age 25 | 5–11, 204 | second NFL season | UNC 2021
Roster situation — Second-string RB behind Alexander Mattison
21–20 loss at Denver — 10 carries, 73 yards (31 longest); 4 catches on 4 targets, 37 yards (19 longest); 1 tackle after an interception; 23 offensive snaps (31%), 3 special-teams snaps (11%)
Season statistics — 11 games, 33 carries, 160 yards (31 longest), 4.8 average, 1 TD; 9 catches, 80 yards (19 longest), 8.9 average; 3 kickoff returns, 82 yards (33 longest); 1 tackle
Up next — 8:15 Monday vs. Chicago, ABC, ESPN
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Age 22 | 5–9, 171 | rookie NFL season | UNC 2020–22
Roster situation — Starting wide receiver ahead of Isaiah McKenzie
Indianapolis had the weekend off.
Season statistics — 10 games, 6 starts; 43 catches, 523 yards (59 longest), 2 TDs
Up next — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Tampa Bay, CBS
Antoine Green, Detroit Lions wide receiver
Age 24 | 6–2, 199 | rookie NFL season | UNC 2017–20
Roster situation — Second-string wide receiver behind Marvin Jones Jr.
31–26 win vs. Chicago — Inactive for game
Season statistics — 8 games, 1 catch, 2 targets, 2 yards
Up next — 12:30 Thursday vs. Green Bay, Fox
Mack Hollins, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Age 30 | 6–4, 221 | seventh NFL season | UNC 2013–16
Roster situation — Listed as starting wide receiver ahead of KhaDarel Hodge
Atlanta had the weekend off.
Season statistics — 9 games, 3 starts; 17 catches, 29 targets, 247 yards (45 longest), 3 catches of at least 20 yards, 1 catch of at least 40 yards; 1 special-teams tackle
Up next — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. New Orleans, Fox
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders quarterback
Age 23 | 6–1, 220 | second NFL season | UNC 2019–21
Roster situation — Starting QB ahead of Jacoby Brissett
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