By R.L. Bynum
Michael Carter had his best game of the season, juking a defender to the ground on one play, to help the Arizona Cardinals earn a road upset of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carter had only 172 total yards on the season entering the weekend, but collected a season-high 67 yards and his first touchdown of the season in Arizona’s 35–31 victory.
The Cardinals rallied from a 21–6 halftime deficit, and Carter started it by “breaking ankles” like a basketball player.
Carter, who only played 13 snaps, put a move on Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks, faking him off his feet, on a 16-yards early in the third quarter. He had a 21-yard run later in the drive, which ended when Carter caught a six-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass from Kyler Murray with 8:42 left in the third quarter, the only time Murray targeted Carter for a pass.
Arizona won it on James Conner’s two-yard touchdown run with 32 seconds left.
Carter, who signed with Arizona the day after the New York Jets released him on Nov. 14, rushed seven times for 61 yards, including a 21-yard gain.
Former N.C. State quarterback Jacoby Brissett was supposed to start for Washington in its 27–10 home loss to San Francisco. But Sam Howell got the call, and Brissett became the emergency third quarterback because of hamstring tightness.
Howell, benched in the second half the previous two weeks, had his best game in over a month, connecting on 17 of 28 passes for 169 yards, one touchdown and a 60.0 passer rating. He threw two fourth-quarter interceptions, though, including one in the end zone, to give him six consecutive games with at least one interception.
“The situation gave him an opportunity, and he performed, he really did,” Washington coach Ron Rivera said. “I thought he made some good decisions, threw some really good balls. There are a couple of balls he probably wishes he had back, but he did a lot of good things.”
Howell, who played all 46 offensive snaps and earned 8.66 fantasy points, made a nice throw on a three-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin, ending an 84-yard drive to tie the game at 10 in the second quarter.
Howell has 3,793 passing yards, the sixth-most by a Washington quarterback in a season, passing Mark Rypien’s 1989 total of 3,768. Brad Johnson’s 4,005 yards in 1999 is fifth. His 380 competitions are the 17th-most in franchise history, passing Alex Smith’s total of 373.
Dyami Brown had no statistics for the Commanders, and downed one punt. He played two offensive snaps and 13 special-teams snaps.
Josh Downs had two catches on two targets for 53 yards in Indianapolis’ 23–10 home win over Las Vegas. One of those catches went for 50 yards. He also had two fair catches on punts and one fair catch on a kickoff.
The Colts X (formerly Twitter) account had fun with a photo where Downs appeared to be in a Michael Jordan Jumpman pose.
Downs played 35 offensive snaps and 11 special-teams snaps.
Javonte Williams ran for 41 yards on 15 carries and had three catches for 17 yards in Denver’s 16–9 Sunday home win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He didn’t start, but played 31 offensive snaps.
Mike Hughes started at cornerback for Atlanta in the Falcons’ 37–17 loss at Chicago, recording two tackles, 1 assist and earning 3.5 fantasy points in 36 defensive snaps. Mack Hollins had two tackles on punt coverage playing 17 offensive snaps and 19 special-teams snaps.
Ty Chander ran 40 yards on 10 carries and had three catches for 24 yards in Minnesota’s 33–10 Sunday night home loss to Green Bay, earning 9.4 fantasy points.
James Hurst started at left guard and played all 70 offensive snaps in New Orleans’ 23–13 Sunday win over Tampa Bay, and Charlie Heck started at right tackle and was in for all 61 offensive snaps and six special-teams snaps in Houston’s 26–3 Sunday win over Tennessee. New York Giants offensive lineman Marcus McKethan played six special-teams snaps in the New York Giants’ 26–25 Sunday loss against the Los Angeles Rams.
Chazz Surratt played 19 special teams plays off the bench in the New York Jets’ 37–20 Thursday loss at Cleveland.
Dallas offensive lineman Asim Richards and Detroit wide receiver Antoine Green weren’t active for their games and Pittsburgh quarterback Mitch Trubisky didn’t play for the Steelers in their 30–23 win at Seattle.
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
27–10 Sunday loss vs. San Francisco — No statistics; downed a punt; 2 offensive snaps (4%), 13 special-teams snaps (62%)
Season statistics — 16 games, 1 start; 12 catches, 164 yards (35 longest), 1 TD; 1 rush, 0 yards; 1 assist; 2 special-teams tackles; 1 special-teams assist
Up next — 4:25 Sunday vs. Dallas, Fox
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