By R.L. Bynum
After spending most of the season on the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad, running back Michael Carter had his second-best career effort Saturday in his second game of the season. Meanwhile, Drake Maye set a New England franchise record for rookie quarterbacks and Mitch Trubisky threw a touchdown pass.
Carter, who played his first game in the Dec. 22 overtime road loss to the Carolina Panthers, collected 129 total yards (88 rushing and 41 passing) in Arizona’s 13–9 road loss Saturday to the Los Angeles Chargers. Carter played 72% of the Cardinals’ offensive snaps (57).
His only better career game was for the New York Jets against Cincinnati on Oct. 31, 2021, when he had 172 total yards with 77 rushing yards and 95 reception yards.
Arizona (7–9) elevated Carter from the practice squad two games ago because of a knee injury to running back James Connor. With rookie running back Trey Benson out (ankle injury), Carter got plenty of opportunities when Connor left Saturday’s game in the first half.
While his alma mater was getting beat a few miles away at the Fenway Bowl on Saturday, rookie quarterback Drake Maye’s New England Patriots (3–13) also had a rough day, dropping a 40–7 home game to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Maye threw a touchdown pass for the eighth consecutive game to set a record for a rookie Patriots quarterback. He completed 12 of 22 passes for 117 yards, including a 36-yard completion, with one touchdown and no interceptions.
Maye had his lowest numbers since becoming the starter in yardage (previous low 184 on Nov. 10 in a 19–3 win over Chicago) and completion percentage (54.6%; previous low 59.5% in a 34–15 loss at Miami on Nov. 24).
Chargers cornerback Cam Hart hit Maye and spun him to the ground with 10:25 left in the first quarter (watch the play here.) He was listed as questionable to return but missed only one series after being cleared in a concussion test.
“Just kind of got my bell rung on the first drive,” Maye said. “I don’t know if any of y’all ever played and you got hit, but sometimes you get your bell rung, and you’ve got to shake back. I guess the [concussion] spotter called down again and had to pass some tests. I feel good, I still feel good, and then I was good to go.”
In the second quarter, Maye threw off the Chargers with his cadence to draw them offsides. With a free play, Maye threw a high-arching pass up the middle with Los Angeles outside linebacker Joey Bosa in his face. DeMario Douglas caught it while lunging to the ground at the goal line for a 36-yard touchdown pass (watch the play here).
Maye has three touchdown passes of at least 35 air yards, the most by a Patriots quarterback since Tom Brady had three in 2009.
“He’s obviously very talented,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said of Maye. “He’s an incredible quarterback and I’m going to enjoy watching him for years to come.”
Trubisky played the entire fourth quarter of Buffalo’s 40–14 Sunday home win over the New York Jets and threw his first touchdown pass of the season. In his only attempt of the game, he connected with wide receiver Tyrell Shavers on a short pass. Shavers took it from there on a 69-yard scoring play (watch it here).
It was the first touchdown pass for Trubisky since throwing one in each of three consecutive games last season for Pittsburgh from Dec. 3 to Dec. 16.
Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins caught both passes targeted to him for 33 yards, including a 23-yard reception.
Chazz Surratt had two assists off the bench for the Jets.
Josh Downs had three catches on four targets for 22 yards, including a 10-yard reception, in Indianapolis’ 45–33 road victory Sunday over the New York Giants. Offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu started and reported tackle-eligible seven times for the Giants while Tomon Fox recorded a tackle on punt coverage.
Storm Duck had four tackles, two assists and defended two passes in Miami’s 20–3 Sunday win at Cleveland.
Ty Chandler ran for seven yards on five carries in Minnesota’s 27–25 home win Sunday over Green Bay. He returned two kickoff returns for 48 yards, including one for 27 yards.
Javonte Williams continues to come off the bench for Denver, and his usage continues to drop. He had no carries and two catches on two targets for no yards (with a six-yard catch) in the Broncos’ 24–20 overtime loss Saturday at Cincinnati.
Wide receiver Dyami Brown wasn’t active for Washington’s 30–24 Sunday night home win over Atlanta because of a hamstring injury. For the Falcons, Mike Hughes had three tackles, three assists and a tackle for a loss.
Linebacker Amari Gainer had one assist on punt coverage in Las Vegas’ 25–10 Sunday win at New Orleans.
Tez Walker had no catches on two targets over 32 snaps (half on special teams) during Baltimore’s 31–2 Wednesday victory at Houston. M.J. Stewart played 14 defensive snaps and 24 special-teams snaps for the Texans.
Quarterback Sam Howell didn’t play for Seattle in the Seahawks’ 6–3 Thursday win at Chicago.
Linebacker Cedric Gray had no statistics playing off the bench for Tennessee in the Titans’ 20–13 Sunday loss at Jacksonville.
Offensive lineman Asim Richards recovered from an ankle injury and came off injured reserve, playing off the bench for Dallas in Sunday’s 41–7 loss at Philadelphia.
Offensive lineman Charlie Heck, who had been on the Arizona practice squad, signed to San Francisco’s practice squad last week and started Monday night at left tackle in the 49ers’ 40–34 home loss to Detroit. He played 32 offensive snaps, seven special-teams snaps and recorded a tackle after an interception.
Dyami Brown, Washington Commanders wide receiver
Age 24 | 6–0, 195 | 4th NFL season | UNC 2018–20
Roster situation — Second-string wide receiver
Season statistics — 15 games, 27 catches, 292 yards (51 longest), 10.8 average, 1 TD; 2 carries, 18 yards (14 longest)
30–24 Sunday win vs. Atlanta — Not active for the game because of a hamstring injury
Week 18 — 1 p.m. Sunday at Dallas, Fox
Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals running back
Age 25 | 5–8, 201 | fourth NFL season | UNC 2017–20
Roster situation — Third-string running back
Season statistics — 2 games, 18 carries, 88 yards (13 longest); 7 catches on 7 targets, 41 yards (18 longest)
13–9 Saturday loss at Los Angeles Chargers — 13 carries, 70 yards (13 longest); 2 catches on 2 targets, 11 yards (6 longest); 57 offensive snaps (72%)
Week 18 — 4:25 Sunday vs. San Francisco, Fox
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings running back
Age 26 | 5–11, 204 | 3rd NFL season | UNC 2021
Roster situation — First-string kick returner behind Kene Nwangwu; second-string running back behind Aaron Jones
Season statistics — 16 games, 56 rushes, 182 yards (25 longest); 6 catches, 42 yards (10 longest); 8 kick returns, 205 yards; sacked once for a 1-yard loss; 3 special-teams tackles, 1 special-teams assist
27–25 Sunday win vs. Green Bay — 5 carries, 7 yards (7 longest); 2 kickoff returns, 48 yards (27 longest)
Week 18 — 8:20 Sunday at Detroit, NBC
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Age 23 | 5–9, 171 | 2nd NFL season | UNC 2020–22
Roster situation — Starting slot wide receiver ahead of Anthony Gould
Season statistics — 13 games, 62 catches, 709 yards (69 longest), 11.4 average, 5 TDs; 1 carry, 12 yards; 16 punt returns, 161 yards (23 longest); 1 tackle; 1 fumble recovery
45–33 win at New York Giants — Didn’t start; 3 catches on 4 targets, 22 yards (10 longest)
Week 18 — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Jacksonville, Fox
Storm Duck, Miami Dolphins cornerback
Age 23 | 6–0, 195 | rookie NFL season | UNC 2019–22
Roster situation — Third-string right cornerback
Season statistics — 13 games, 20 tackles, 10 assists, 2 tackles for losses, 3 passes defended, 2 tackles on kickoff coverage
20–3 Sunday win at Cleveland — 4 tackles, 2 assists, 2 passes defended
Week 18 — 4:25 Sunday at New York Jets, Fox
Joshua Ezeudu, New York Giants offensive lineman
Age 25 | 6–4, 310 | 3rd NFL season | UNC 2016–21
Roster situation — Starting left tackle
Season statistics — 15 games, 154 offensive snaps, 48 special-teams snaps