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Wide receiver Josh Downs will continue his football career with the Indianapolis Colts, who took him Friday with the 16th pick of the third round and the 79th overall selection at the NFL Draft in Kansas City, becoming the 10th Carolina player drafted in the last three years. That’s the highest a UNC wide receiver has gone since Greg Little was the 27th second-round pick and 57th overall selection of the Cleveland Browns in 2010. Downs was the ninth ACC player selected.
Sam Howell’s wait is nearly over. He’ll finally make his regular-season NFL debut Sunday in the Washington Commanders’ final game of the season at home as their starting quarterback against the rival Dallas Cowboys.
A 20–19 victory for Coach Arthur Smith’s Atlanta Falcons at home against Arizona highlighted Week 17 for UNC alums as his team finally pulled out a victory in a close game. Atlanta earned the victory with a late drive to produce Youngkoe Koo’s 21-yard game-winning field goal with two seconds left.
Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was back on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bench. The hopes of making the playoffs for Coach Arthur Smith’s Atlanta Falcons ended. Interim Coach Jeff Saturday’s Indianapolis Colts lost their fifth straight. Texans defensive back M.J. Stewart Jr. suffered a concussion. It was that kind of week with few highlights other than wins by the teams of two offensive linemen who played every offensive snap — Houston’s Charlie Heck and New Orleans’ James Hurst — and Michael Carter’s 50 totals yards to start the NFL week in the New York Jets’ 19–3 Thursday home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky knew after throwing three interceptions a week earlier in a loss that he had to play a clean game if the Pittsburgh Steelers were going to rebound. Mission accomplished. In his first start since Week 4, he led three long, time-consuming drives and was efficient in a turnover-free game to lead the Steelers to a 24–16 road victory Sunday over the Carolina Panthers.
By R.L. Bynum When Pittsburgh rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett suffered a concussion in the first half Sunday, Mitchell Trubisky played … More
For the most part, the former Tar Heels in the NFL didn’t have a much better weekend than the Carolina football team endured in the ACC championship game against Clemson. It wasn’t a lucky Week 13.
There were many doubters when the Indianapolis Colts named Jeff Saturday their interim coach, but there was no doubt that his debut went well. The Colts held on to win 25–20 on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders to snap a three-game losing streak in their first game under Saturday, who is the first NFL head coach since 1961 with no college or pro coaching experience. His only previous coaching experience was as the head coach for Hebron Christian Academy in Dacula, Ga., going 20–16 over three seasons.
Michael Carter helped the New York Jets pull off one of the season’s biggest upsets. He ran for a season-high 76 yards and a touchdown as they knocked off the Buffalo Bills 20–17 on Sunday. It was the second-best rushing game of his NFL career, only topped by a 118-yard game last season in a 26–21 home victory Dec. 26 over Jacksonville.
On a day that UNC alums didn’t put up big numbers, there were some nice stories with defensive end Jalen Dalton finally making his NFL debut, rookie offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu making his first NFL start and rookie linebacker Tomon Fox playing his best professional game. Wide receiver Mack Hollins was one of the few bright spots for the Las Vegas Raiders in their 24–0 road loss to the New Orleans Saints. Hollins caught seven passes on eight targets for a team-leading 64 yards, including a 14-yard reception. Star wide receiver Davante Adams, who battled through sickness last week, only had one catch on five targets for three yards.
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