Terps in the NFL: Josh Woods dominates in career outing

Detroit Lions linebacker Josh Woods played the best game of his entire NFL career on Sunday. Woods, who began the season with Chicago, has now played the last 10 games of the season with Detroit and was a major contributor to the Lions’ first win of the season.

He finished with a career-high eight total tackles and six solo tackles in the win over Minnesota while adding a quarterback hit on Kirk Cousins. It was just his second time playing on defense for the Lions as he had only appeared on special teams prior to last week.

The third-year linebacker’s previous career-high in tackles came in Week 16 last season for Chicago against Green Bay when he totaled four tackles. He came into this game with seven total tackles throughout this entire season and more than doubled that after Sunday’s game.

His eight tackles were second on the team behind Tracy Walker III’s 11 tackles. With the help of Woods’ performance, the Lions knocked off the Vikings, 29-27. The Lions are now 1-10-1 this season after their last-second game-winning touchdown.

Woods, who has 12 tackles in the last two games, will look to continue his recent success next week at Denver.

Other performers

• New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson, the NFL’s leader in pass deflections, was stellar again on Monday Night Football. Jackson and the Patriots knocked down Buffalo for their seventh straight win and improved to 9-4 atop the AFC. Jackson recorded two total tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass deflection. His 16 pass deflections in 2021 lead the league and he has seven interceptions, which is second in the NFL behind Trevon Diggs (8). Jackson’s pass deflection was nearly an interception and it came while he was covering Stefon Diggs. The Patriots have their bye in Week 14.

• Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs was doomed by the 30-plus mile per hour winds in Buffalo on Monday night. He finished the contest with four catches for 51 yards on seven targets. Quarterback Josh Allen had 15 completions in the game. A couple of Terps matched up against each other several times on Monday with Jackson and Diggs going head-to-head. Before the game, Diggs went around the stadium to play catch with Bills fans in the stands.

• New England Patriots safety Sean Davis was elevated to the active roster on Monday prior to the game. He played in five snaps on defense for the Patriots in the win.
• Las Vegas Raiders starting defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson both recorded two total tackles and one quarterback hit in the loss to Washington. Ngakoue and Jefferson also both made their 12th start of the season in the Raiders’ 12th game. The duo will face AFC West rival Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium next week.
• New York Jets running back Ty Johnson struggled on Sunday against Philadelphia. Johnson, who has played in every single game for the Jets this season, ran one time for one year and caught two passes for 14 yards on four targets. He’ll look to bounce back against New Orleans next week.
• Los Angeles Rams’ versatile defender Antoine Brooks Jr. played in his fifth straight game on Sunday. Brooks did not record a stat against Jacksonville in 15 snaps on special teams. The Rams won 37-7 at home.
• Running back Anthony McFarland Jr. was inactive on Sunday against Baltimore, which was head coach Mike Tomlin’s decision. McFarland, a second-year running back, has bounced around from being the Steelers’ third and fourth string running back since he was activated from injured reserve in late October.
• Safety Darnell Savage Jr. and the Green Bay Packers had their bye week this week. They will host Chicago on Sunday Night Football in Week 14.
• The Carolina Panthers with wide receiver D.J. Moore and linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. had their bye this week. The Panthers will host Atlanta next week.
• Offensive lineman Michael Dunn and the Cleveland Browns had their bye this week. Cleveland will host a division rival in the Baltimore Ravens next week.
• Linebacker Keandre Jones remained on the practice squad for the Cincinnati Bengals this week. The Bengals were dominated by the Chargers, 41-22
• Running back Trey Edmunds remained on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad this week.
• Offensive lineman Derwin Gray stayed on the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad this week.
• Tight end Tyler Mabry was waived by the Seattle Seahawks in the middle of November but was signed to their practice squad last week.
• Patriots defensive lineman Byron Cowart was designated to return by New England on Oct. 20. The Patriots had three weeks from then to activate him off the PUP or leave him there for the season.
• Rams rookie running back Jake Funk has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury that he suffered in Week Six.