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Dee Winters gave the Dallas Cowboys their first interception of the season Sunday night, but his night ended early with an Achilles injury. Kendre Miller doubled his rushing workload in New Orleans, Savion Williams contributed as both a receiver and runner for Green Bay, and Quentin Johnston delivered another explosive play for the Chargers.
Meanwhile, Tre’von Moehrig made his presence felt in Carolina’s victory over Philadelphia, while several other former Horned Frogs contributed across the league.
Following last week’s Frogs in the NFL roundup, here’s how TCU’s NFL alumni performed in Week 6.
Dallas Cowboys | Linebacker
Dee Winters made one of Dallas’ biggest defensive plays during its 23-13 loss to Green Bay.
In the first quarter, Winters intercepted Jordan Love on a pass intended for Matthew Golden and appeared to return it 42 yards for a touchdown. Replay determined Golden had touched Winters down immediately after the interception, eliminating the touchdown and leaving Dallas with possession at the Green Bay 42-yard line.
The interception stood, and it was the Cowboys’ first of the season.
What makes the play particularly interesting is the area of the defense where it happened.
Dallas had struggled in linebacker coverage entering the game. According to reporting citing Next Gen Stats, Winters had allowed 15 receptions on 17 targets for 142 yards through the first five games.
Those aren’t particularly encouraging numbers for a linebacker, and I’m sure Winters would be the first to acknowledge that.
But that’s also why the interception matters.
Playing linebacker in the NFL requires handling two completely different responsibilities that can happen within seconds of each other. One play you’re stepping downhill to fit the run, and the next you’re being asked to cover some of the best athletes in the world.
It’s not an easy transition, especially against offenses that deliberately create matchups involving linebackers.
Winters made a play in an area where both he and the Cowboys needed improvement.
Unfortunately, he suffered an Achilles strain in the second quarter and couldn’t finish the game. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones indicated Monday that Winters would likely miss time.
Winters had started Dallas’ first six games after entering Sunday with 35 tackles and a fumble recovery through the first five.
The Cowboys will now have to replace his production while he works his way back.
New Orleans Saints | Running Back
Kendre Miller carried the football 20 times for 70 yards in New Orleans’ 34-27 victory over the New York Giants. He also caught two passes for zero yards.
Those aren’t numbers that will have anybody talking about the best rushing performance of the weekend, but one number stands out to me.
Twenty carries.
The previous week against Minnesota, Miller carried the ball 10 times for 30 yards and a touchdown. Against the Giants, his workload doubled.
That’s a significant change.
As a defensive player, I can tell you there’s a difference between preparing for a running back who might get five or six carries and preparing for somebody who’s going to touch the ball 20 times.
When a back receives that kind of workload, the defense knows it’s going to have to deal with him throughout the game.
From an offensive standpoint, getting 20 carries also involves more than simply having the ability to run the football.
NFL coaches have to trust their running backs to understand assignments, handle different personnel groupings, protect the quarterback when necessary, and take care of the football.
I’m not suggesting Miller proved all of those things Sunday. Without studying every snap, that would be impossible to determine.
But receiving 20 carries tells us New Orleans was willing to put the ball in his hands consistently.
Miller averaged 3.5 yards per carry, and his longest run went for 11 yards. This wasn’t an explosive rushing performance, but it was the largest workload of his season.
Now comes the interesting part.
Was this a one-week adjustment based on the matchup and game plan, or are the Saints preparing to make Miller a bigger part of their offense?
We’ll find out over the next few weeks.
Green Bay Packers | Wide Receiver
TCU fans already know Savion Williams can do more than line up outside and catch passes.
Green Bay is beginning to show how it can use those abilities at the NFL level.
Williams returned to the lineup against Dallas and caught all four of his targets for 32 yards. He also carried the ball twice for nine yards, finishing with 41 yards on six offensive touches in the Packers’ 23-13 victory.
The production itself wasn’t overwhelming, but the way Green Bay involved him is worth paying attention to.
When an offensive coordinator has a receiver who can contribute in the passing game and also take handoffs, it gives the offense additional options without necessarily changing personnel.
That matters because NFL defenses spend an enormous amount of time identifying personnel groups and anticipating what an offense is likely to do based on who’s on the field.
A receiver capable of contributing in the running game can complicate those tendencies.
The Packers don’t have to use Williams the same way TCU did to take advantage of his skill set.
The important development is that Green Bay is finding opportunities for him in more than one phase of its offense.
Williams still has work to do establishing himself as a consistent NFL receiver, but six touches in his return to the lineup are an encouraging sign.
Los Angeles Chargers | Wide Receiver
Quentin Johnston finished Sunday’s 22-6 loss to Kansas City with one reception for 57 yards on three targets.
That reception came in the fourth quarter when Johnston made a contested catch downfield and nearly reached the end zone.
It was an impressive play, but looking at his season statistics raises a much bigger question.
Through Week 6, Johnston has eight receptions for 165 yards and no touchdowns.
Two of those receptions have gone for 44 and 57 yards.
Think about that for a second.
More than 60 percent of Johnston’s receiving yards have come on two plays.
That tells us he can produce explosive gains, but it doesn’t explain why those plays haven’t translated into more consistent production.
There are several possible reasons.
Maybe the Chargers aren’t targeting him enough. Maybe he’s not consistently creating separation. It could be how he’s being used within the offense, where he falls in the quarterback’s progressions, or how opposing defenses are covering him.
Without reviewing the film, I’m not going to pretend I know which explanation is correct.
What I do know is that a receiver who can make a contested 57-yard catch has the physical ability to create problems for NFL defenses.
The question is how often he can put himself in position to make those plays.
Carolina Panthers | Safety
Tre’von Moehrig turned in one of the more complete defensive performances among former Horned Frogs this week.
Moehrig played all 64 defensive snaps in Carolina’s 25-14 victory over Philadelphia, finishing with four tackles, including three solo stops, half a sack, a tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits.
That’s a productive afternoon for a safety.
Carolina brought pressure against Philadelphia quarterback Tanner McKee, and Moehrig was part of that approach.
What stands out to me is the flexibility required from a safety in that kind of defensive game plan.
When you’re bringing pressure from the secondary, the timing has to be right. You can’t simply run toward the quarterback and hope somebody else handles your responsibilities.
The defense has to account for the coverage behind the pressure, and the player rushing has to understand where he fits within the call.
Moehrig’s two quarterback hits and half-sack show he was involved in disrupting Philadelphia’s passing game.
Carolina held the Eagles to 14 points, and Moehrig was on the field for every defensive snap.
That’s the kind of complete defensive involvement worth recognizing.
While Kendre Miller was carrying the football for New Orleans, another former Horned Frog was playing defense on the opposite sideline.
Washington recorded five tackles, all solo, in the Giants’ 34-27 loss to the Saints.
Washington has never been the biggest defensive back on the field, but his willingness to tackle and his ability to recognize plays were two of the qualities that made him successful at TCU.
Five solo tackles are worth recognizing in a weekly roundup, especially when another former Frog was receiving 20 carries on the opposite side.
Rookie linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr recorded two solo tackles in Buffalo’s 33-30 victory over Las Vegas.
That brought his season total to 12 combined tackles.
For a rookie linebacker, every opportunity to contribute provides another chance to gain experience at the professional level.
As we discussed in our earlier look at the different roles former Frogs fill in the NFL, earning opportunities is only part of the challenge. Making those opportunities count is what keeps you in the league.
Coleman played all 67 offensive snaps in Washington’s 23-17 loss to San Francisco on Monday night.
Playing every offensive snap at left tackle is a significant responsibility, particularly against an NFL defensive front capable of putting pressure on the quarterback.
For Coleman, the next step is continuing to develop consistency in pass protection while building on his work in the running game.
Schlottmann played all 46 offensive snaps in Tennessee’s 26-20 victory over Indianapolis.
As a former linebacker, I can tell you how important a good center is to an offense. He’s responsible for more than blocking the defender across from him. He’s helping identify fronts, communicate protection adjustments, and keep the offensive line working together.
Schlottmann handled the entire offensive workload in a game that gave Tennessee its first victory of the season.
Guyton returned against Green Bay after leaving the previous week’s game with a back injury.
He practiced fully leading up to Sunday’s matchup and entered without an injury designation, giving Dallas an important piece of its offensive line back.
Avila and the Rams fell 18-16 to Arizona on Sunday. Avila played all 58 offensive snaps, continuing his role as a dependable presence on the offensive line.
Dallas had another former Horned Frog leave Sunday’s game with an injury.
Turpin suffered a rib cartilage injury on the opening kickoff against Green Bay and did not return.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said afterward that X-rays were clean, although Turpin was still dealing with discomfort.
There is no confirmed timetable for his return.
Turpin’s absence would take an important special-teams weapon away from Dallas.
Davis contributed offensively during the Chargers’ loss to Kansas City, carrying the ball once for four yards.
Although he didn’t record a reception, Davis remains part of the Chargers’ group of players capable of contributing on offense and special teams.
Atlanta Falcons | Quarterback
Former TCU quarterback Andy Dalton has a new NFL home.
After being released by Philadelphia on October 9, Dalton signed with the Atlanta Falcons on October 19.
Dalton brings extensive NFL experience to Atlanta’s quarterback room, giving the Falcons another veteran option.
New England linebacker Namdi Obiazor was active against the Jets but did not register a defensive statistic in the standard game log. Fellow former Frog Channing Canada was inactive with a hamstring injury.
Bud Clark remains on Seattle’s injured reserve following an ankle injury suffered during the preseason.
Other former Horned Frogs remain on active rosters, practice squads, and reserve lists across the league, including players working toward their next opportunity.
The biggest concerns heading into next week are the injuries to Winters and Turpin.
Miller will try to build on his 20-carry performance, while Williams and Johnston continue working toward more consistent offensive roles.
Moehrig’s performance against Philadelphia also gives TCU fans another defensive player worth watching closely.
Week 6 brought meaningful contributions, new opportunities, and a few unfortunate setbacks for former Horned Frogs. Next week we’ll see which of those developments carry over.
Stay connected with TCU Horned Frogs On SI for the latest TCU football coverage, and follow our Frogs in the Pros coverage for more updates on former Horned Frogs across professional sports.
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