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NFL Players of the Week -- Week #3

By Josh Kirkendall

AFC

OFFENSE: QB TOM BRADY, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Brady posted a career-high 150.9 passer rating and tied his career-high with four touchdown passes in a 38-7 win over division opponent Buffalo.  The veteran signal caller completed 23 of 29 passes (79.3 percent) for 311 yards.  With the Patriots trailing 7-3 midway through the second quarter, Brady led the Patriots on two scoring drives that ended in touchdown passes to take a 17-7 lead at halftime.  In the second half, Brady tossed a four-yard touchdown pass and a 45-yard touchdown pass to cap off the win. In his eighth year from Michigan, this is Brady’s eighth Player of the Week Award.

DEFENSE: LB KEITH BULLUCK, TENNESSEE TITANS
Bulluck tied a franchise record with a career-high three interceptions in a 31-14 Monday night victory over the Saints.  In the second quarter, Bulluck posted his first interception at the New Orleans 41-yard line.  Bulluck registered his final two interceptions in the fourth quarter as the Titans recorded their second road victory of the season.  Bulluck is the first linebacker since Arizona’s RONALD MC KINNON (1998) to have three interceptions in a game. In his eighth year from Syracuse, this is Bulluck’s first Player of the Week Award.

SPECIAL TEAMS: WR-KR YAMON FIGURS, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Figurs, a third-round pick (74th overall) scored on a 75-yard punt return for his first career touchdown in a 26-23 victory over Arizona.  Figurs’ 75-yard return in the second quarter put the Ravens up 20-3 and he became the third rookie in Ravens history to return a punt for a touchdown (B.J. SAMS & LAMONT BRIGHTFUL).  Figurs also returned two kickoffs for 64 yards (32.0 avg.) and totaled 139 return yards.  Figurs leads the NFL in kickoff returns (38.3 avg.) and ranks second in punt returns (19.0 avg.). In his rookie season from Kansas State, this is Figurs’ first Player of the Week Award.

Other nominees for AFC Offensive Player of Week 3 were:

  • Miami running back RONNIE BROWN, who rushed for 112 yards on 23 attempts with two touchdowns and added a career-high 99 receiving yards on six receptions in the Dolphins’ 31-28 loss against the New York Jets.
  • Denver wide receiver BRANDON MARSHALL, who totaled seven receptions for a career-high 133 yards in the Broncos’ 23-14 loss versus Jacksonville.
  • Kansas City tight end TONY GONZALEZ, who had seven catches for 96 yards (13.7 avg.) in the Chiefs’ 13-10 win against the Vikings.
  • Baltimore running back WILLIS MC GAHEE, who had 21 rushes for 98 yards (4.7 avg.).
  • Pittsburgh running back WILLIE PARKER, who had 24 carries for 133 yards (5.5 avg.) in a 37-16 win against San Francisco.

Other nominees for AFC Defensive Player of Week 3 were:

  • Kansas City defensive end JARED ALLEN, who recorded eight tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble.
  • Indianapolis linebacker GARY BRACKETT, who recorded 15 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and one pass defensed in a 30-24 win over the Texans.
  • Denver defensive end ELVIS DUMERVIL, who recorded four tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
  • Baltimore defensive back COREY IVY, who recorded five tackles, three passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one sack.

Other nominees for AFC Special Teams Player of Week 3 were:

  • Jacksonville kicker JOHN CARNEY, who converted all three field goal attempts and two PATs in a 23-14 win over the Broncos.
  • Cleveland wide receiver-kick returner JOSHUA CRIBBS, who returned four kickoffs for 174 yards (43.5 avg.), including a 99-yard touchdown in the Browns’ 26-24 loss at Oakland.
  • Houston wide receiver-kick returner JEROME MATHIS, who returned seven kickoffs for 233 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown return in the Texans 30-24 loss against the Colts.
  • Buffalo punter BRIAN MOORMAN, who posted an NFL season long 75-yard punt and placed two punts inside the 20-yard line.
  • Kansas City kicker DAVE RAYNER, who made two field goals and one PAT.
  • Pittsburgh kick returner ALLEN ROSSUM, who returned two kickoffs for 120 yards, including a 98-yard touchdown return.
  • Jets running back-kick returner LEON WASHINGTON, who returned two kickoffs for 111 yards, including a 98-yard return for a touchdown in a 31-28 win over Miami.

NFC

OFFENSE: RB BRIAN WESTBROOK, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Westbrook scored three touchdowns and became the seventh player since the 1970 merger to record 110+ rushing yards and 110+ receiving yards in the same game as the Eagles defeated the Detroit Lions 56-21.  Westbrook set a career-high with 221 scrimmage yards, rushing for 110 yards and two touchdowns while adding five catches for 111 yards and another score.  Philadelphia’s 56 points were the most scored by the team in the regular season since 1953, when the club downed the Chicago Cardinals 56-17. In his sixth season from Villanova, this is Westbrook’s first career Offensive Player of the Week Award.  Westbrook was named the NFC Special Teams Player of Week 7 in 2003.

DEFENSE: CB ANTHONY HENRY, DALLAS COWBOYS
Henry had four tackles, four passes defensed and two interceptions, including a 28-yard interception-return touchdown in the Cowboys’ 34-10 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday night.  On the first play of the second quarter, with the Cowboys trailing 3-0, Henry intercepted a pass at the Dallas 11-yard line and returned it 23 yards to stop a Bears drive.  In the fourth quarter, with Dallas holding a 20-10 lead, Henry picked off a pass and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown to give the Cowboys a commanding 27-10 advantage.  Henry currently leads the NFL with four interceptions. In his seventh year from South Florida, this is Henry’s third Player of the Week Award.  Henry last won the award in Week 6 of 2005.

SPECIAL TEAMS: LB LANCE LAURY, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Laury had two special teams tackles and forced a fumble on a kickoff return with under a minute remaining to help seal the Seahawks’ 24-21 win over Cincinnati.  After a touchdown put the Seahawks ahead 24-21 with 1:06 left in the game, Laury and ALVIN PEARMAN tackled the Bengals kick returner on the ensuing kickoff.  Laury forced a fumble with his hit and the ball was recovered by teammate DEON GRANT with 54 seconds remaining.  From there, the Seahawks were able to run out the clock for the victory. In his second season from South Carolina, this is Laury’s first career Player of the Week Award. 

Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 3 were:

  • Arizona wide receiver ANQUAN BOLDIN, who had a career-high 14 catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns in the Cardinals’ 26-23 loss at Baltimore.
  • Philadelphia wide receiver KEVIN CURTIS, who registered a career-high 221 yards and three touchdowns on 11 catches.
  • Green Bay wide receiver DONALD DRIVER, who had six catches for 126 yards and one touchdown in the Packers’ 31-24 win over San Diego.
  • Green Bay quarterback BRETT FAVRE, who passed for 369 yards and three touchdowns, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (420) for the all-time passing touchdown record.
  • Carolina running back DE SHAUN FOSTER, who rushed for 122 yards and one touchdown and added a 13-yard touchdown catch in the Panthers’ 27-20 victory at Atlanta.
  • Tampa Bay running back EARNEST GRAHAM, who rushed for a career-high 75 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries (9.4 average) in the Buccaneers’ 24-3 win over St. Louis.
  • Philadelphia quarterback DONOVAN MC NABB, who completed a career-high 80.8 percent of his passes (21 of 26) for 381 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 3 were:

  • Green Bay linebacker NICK BARNETT, who posted seven tackles and an interception, which he returned 38 yards to set up a touchdown that gave the Packers a 31-21 lead late in the fourth.
  • Philadelphia defensive end TRENT COLE, who had a career-high 3.5 sacks.
  • Washington linebacker LONDON FLETCHER, who recorded 10 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery in the Redskins’ 24-17 loss to the New York Giants.
  • Seattle safety DEON GRANT, who tied for the team lead with nine tackles, had an interception and added a fumble recovery on special teams.
  • New York Giants linebacker MATHIAS KIWANUKA, who recorded a team-high eight tackles, 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble in the Giants’ 24-17 win over Washington.
  • Tampa Bay safety JERMAINE PHILLIPS, who had seven tackles and an interception.
  • Tampa Bay linebacker BARRETT RUUD, who recorded 15 tackles and an interception.

Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 3 were:

  • Tampa Bay punt returner-kick returner MARK JONES, who had a 35-yard punt return and a 36-yard kick return.
  • Minnesota punter CHRIS KLUWE, who averaged 48.0 yards per punt, including a career-long 70 yarder in the Vikings’ 13-10 loss at Kansas City.
  • Green Bay punter JON RYAN, who placed all three punts inside the 20-yard line and had a net average of 43.0 yards per punt.

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