AFC
Quarterback PEYTON MANNING of the Denver Broncos, rookie linebacker TELVIN SMITH of the Jacksonville Jaguars and defensive tackle CHRIS JONES of the New England Patriots are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in the seventh week of the 2014 season (October 16, 19-20), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: QB PEYTON MANNING, DENVER BRONCOS
- Manning completed 22 of 26 passes (84.6 percent) for 318 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 157.2 passer rating in the Broncos’ 42-17 win against San Francisco.
- Playing in his 246th career game, Manning (510) surpassed BRETT FAVRE (508) for the most career touchdown passes in NFL history. Favre surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO’s previous record of 420 touchdowns in his 245th career game.
- Manning extended his NFL career records for the most 300-yard passing games (87) and four-touchdown performances (33).
- This season, Manning leads the NFL in passer rating (118.2) and is tied with ANDREW LUCK for the league lead in touchdown passes (19).
- In his 17th season from Tennessee, this is Manning’s 27th Player of the Week Award, the most of any player since the accolade was instituted in 1984. He most recently won the award in Week 16 of 2013.
- Manning is the third Broncos player to win an Offensive Player of the Week Award this season, joining teammates JULIUS THOMAS (Kickoff Weekend) and DEMARYIUS THOMAS (Week 5)
DEFENSE: LB TELVIN SMITH, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
- Smith had four tackles, an interception and a sack-fumble in the Jaguars’ 24-6 win against Cleveland.
- With the Jaguars leading 7-6 in the third quarter, Smith sacked Browns quarterback BRIAN HOYER and forced a fumble that was recovered by Jacksonville linebacker PAUL POSLUSZNY on Cleveland’s 25-yard line. The Jaguars kicked a 30-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to take a 10-6 lead.
- In the fourth quarter, Smith notched his first career interception and returned it 15 yards to the Browns’ seven-yard line. Two plays later, rookie running back STORM JOHNSON ran for a three-yard touchdown to extend Jacksonville’s lead to 24-6.
- Smith helped limit the Browns, who entered the game as the AFC’s top rushing offense, to their lowest rushing total of the season (69 yards).
- In his rookie season from Florida State, this is Smith’s first career Player of the Week Award.
- He is the first rookie in Jaguars history to be named Defensive Player of the Week and the first Jacksonville rookie to win a Player of the Week Award since running back-kick returner MAURICE JONES-DREW in Week 14 of 2006 (Special Teams).
SPECIAL TEAMS: DT CHRIS JONES, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
- Jones blocked a potential game-winning 58-yard field-goal attempt on the final play of the fourth quarter in the Patriots’ 27-25 win against the New York Jets.
- With five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Jones surged into the gap between the long snapper and guard and extended his left arm to block the field-goal attempt, marking the first blocked kick of his career.
- Jones also started at defensive tackle for the Patriots, posting three tackles.
- In his second season from Bowling Green, this is Jones’ first career Player of the Week Award.
- Jones is the first Patriots defensive tackle to win a Player of the Week Award since CHAD EATON in 2000 (Week 16, Defense).
NFC
Quarterback AARON RODGERS of the Green Bay Packers, linebacker KEENAN ROBINSON of the Washington Redskins and punt returner STEDMAN BAILEY of the St. Louis Rams are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the seventh week of the 2014 season (October 16, 19-20), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: QB AARON RODGERS, GREEN BAY PACKERS
- Rodgers completed 19 of 22 passes (86.4 percent) for 255 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 154.5 passer rating in the Packers’ 38-17 win over Carolina.
- It marked his fourth consecutive game with at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions. Rodgers and TOM BRADY (2007) are the only quarterbacks in NFL history to accomplish that feat in a single season.
- With 18 touchdown passes and one interception, Rodgers is the first player in league history to throw for at least 18 touchdowns with one or zero interceptions in the first seven games of a season.
- Rodgers has recorded six consecutive games without an interception (minimum 15 attempts), tying Pro Football Hall of Famer BART STARR for the longest streak in franchise history. Rodgers has not thrown an interception in 192 attempts, the second-longest streak in team annals (Starr, 294).
- Rodgers, who had a 151.2 passer rating in Week 4, joined Brady as the only quarterbacks to register two games with a 150+ passer rating in the first seven games of a season.
- In his 10th season from California, this is Rodgers’ 10th career Player of the Week Award and second this season (Week 4).
- Rodgers’ 10 Player of the Week Awards are the second-most in franchise history (BRETT FAVRE, 12).
- Since 2010, Rodgers’ 10 Player of the Week Awards are the most in the NFL.
DEFENSE: LB KEENAN ROBINSON, WASHINGTON REDSKINS
- Robinson had a career-high 14 tackles in the Redskins’ 19-17 win over Tennessee.
- Seven of his 14 tackles came within three yards or behind the line of scrimmage, including one tackle for a loss.
- Robinson was part of a defensive unit that limited the Titans to 236 total net yards, 160 net passing yards and 76 rushing yards. It marked the fourth time in the past five seasons the Redskins have held an opponent to fewer than 250 total net yards.
- In his first year as a starter, Robinson leads the team with 57 tackles. He has recorded two games with at least 10 tackles and has at least five tackles in every game this season.
- In his second year from Texas, this is Robinson’s first career Player of the Week Award.
- Robinson is the fourth Redskins linebacker to be named Defensive Player of the Week, joining WILBER MARSHALL, KEN HARVEY and BRIAN ORAKPO.
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR STEDMAN BAILEY, ST. LOUIS RAMS
- Bailey returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown in the Rams’ 28-26 win over Seattle. On the play, the Rams’ special teams unit pulled off a fake in which TAVON AUSTIN drew the Seahawks’ coverage team to his side of the field, helping to spring Bailey for the longest punt-return touchdown in the NFL this season.
- It marked the first time in Bailey’s career – high school, college or NFL – that he has fielded a punt.
- Bailey’s 90-yard punt-return touchdown was the third-longest in franchise history. Combined with BENNY CUNNINGHAM’s 75-yard kickoff return, this marked the first time in team history in which the Rams had a punt and kickoff return of at least 75 yards each.
- St. Louis’ special teams unit also converted a key fourth-down late in the game. With just under three minutes remaining and the Rams holding a two-point lead, St. Louis lined up to punt on fourth-and-three from its own 18-yard line. Punter JOHNNY HEKKER executed a fake and completed an 18-yard pass to Cunningham to give the Rams a key first down. St. Louis was then able to run out the clock and seal the victory.
- In his second season from West Virginia, this is Bailey’s first career Player of the Week Award.
- Bailey joins Austin (Week 10, 2013) as the only Rams return specialists to win in the past 10 seasons.
