Quarterback AARON RODGERS of the Green Bay Packers, safety TYRANN MATHIEU of the Arizona Cardinals and punt returner-running back DARREN SPROLES of the Philadelphia Eagles are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the third week of the 2015 season (September 24, 27-28), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: QB AARON RODGERS, GREEN BAY PACKERS
• Rodgers completed 24 of 35 passes (68.6 percent) for 333 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions for a 138.5 passer rating in the Packers’ 38-28 win over Kansas City.
• It marked his fourth career game with at least five touchdown passes and no interceptions, passing BRETT FAVRE (three) for the most in franchise history. Over the past five seasons (since 2011), Rodgers is tied with DREW BREES for the most such games in the NFL with four.
• Including the postseason, Rodgers has now thrown 580 consecutive passes and 48 touchdown passes at Lambeau Field without an interception. Both are NFL records.
• In his 11th season from California, this is Rodgers’ 13th career Player of the Week Award. This is the sixth consecutive year in which Rodgers has been honored with a Player of the Week Award.
• Rodgers’ 13 Player of the Week Awards are the most in franchise history, passing Favre (12).
• Since 2010, Rodgers’ 13 Player of the Week Awards are the most in the NFL.
DEFENSE: S TYRANN MATHIEU, ARIZONA CARDINALS
• Mathieu had two interceptions, including a 33-yard touchdown, and five tackles, including one for a loss, in the Cardinals’ 47-7 win over San Francisco.
• His two interceptions resulted in 10 points. Mathieu returned the first interception 33 yards for a touchdown – his first touchdown since his sophomore year at LSU in 2011 – and set up an Arizona field goal with his second interception which he returned to the San Francisco 25-yard line before halftime.
• Arizona’s defense had four interceptions, including two for touchdowns, two sacks, recorded a safety and limited the 49ers to 156 total net yards and 53 net yards passing. The Cardinals are the first team since the 1945 Packers to have two INT-TDs, a safety and score at least 40 points in a game.
• In his third year from Louisiana State, this is Mathieu’s first career Player of the Week Award.
• He is the first Cardinal to win Defensive Player of the Week since PATRICK PETERSON last season (Week 10).
• Mathieu is the first Arizona safety to be honored since ADRIAN WILSON in 2010 (Week 1).
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR-RB DARREN SPROLES, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
• Sproles had an 89-yard punt-return touchdown and added a rushing touchdown in the Eagles’ 24-17 win at the New York Jets. It marked the second time in his career he had both a PR-TD and rushing touchdown in a game.
• He is the fourth player in NFL history to record multiple games with both a punt-return touchdown and a rushing touchdown, joining OCKIE ANDERSON, CURLY ODEN and Pro Football Hall of Famer GALE SAYERS.
• Sproles is the only player in NFL history with at least 25 receiving touchdowns (27), 15 rushing touchdowns (18) and five punt-return touchdowns (six).
• In his 11th season from Kansas State, this is Sproles’ fifth career Player of the Week Award. He has been named Special Teams Player of the Week four times and has been honored once on Offense.
• Since joining the Eagles in 2014, Sproles has won four Player of the Week Awards, including three last season: Week 2 (Offense), Week 4 (Special Teams), Week 10 (Special Teams).
• Since the start of the 2014 season, Sproles’ four total Player of the Week Awards are the second-most in the NFL behind only AARON RODGERS (five).
2015 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Offense Defense Special Teams
Wk 1 WR Julio Jones, Atlanta DT Aaron Donald, St. Louis PR-WR Tavon Austin, St. Louis
Wk 2 WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona LB Sean Lee, Dallas KR-RB David Johnson, Arizona
Wk 3 QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay S Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona PR-RB Darren Sproles, Philadelphia
Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 3 as submitted by NFC clubs:
• Green Bay wide receiver RANDALL COBB, who had seven catches for 91 yards and three touchdowns.
• Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD, who had nine catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
• Atlanta running back DEVONTA FREEMAN, who rushed for 141 yards with three touchdowns and had five catches for 52 yards in the Falcons’ 39-28 win at Dallas.
• Arizona running back CHRIS JOHNSON, who rushed for 110 yards with two touchdowns and had a 40-yard reception.
• Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES, who had 12 catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns.
• New York Giants quarterback ELI MANNING, who completed 23 of 32 passes (71.9 percent) for 279 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 119.1 passer rating in the Giants’ 32-21 win over Washington.
• Philadelphia running back RYAN MATHEWS, who rushed for 108 yards and had a 23-yard touchdown catch.
• Carolina quarterback CAM NEWTON, who completed 20 of 31 passes (64.5 percent) for 315 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 119.7 passer rating in the Panthers’ 27-22 win over New Orleans. He also rushed for a touchdown.
• Carolina tight end GREG OLSEN, who had eight catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
• Minnesota running back ADRIAN PETERSON, who rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings’ 31-14 win over San Diego.
Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 3 as submitted by NFC clubs:
• Green Bay defensive tackle MIKE DANIELS, who had 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and four tackles.
• Carolina linebacker THOMAS DAVIS, who had 10 tackles and a forced fumble.
• Minnesota linebacker CHAD GREENWAY, who had a 91-yard interception-return touchdown and a tackle.
• Philadelphia rookie linebacker JORDAN HICKS, who had 10 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery.
• Green Bay linebacker CLAY MATTHEWS, who had two sacks and three tackles.
• Carolina cornerback JOSH NORMAN, who had an interception and five tackles.
• New York Giants linebacker UANI ’UNGA, who had nine tackles, an interception and a forced fumble.
• Seattle linebacker K.J. WRIGHT, who had 10 tackles in the Seahawks’ 26-0 win over Chicago.
Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 3 as submitted by NFC clubs:
• New York Giants kicker JOSH BROWN, who converted all three field-goal attempts.
• Seattle rookie kick returner-punt returner TYLER LOCKETT, who had a 105-yard kickoff-return touchdown.
• New Orleans rookie punt returner-kick returner MARCUS MURPHY, who had a 74-yard punt-return touchdown and finished with 154 total kick-return yards.
More stories you might like
