Quarterback DREW BREES of the New Orleans Saints, rookie linebacker KWON ALEXANDER of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and punt returner MARCUS SHERELS of the Minnesota Vikings are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the eighth week of the 2015 season (October 29, November 1-2), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: QB DREW BREES, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
• Brees tied the NFL single-game record with seven touchdown passes and completed 39 of 50 passes (78 percent) for 505 yards and a 131.7 passer rating in the Saints’ 52-49 win over the New York Giants.
• Brees and Pro Football Hall of Famer Y.A. TITTLE (October 28, 1962) are the only players in NFL history to pass for at least 500 yards and seven touchdowns in a single game.
• The game marked the 10th time Brees has passed for at least five touchdowns in a game, the most in NFL history (PEYTON MANNING, nine).
• Brees, who had a career-high 510 passing yards on November 19, 2006, and BEN ROETHLISBERGER are the only quarterbacks in NFL history with two games of at least 500 passing yards.
• In his 15th season from Purdue, this is Brees’ 22nd Player of the Week Award and second this season (Week 4).
• Since joining the Saints in 2006, Brees has won 20 Player of the Week Awards, the most in franchise history. During that span, Brees’ 20 Player of the Week Awards are the most in the NFL.
• Brees is one of three players to win at least 20 Player of the Week Awards, joining Manning (27) and TOM BRADY (25).
DEFENSE: LB KWON ALEXANDER, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
• Alexander had a game-high 11 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the Buccaneers’ 23-20 overtime win at Atlanta.
• His forced fumble and fumble recovery – on the same play – set up a Tampa Bay field goal. Alexander’s interception, which he returned 15 yards to midfield, led to a Buccaneers touchdown.
• Alexander is the first Buccaneers player to record an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the same game since JOHN LYNCH on November 24, 1996.
• Alexander is the first rookie linebacker in the NFL to have an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in a single game since DE MECO RYANS on December 3, 2006.
• In his rookie year from Louisiana State, this is Alexander’s first career Player of the Week Award.
• Alexander is the first Buccaneers rookie to be named Defensive Player of the Week since SANTANA DOTSON in 1992 (Week 4).
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR MARCUS SHERELS, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
• Sherels had a 65-yard punt-return touchdown in the Vikings’ 23-20 win at Chicago.
• With the Vikings trailing 3-0 in the first quarter, Sherels got the Vikings on the board with a 65-yard punt-return touchdown to give Minnesota a 7-3 lead.
• He finished the game with 77 punt-return yards, the most in the NFL in Week 8. He also added a special teams tackle.
• Since 2012, Sherels has three punt-return touchdowns, tied for the most in the NFL. During that span, Sherels’ 1,126 punt-return yards are the most in the league.
• This season, Sherels ranks third in the NFC averaging 11.5 yards per punt return.
• In his fifth season from Minnesota, this is Sherels’ first career Player of the Week Award.
• He is the first punt returner in franchise history to win Special Teams Player of the Week.
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
Wk 4 QB Drew Brees, New Orleans CB Josh Norman, Carolina K Robbie Gould, Chicago
Wk 5 QB Eli Manning, New York Giants DE Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia PR Bobby Rainey, Tampa Bay
Wk 6 WR Calvin Johnson, Detroit DT Kawann Short, Carolina LB Michael Mauti, New Orleans
Wk 7 QB Kirk Cousins, Washington DE Michael Bennett, Seattle KR Dwayne Harris, New York Giants
Wk 8 QB Drew Brees, New Orleans LB Kwon Alexander, Tampa Bay PR Marcus Sherels, Minnesota
Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 8 as submitted by NFC clubs:
• St. Louis running back TODD GURLEY, who rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ 27-6 win over San Francisco.
• Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES, who had 12 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons’ overtime loss to Tampa Bay.
• New York Giants quarterback ELI MANNING, who completed 30 of 41 passes (73.2 percent) for 350 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions for a 138.2 passer rating in the Giants’ loss at New Orleans.
• Arizona quarterback CARSON PALMER, who completed 23 of 38 passes (60.5 percent) for 374 yards with four touchdowns and an interception for a 117.7 passer rating in the Cardinals’ 34-20 win at Cleveland.
Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 8 as submitted by NFC clubs:
• Carolina safety KURT COLEMAN, who had eight tackles, an interception and three passes defensed in the Panthers’ 29-26 overtime win against Indianapolis.
• Arizona safety RASHAD JOHNSON, who had an interception and two tackles.
• Carolina linebacker LUKE KUECHLY, who had 14 tackles, an interception and three passes defensed.
Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 8 as submitted by NFC clubs:
• Tampa Bay kicker CONNOR BARTH, who converted all three field-goal attempts, including the game-winner in overtime.
• New Orleans kicker KAI FORBATH, who converted the game-winning 50-yard field goal as time expired and made all seven PAT attempts.
• St. Louis punter JOHNNY HEKKER, who averaged 54.5 yards per punt with a 49.8-yard net average and placed four punts inside the 20-yard line.
• Minnesota kicker BLAIR WALSH, who converted all three field-goal attempts, including the game-winner as time expired.
