AFC
Quarterback JOE FLACCO of the Baltimore Ravens, defensive tackle JURRELL CASEY of the Tennessee Titans and punter PAT MC AFEE of the Indianapolis Colts are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in the sixth week of the 2014 season (October 9, 12-13), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: QB JOE FLACCO, BALTIMORE RAVENS
- Flacco completed 21 of 29 passes (72.4 percent) for 306 yards and a career-high five touchdowns with no interceptions for a 146.0 passer rating in the Ravens’ 48-17 win at Tampa Bay.
- He threw his fifth touchdown pass at the 13:57 mark of the the second quarter (16:03 into the game), becoming the fastest player in NFL history to record five TD passes in a game.
- Flacco is the first player since 1986 with four touchdown passes in the first quarter of a game (Minnesota quarterbackTOMMY KRAMER vs. Green Bay on September 28, 1986) and the first player with five touchdown passes in the first half since TOM BRADY (October 18, 2009 vs. Tennessee).
- His five touchdown passes tied the franchise single-game record originally set by quarterback TONY BANKS on September 10, 2000 against Jacksonville.
- In his seventh season from Delaware, this is Flacco’s third career Player of the Week Award and first since 2012 (Week 1).
- Flacco, who is the only quarterback in franchise history to win multiple Player of the Week Awards, is the second Ravens player to win an award in 2014, joining kicker JUSTIN TUCKER (Special Teams, Week 3).
DEFENSE: DT JURRELL CASEY, TENNESSEE TITANS
- Casey had nine tackles, including two sacks and a tackle for a loss, in the Titans’ 16-14 win against Jacksonville.
- He led a defensive front that limited the Jaguars to 82 rushing yards.
- Both of Casey’s sacks and his tackle for a loss came during series in which the Jaguars were forced to later punt.
- Seven of his nine tackles, which tied a career-high, came behind or within three yards of the line of scrimmage.
- Casey, who leads the Titans with four sacks this season, is the only NFL defensive tackle with multiple two-sack games this season (two).
- In his fourth season from Southern California, this is Casey’s first career Player of the Week Award.
- Casey is the first Titans/Oilers defensive tackle to be named Defensive Player of the Week since RAY CHILDRESS in 1993 (Week 18).
SPECIAL TEAMS: P PAT MC AFEE, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
- McAfee punted four times for 159 yards (39.8 average), recovered his own onside kick in the first quarter and had six kickoff touchbacks in the Colts’ 33-28 win at Houston on Thursday Night Football.
- After the Colts opened the scoring with a field goal on their first drive of the game, McAfee executed a successful onside kick that he recovered himself. Two plays later, running back TRENT RICHARDSON scored a five-yard rushing touchdown to give Indianapolis a 10-0 lead.
- McAfee, who placed three of his four punts inside his opponent’s 11-yard line, did not allow any punt return yardage, netting 39.8 yards per punt.
- The Colts have recovered all three of McAfee’s onside kick attempts this season, the most of any team in the NFL.
- In his sixth season from West Virginia, this is McAfee’s first career Player of the Week Award.
- McAfee, who was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September, is the first Colts punter to win win a Player of the Week Award since HUNTER SMITH in 2005 (Week 2).
NFC
Tackle TYRON SMITH of the Dallas Cowboys, defensive end EZEKIEL ANSAH of the Detroit Lions and rookie kicker CHANDLER CATANZARO of the Arizona Cardinals are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the sixth week of the 2014 season (October 9, 12-13), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: T TYRON SMITH, DALLAS COWBOYS
- Smith was the leader of an offensive line that helped Dallas rack up 401 total yards of offense – including 162 rushing yards – and hold the ball for 37:39 in the Cowboys’ 30-23 win at Seattle.
- Smith, who graded out the highest among linemen by the Dallas coaching staff, helped running back DE MARCO MURRAYrush for 115 yards and a touchdown. Murray leads the NFL in rushing with 785 yards and joined Pro Football Hall of FamerJIM BROWN (1958) as the only players to rush for at least 100 yards in each of his team’s first six games to start a season.
- The Cowboys ran 70 plays – 22 more than the Seahawks (48) – and were 10 of 17 (58.8 percent) on third-down conversions.
- Dallas is only the second team (Arizona) to defeat the Seahawks in Seattle since the start of the 2012 season (19-2, including the playoffs).
- The offensive line has helped the Cowboys lead the NFL in rushing this season (160.3 yards per game).
- In his fourth season from Southern California, this is Smith’s first career Player of the Week Award.
- Smith is the first offensive lineman to be named Offensive Player of the Week since 2004 (Kansas City guard BRIANWATERS, Week 7). The last tackle to win Offensive Player of the Week was Dallas’ ERIK WILLIAMS in 1992 (Week 9).
DEFENSE: DE EZEKIEL ANSAH, DETROIT LIONS
- Ansah had 2.5 sacks, five tackles – all for a loss – and a forced fumble in the Lions’ 17-3 win at Minnesota.
- His five tackles, including the 2.5 sacks, all came behind the line of scrimmage and resulted in a loss of 26 yards.
- Ansah’s 2.5 sacks led the team, which had a season-high eight sacks in the game. It marked the first time since November 22, 1987 (at Chicago) that the Lions had at least eight sacks in a road game.
- Detroit leads the NFL in total defense (270.7 yards per game), pass defense (197.2), sacks (20) and points allowed (82). The Lions rank second in the league in rush defense (73.5).
- Against the Vikings, Detroit’s defense allowed 212 total net yards, 143 net passing yards, 69 rushing yards and three points.
- In his second year from BYU, this is Ansah’s first career Player of the Week Award.
- Ansah is the first Lions defensive end to be honored since CLIFF AVRIL in 2011 (Week 8).
SPECIAL TEAMS: K CHANDLER CATANZARO, ARIZONA CARDINALS
- Catanzaro converted all three field-goal attempts and scored 12 points in the Cardinals’ 30-20 win over Washington. All seven of Catanzaro’s kickoffs resulted in the Redskins starting a drive no further than their own 20-yard line (six touchbacks).
- He has converted all 14 field-goal attempts this season. The only rookie in NFL history to start a season with a longer streak of consecutive field goals made is St. Louis’ GREG ZUERLEIN, who made 15 field goals in a row to start the 2012 season.
- Catanzaro’s 14 field goals are the most by a kicker this season without a miss.
- Catanzaro has scored 50 points in five games this season and is one of only three players averaging at least 10.0 points per game (Denver’s JULIUS THOMAS, 10.8 and New England’s STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI, 10.7).
- In his rookie season from Clemson, this is Catanzaro’s first career Player of the Week Award.
- Catanzaro is the first Cardinals rookie to be named Special Teams Player of the Week since PATRICK PETERSON in 2011 (Week 12).
