STEELERS WR ANTONIO BROWN, TEXANS DE J.J. WATT &
COLTS K ADAM VINATIERI
NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF MONTH FOR NOVEMBER
Wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN of the Pittsburgh Steelers, defensive end J.J. WATT of the Houston Texans and kicker ADAM VINATIERI of the Indianapolis Colts are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for November (October 29-November 30), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: WR ANTONIO BROWN, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
- Brown led the NFL in receiving yards (521) and ranked second in receptions (39) in November to go along with three touchdowns in four games.
- Despite playing in only four November games, Brown led the AFC and ranked third in the NFL with 543 scrimmage yards.
- Brown, who registered at least six catches in every game this month, had six receptions for 47 yards and one touchdown against the Bengals in Week 8. He then set single-game franchise records for catches (17), receiving yards (284) and yards from scrimmage (306) in the Steelers’ 38-35 win against Oakland in Week 9.
- Brown followed his record-breaking performance with 10 catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns against Cleveland, becoming the fourth player in history with at least 27 catches in a two-game span in a single season.
· In his sixth season from Central Michigan, this is Brown’s second career Player of the Month Award (December 2014). He joins Pro Football Hall of Famer JEROME BETTIS (three) as the only Steelers to win multiple Offensive Player of the Month Awards.
DEFENSE: DE J.J. WATT, HOUSTON TEXANS
· Watt led the NFL with 7.5 sacks to go along with 20 tackles, including nine tackles for a loss, and one forced fumble as the Texans finished November with an undefeated record (4-0) for the first time in club history.
· Watt posted at least one sack in every game this month and led a Texans defense that ranked first in the NFL in total defense (250.5 yards per game) and scoring defense (8.8 points per game) for the month.
· He had five tackles, 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble in the Texans’ 20-6 win against Tennessee in Week 8 and added two two tackles and one sack in a 10-6 win over previously undefeated Cincinnati in Week 10.
· In Week 11 against the Jets, Watt notched eight tackles and two sacks in a 24-17 win and finished the month with five tackles and two sacks against New Orleans last week.
· Watt leads the NFL with 13.5 sacks and has 70.5 sacks in 75 career games. He reached 70 career sacks in the second-fewest games of any NFL player since 1982, trailing only Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (57 games).
- In his fifth season from Wisconsin, this is Watt’s fifth career Player of the Month Award and first since December of 2014. His five career Defensive Player of the Week Awards are tied for the second-most of any player since the award’s inception in 1986 (Pro Football Hall of Famer BRUCE SMITH, six).
SPECIAL TEAMS: K ADAM VINATIERI, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
· Vinatieri converted all 11 field-goal attempts and nine of 10 PATs for a total of 42 points in four games for the month of November.
· He kicked a game-winning 43-yard field goal against Atlanta in Week 11, marking his 26th career game-winning kick in the fourth quarter or overtime.
· Vinatieri converted two 50-yard attempts in November, including a 55-yarder in the fourth quarter in the Colts’ 27-24 win against previously undefeated Denver in Week 9 and a 50-yarder in overtime against Carolina in Week 8.
· He was the only NFL player to convert at least 10 field-goal attempts with no misses in November.
· In his 20th season from South Dakota State, this is Vinatieri’s fourth career Player of the Month Award and first since 2004 (November of 2004 with New England). He is the first Colts kicker to win a Player of the Month Award since MIKE VANDERJAGT in 2003 (December).
2015 AFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
September
QB Tom Brady, New England
LB DeMarcus Ware, Denver
K Stephen Gostkowski, New England
October
QB Andy Dalton, Cincinnati
S Charles Woodson, Oakland
K Brandon McManus, Denver
November
WR Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh
DE J.J. Watt, Houston
K Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis
# # #
VIKINGS RB ADRIAN PETERSON, CARDINALS S TYRANN MATHIEU &
PANTHERS K GRAHAM GANO
NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF MONTH FOR NOVEMBER
Running back ADRIAN PETERSON of the Minnesota Vikings, safety TYRANN MATHIEU of the Arizona Cardinals and kicker GRAHAM GANO of the Carolina Panthers are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for November, the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: RB ADRIAN PETERSON, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
- Peterson led the NFL in rushing yards (634), rushing touchdowns (five), 100-yard rushing games (four) and scrimmage yards (716) as the Vikings went 4-1 during the month.
- He is one of five players in NFL history to rush for at least 600 yards and five touchdowns while averaging at least 5.0 yards per carry in November of a single season. He joins Pro Football Hall of Famers WALTER PAYTON (1977), ERIC DICKERSON (1984) andBARRY SANDERS (1997) and CHRIS JOHNSON (2009).
- Peterson rushed for at least 125 yards in three games during the month and became the sixth player in NFL history with at least 30 such games. The other five are all enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Sanders (46), JIM BROWN (41), Payton (38), Dickerson (36) and EMMITT SMITH (34).
- He had two 150+ yard rushing games in November and has 18 such performances in his career. That is tied for the fourth-most all-time with Dickerson and Smith. Only Sanders (25), Brown (22) and Payton (20) have more.
- In Week 10, Peterson rushed for 203 yards, his sixth career 200-yard rushing game, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer O.J. SIMPSON for the most in NFL history.
- In his ninth season from Oklahoma, this is Peterson’s second career Player of the Month Award (December 2012).
- Peterson is the only running back in franchise history to win multiple Offensive Player of the Month Awards.
DEFENSE: S TYRANN MATHIEU, ARIZONA CARDINALS
· Mathieu had 27 tackles, two interceptions and six passes defensed as the Cardinals went 4-0 during the month.
· He was the only defensive back in the NFL to have at least 25 tackles and two interceptions during November and just one of three players – linebackers LUKE KUECHLYand LAVONTE DAVID – to do so.
· Mathieu had an interception in both of Arizona’s division games during November. In four division games this season, he has 30 tackles, four interceptions, one touchdown, eight passes defensed and a forced fumble.
· He is the only player in the NFL this season with at least 70 tackles and four interceptions.
- In his third year from Louisiana State, this is Mathieu’s first career Player of the Month Award.
- Mathieu is the second Cardinals player to be named Defensive Player of the Month (KWAMIE LASSITER, November 2001).
SPECIAL TEAMS: K GRAHAM GANO, CAROLINA PANTHERS
· Gano led the NFL in scoring (62 points) and field goals (15) during November as the Panthers went 5-0.
· He made multiple field goals in all five games, including four games with at least three field goals.
· Gano was a perfect six-for-six on 48+ yard field-goal attempts in November and had at least one successful 48+ yard field goal in all five games.
· He converted both 50+ yard field-goal attempts, including the game-winning 52-yarder in Carolina’s Week 8 overtime win against Indianapolis.
· He also had 19 touchbacks on kickoffs, tied for the most during the month.
· In his sixth season from Florida State, this is Gano’s first career Player of the Month Award.
· Gano joins JOHN KASAY (two) as the only Panthers kickers to win Special Teams Player of the Month.
2015 NFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
September
WR Julio Jones, Atlanta
CB Josh Norman, Carolina
KR-PR Tyler Lockett, Seattle
October
RB Devonta Freeman, Atlanta
DT Kawann Short, Carolina
P Johnny Hekker, St. Louis
November
RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
S Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona
K Graham Gano, Carolina
