AFC & NFC Players of the Week

From the NFL's PR Dept. and NFL.com, here are the Players of the Week for both the AFC and NFC out of week six's games. Winners in each conference are chosen for offense, defense and special teams. First up is the AFC and the NFC comes after the 'Jump.'

PATRIOTS QB TOM BRADY, TEXANS LB BRIAN CUSHING &

BRONCOS KR-PR-WR EDDIE ROYAL NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF

WEEK 6

Quarterback TOM BRADY of the New England Patriots, rookie linebacker BRIAN CUSHING of the Houston Texans and kick returner-punt returner-wide receiver EDDIE ROYAL of the Denver Broncos are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the sixth week of the 2009 season (October 18-19), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: QB TOM BRADY, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• Brady completed 29 of 34 passes (85.3 percent) for 380 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions for a 152.8 passer rating in New England’s 59-0 win over Tennessee. 
• Set the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a quarter with five in the second frame, which also tied his franchise mark for touchdown passes in a half.
• Led the Patriots to a 45-0 halftime lead, the largest halftime margin in NFL history.
• His 345 yards passing in the first half were a club record for the most in a half.
• Recorded his 25th career 300-yard passing game, second in Patriots history only to DREW BLEDSOE (26).
• Tied his franchise record with six passing touchdowns.
• Passed for two or more touchdowns in a game for the 66th time in his career.  New England’s record in those games is 58-8 (.879).
• Brady’s home record is now 50-10 (.833), second best in the NFL among QBs who began their career since the 1970 merger (TERRY BRADSHAW, 67-12, .848).
• Has won 19 consecutive home starts including the playoffs.
• In his 10th season from Michigan, this is Brady’s 14th career Player of the Week Award.  Brady last won the award in Week 1 of 2009.

DEFENSE: LB BRIAN CUSHING, HOUSTON TEXANS

·         Cushing recorded nine tackles (six solos), two forced fumbles, one interception and two passes defensed in the Texans’ 28-17 win over Cincinnati.

·         His interception, the first of his career, came in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to help seal the victory.

·         Both forced fumbles were recovered by the Texans.

·         Helped Houston’s defense limit Cincinnati’s offense to 78 yards in the second half, including just six yards in the third quarter.

·         The Texans defense forced Cincinnati to go three-and-out on five of its 13 drives (38.5 percent).

·         Leads the team and all NFL rookies with 48 tackles.

·         Has either led the team or tied for the team lead in tackles four times in his first six NFL games

·         In his rookie season from Southern California, this is Cushing’s first career Player of the Week Award.

SPECIAL TEAMS: KR-PR-WR EDDIE ROYAL, DENVER BRONCOS

• Royal returned five kickoffs for 158 yards (31.6 average), including a 93-yard touchdown, along with three punts for 77 yards (25.7 average) and a 71-yard score in Denver’s 34-23 win at San Diego on Monday night.
• Became the 11th player in NFL history, and the second Bronco (AL FRAZIER, 1961), to return a punt and kickoff for touchdowns in the same game.
• His 235 total special-teams return yards are the most in Broncos history.
• His 93-yard KR-TD in the first quarter marked the fifth-longest kickoff return touchdown in club history and was Denver’s first kickoff return-TD since Oct. 1, 2000 (DELTHA O’NEAL, 87 yards vs. New England).
• In his second year from Virginia Tech, this is Royal’s first career Player of the Week award.  He is the first Bronco to win the award since MATT PRATER in Week 5 of 2008.

2009 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Other nominees for AFC Offensive Player of Week 6:

• Jacksonville running back MAURICE JONES-DREW, who rushed for 133 yards on 33 carries (4.0 average) with three touchdowns in the Jaguars’ 23-20 overtime win over St. Louis.  Jones-Drew added five receptions for 45 yards.
• Oakland tight end ZACH MILLER, who caught six passes for 139 yards (23.2 average), including a career-long 86-yard touchdown, in Oakland’s 13-9 win over Philadelphia.
• Denver quarterback KYLE ORTON, who completed 20 of 29 passes (69.0 percent) for 229 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 115.4 passer rating.
• Houston quarterback MATT SCHAUB, who completed 28 of 40 passes (70.0 percent) for 392 yards with four touchdowns and one interception for a passer rating of 124.2

Other nominees for AFC Defensive Player of Week 6:

• Buffalo rookie safety JAIRUS BYRD, who posted three tackles and two interceptions in the Bills’ 16-13 overtime win over the Jets.
• Denver linebacker-defensive end ELVIS DUMERVIL, who posted five tackles, two sacks and forced a fumble that resulted in a takeaway.

Other nominees for AFC Special Teams Player of Week 6:

• Cleveland kick returner-punt returner-wide receiver JOSHUA CRIBBS, who returned three kickoffs for 132 yards (44.0 average), including a 98-yard touchdown in the Browns’ 27-14 loss to Pittsburgh.  He also returned one punt for 26 yards.
• Oakland punter SHANE LECHLER, who averaged 51.1 yards per punt (7 punts, 358 yards), placing two inside the 20 with a long of 59.
• Buffalo kicker RIAN LINDELL, who converted three of four field-goal attempts, including the 47-yard game winner in overtime.
• Kansas City kicker RYAN SUCCOP, who converted all four of his field-goal attempts (39, 46, 46, 24 yards) in the Chiefs’ 14-6 win over Washington.

SAINTS QB DREW BREES, FALCONS S THOMAS DE COUD &

BUCCANEERS KR-WR SAMMIE STROUGHTER NAMED NFC

PLAYERS OF WEEK 6

Quarterback DREW BREES of the New Orleans Saints, safety THOMAS DE COUD of the Atlanta Falcons and rookie kick returner-wide receiver SAMMIE STROUGHTER of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the sixth week of the 2009 season (October 18-19), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: QB DREW BREES, NEW ORLEANS

• Brees completed 23 of 30 passes (76.7 percent) for 369 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a near-perfect 156.8 passer rating in the Saints’ 48-27 victory over the New York Giants in a showdown between two unbeaten clubs.
• He led a Saints offense that scored 48 points and amassed 493 yards against the league’s top-ranked defense, which entered the game allowing 210.6 yards per game.
• Brees threw a TD to four different receivers and seven different Saints scored a touchdown for the first time in franchise history. 
• Since joining the Saints in 2006, Brees has 15,310 passing yards.  He reached the 15,000-yard mark last week in his 53rd game, the fastest to 15,000 yards with a team in NFL history. 
• During the first half, Brees completed 15 consecutive passes, two shy of his own team record. 
• In his ninth season from Purdue, this is Brees’ 11th career Player of the Week Award and second this season (Week 1).  He won three times in 2008 (Weeks 6, 8 and 12).
• Brees’ nine Player of the Week Awards as a Saint are the most in franchise history. 

DEFENSE: S THOMAS DE COUD, ATLANTA FALCONS

·         DeCoud recorded the first two interceptions of his career and added eight tackles in the Falcons’ 21-14 win over Chicago on Sunday night. 

·         His first interception came at the Atlanta nine-yard line to stall the Bears’ opening drive deep in Falcons’ territory. 

·         His second interception came at the Atlanta 30-yard line and he returned the ball 15 yards to the Falcons’ 45 to help set up a score.  Three plays after DeCoud’s INT, quarterback MATT RYAN found wide receiver RODDY WHITE for a touchdown. 

• DeCoud’s two interceptions marked the first multiple-INT game by a Falcon since 2006 when DE ANGELO HALL accomplished the feat (September 17). 

·         In his second season from California, this is DeCoud’s first career Player of the Week Award.

·         He is the first Atlanta player to be honored on defense since LAWYER MILLOY (Week 13, 2006).  The last Falcon to win a weekly award was running back MICHAEL TURNER (Offense, Week 17, 2008).

SPECIAL TEAMS: KR-WR SAMMIE STROUGHTER, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

·         Stroughter had a 97-yard kick-return touchdown, averaged 47.3 yards per return (three returns, 142 yards) and added three receptions for 65 yards (21.7 average) in the Buccaneers’ 28-21 loss to Carolina. 

·         A seventh-round draft pick (No. 233 overall), Stroughter’s 97-yard kick-return TD tied for the longest kick-return in team history.

• He is the third player in franchise history to return a kickoff for a touchdown joining CLIFTON SMITH (2008) and MICHEAL SPURLOCK (2007). 

·         For the game, he finished with 207 combined yards on six touches for an average of 34.5 yards per touch. 

·         In his rookie season from Oregon State, this is Stroughter’s first career Player of the Week Award.

·         He is the first Buccaneer to be honored on special teams since CLIFTON SMITH (Week 9, 2008).  The last Tampa Bay player to win a weekly award was cornerback RONDE BARBER (Defense, Week 12, 2008). 

2009 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 6:

• New Orleans wide receiver MARQUES COLSTON, who had eight catches for 166 yards (20.8 average) and a touchdown. 
• Green Bay wide receiver DONALD DRIVER, who had seven catches for 107 yards in the Packers’ 26-0 win over Detroit.  Driver became the team’s all-time leading receiver (602 receptions). 
• Minnesota quarterback BRETT FAVRE, who completed 21 of 29 passes (72.4 percent) for 278 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 136.9 passer rating in the Vikings’ 33-31 win over Baltimore. 
• Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD, who tied a career high with 13 receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 27-3 win at Seattle. 
• Minnesota wide receiver SIDNEY RICE, who had six receptions for a career-high 176 yards (29.3 average). 
• Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS, who completed 29 of 37 passes (78.4 percent) for 358 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for a 113.7 passer rating. 
• Carolina running back DE ANGELO WILLIAMS, who rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns in the Panthers’ 28-21 win at Tampa Bay.

Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 6:

• Minnesota defensive end JARED ALLEN, who had seven tackles, one sack and four tackles for a loss. 
• Tampa Bay safety TANARD JACKSON, who had a 26-yard interception-return touchdown, five tackles and a forced fumble. 
• Green Bay rookie linebacker CLAY MATTHEWS, who had two sacks, three tackles for a loss, two quarterback hurries and a pass defensed. 
• Carolina defensive end JULIUS PEPPERS, who had two sacks and forced a fumble. 

Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 6:

• New York Giants return specialist-wide receiver DOMENIK HIXON, who returned seven kickoffs for 230 yards (32.9 average), two punts for 51 yards (25.5 average) and added 22 receiving yards to finish with a team-record 303 combined yards in the Giants’ 48-27 loss at New Orleans. 
• Minnesota kicker RYAN LONGWELL, who converted all four field-goal attempts (40, 22, 29, 31 yards), including the game-winner with 1:41 left in the game, and three PATs to finish with 15 points. 
• Green Bay safety DERRICK MARTIN, who had four special teams tackles.