For week 9 in the 2009 NFL season, here are the Players of the Week in both conferences. The AFC leads off, with the NFL following after the 'Jump.'

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COLTS TE DALLAS CLARK, STEELERS S TYRONE CARTER &

PATRIOTS K STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF

WEEK 9

Tight end DALLAS CLARK of the Indianapolis Colts, safety TYRONE CARTER of the Pittsburgh Steelers and kicker STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI of the New England Patriots are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the ninth week of the 2009 season (November 8-9), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: TE DALLAS CLARK, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

• Clark tied a franchise record with 14 receptions for 119 yards (8.5 average) in a 20-17 divisional win against Houston, helping the club improve to 8-0. 
• His 14 receptions tied wide receiver MARVIN HARRISON’s franchise record for most catches in a game and tied for the third-best single-game total by a tight end in NFL history (KELLEN WINSLOW, 15 in 1984; JASON WITTEN, 15 in 2007). 
• Clark leads the AFC and ranks second in the NFL with 60 receptions.
• He ranks fifth in the AFC and sixth in the NFL with 703 receiving yards, most among tight ends.
• Clark is on track (120 receptions) to surpass single-season tight-end records for receptions and receiving yards (TONY GONZALEZ, 102 catches in 2004; KELLEN WINSLOW, 1,290 yards in 1980).
• In his seventh season from Iowa, this is Clark’s first career Player of the Week Award.  He is the first AFC tight end to win Offensive Player of the Week honors since former Broncos tight end SHANNON SHARPE in 2003 (Week 11).    Clark joins KEN DILGER (Week 16 in 1997) as only the second Colts tight end ever to be named Offensive Player of the Week.

DEFENSE: S TYRONE CARTER, PITTSBURGH STEELERS

• Carter tied a career high with two interceptions and recorded his first touchdown of the season on a 48-yard INT-TD return in a 28-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.
• Added two tackles and two pass defensed while filling in for starting safety RYAN CLARK.
• It was the Steelers’ second consecutive game with an INT-TD return, and it was the second of Carter’s career (vs. Cleveland on 12/28/08).
• The Steelers recorded a season-high three interceptions in the game (Carter, 2; TROY POLAMALU, 1).
• Pittsburgh recorded its fifth consecutive win and improved to 6-2.
• In his 10th year from Minnesota, this is Carter’s second career Player of the Week award.  He previously won the award in 2008 (Week 17).

SPECIAL TEAMS: K STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• Gostkowski connected on all four field goals (30, 38, 34, 40), tying his career high in a 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins. 
• Raised his career total to 94 field goals, passing TONY FRANKLIN (93 from 1984-87) and moving into fourth place on the Patriots’ all-time field goal list.
• Tied for first in the NFL with four field goals in Week 9 and ranked first in the AFC with 13 points among kickers.
• Leads the AFC and ranks second in the NFL with 17 field goals this season.
• In his fourth year from Memphis, this is Gostkowski’s first career Player of the Week award.  He is the first Patriots kicker to win the award since ADAM VINATIERI in 2005 (Week 3).

2009 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Other nominees for AFC Offensive Player of Week 9 were:

• Cincinnati running back CEDRIC BENSON, who rushed for 117 yards with one touchdown in a 17-7 win over the Ravens.
• San Diego wide receiver VINCENT JACKSON, who recorded five receptions for 58 yards (11.6 average) with two touchdowns in a 21-20 win against the New York Giants.
• Tennessee running back CHRIS JOHNSON, who gained 135 rushing yards on 25 carries (5.4 average) with two rushing touchdowns in a 34-27 win against the San Francisco 49ers.
• Denver wide receiver BRANDON MARSHALL, who had a season-high 11 receptions for 112 receiving yards (10.2 average) in a 28-10 loss to the Steelers.
• Pittsburgh running back RASHARD MENDENHALL, who gained 155 rushing yards on 22 carries (7.0 average).
• New England wide receiver RANDY MOSS, who posted six receptions for 147 receiving yards (24.5 average) with one touchdown.
• Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER, who completed 21 of 29 passes (72.4 percent) for 233 yards with three touchdowns versus one interception and a 116.0 passer rating. 
• Jacksonville wide receiver MIKE SIMS-WALKER, who registered six catches for a career-high 147 receiving yards (24.5 average) with one touchdown in a 24-21 win over Kansas City. 

Other nominees for AFC Defensive Player of Week 9 were:

• Denver rookie linebacker-defensive end ROBERT AYERS, who posted two tackles and a 54-yard fumble return-touchdown.
• Cincinnati cornerback JOHNATHAN JOSEPH, who registered one interception and a season-high five passes defensed.
• San Diego linebacker SHAWNE MERRIMAN, who recorded three tackles and two sacks. 
• Indianapolis linebacker CLINT SESSION, who registered a career-high 14 tackles and one interception.
• Jacksonville linebacker DARYL SMITH, who finished with nine tackles, two tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks.

Other nominees for AFC Special Teams Player of Week 9 were:

• Kansas City punter DUSTIN COLQUITT, who punted seven times for 326 yards (46.6 average) with four punts inside the 20-yard line in a 24-21 loss to Jacksonville.
• Miami punter BRANDON FIELDS, who punted five times for 209 yards (41.8 average) with four punts inside the 20-yard line against New England.

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CARDINALS QB KURT WARNER, SAINTS DT ANTHONY HARGROVE

& BUCCANEERS KR-PR CLIFTON SMITH NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF

WEEK 9

Quarterback KURT WARNER of the Arizona Cardinals, defensive tackle ANTHONY HARGROVE of the New Orleans Saints and kick returner-punt returner CLIFTON SMITH of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the ninth week of the 2009 season (November 8-9), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: QB KURT WARNER, ARIZONA CARDINALS

• Warner completed 22 of 32 passes (68.8 percent) for 261 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions for a 132.9 passer rating in the Cardinals’ 41-21 win at Chicago.
• The five touchdown passes tied a career high.  He last tossed five touchdown passes on October 10, 1999 and his gap between five-touchdown games – 10 years and 29 days – is the longest in NFL history. 
• Warner is the first Cardinals quarterback with at least five TD passes in a game since 1969 (CHARLEY JOHNSON).
• He bounced back from a five-interception performance the previous week and is just the fourth player in NFL history to throw at least five touchdown passes the game after getting intercepted at least five times. 
• Warner capped Arizona’s first four drives with touchdown passes, becoming the first Cardinal since NEIL LOMAX in 1983 to throw four TDs in the first half.
• In his 12th season from Northern Iowa, this is Warner’s eighth career Player of the Week Award and fourth with the Cardinals, tied for the most in team history (NEIL LOMAX).  Warner was last honored in Week 2, 2008.
• Warner is the fourth Cardinal to be named Player of the Week this season and the first on offense.

DEFENSE: DT ANTHONY HARGROVE, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

• Hargrove, making his second start of the year, had two fumble recoveries, a fumble-return touchdown, a forced fumble and three tackles in the Saints’ 30-20 win over Carolina. 
• With 2:17 remaining in the game and the Saints clinging to a three-point lead, Hargrove stopped the Panthers running back for a one-yard loss, forced a fumble, picked the ball up and scored a touchdown to seal the victory for the Saints.  The touchdown was the first of his career. 
• New Orleans is off to a franchise-best 8-0 start.  The Saints trailed 14-0 and became just the third team in NFL history to maintain a perfect record this far into a season by winning a game it trailed by at least 14 points. 
• In his fifth season from Georgia Tech, this is Hargrove’s first Player of the Week Award and the fourth for the Saints this year.
• Hargrove is the first Saints defensive tackle to be honored since LA’ROI GLOVER in 2000 (Week 13).

SPECIAL TEAMS: KR-PR CLIFTON SMITH, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

• Smith, who had 161 total return yards, highlighted an impressive performance by the entire special teams unit in the Buccaneers’ 38-28 win over Green Bay. 
• He had two kickoff returns for 107 yards (53.5 average), including a long of 83 yards that set up a Tampa Bay touchdown that cut Green Bay’s lead from 11 to five. 
• Smith added four punt returns for 54 yards (13.5 average), with a long of 19, and tied for the team lead with three special teams tackles.
• The Tampa Bay special teams unit added a touchdown in the game when linebacker GENO HAYES blocked a punt and cornerback RONDE BARBER scooped the ball up and ran 31 yards for a touchdown. 
• The win was the first career victory for rookie head coach RAHEEM MORRIS. 
• In his second season from Fresno State, this is Smith’s second career Player of the Week Award (Week 9, 2008).
• Smith is the second Buccaneer to be honored this year, joining SAMMIE STROUGHTER (Week 6).

2009 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 9:

• Tampa Bay rookie quarterback JOSH FREEMAN, who threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start.  He became the youngest quarterback (21 years, 299 days) to win a game in team history.
• Seattle quarterback MATT HASSELBECK, who passed for 329 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks’ 32-20 win over Detroit.
• Dallas quarterback TONY ROMO, who passed for 307 yards and one touchdown in the Cowboys’ 20-16 victory at Philadelphia. 
• Atlanta running back MICHAEL TURNER, who rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns in the Falcons’ 31-17 win over Washington.

Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 9:

• Atlanta defensive tackle JONATHAN BABINEAUX, who had a career-high 2.5 sacks.
• Seattle linebacker DAVID HAWTHORNE, who had a career-high two interceptions and led the team with nine tackles.
• Atlanta cornerback TYE HILL, who had a 62-yard interception-return touchdown.
• Tampa Bay safety TANARD JACKSON, who had seven tackles and a 35-yard interception-return touchdown.
• New Orleans defensive end WILL SMITH, who had two sacks and a forced fumble. 

Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 9:

• Seattle kicker OLINDO MARE, who scored 14 points, converting all four field-goal attempts and both PATs. 
• Detroit rookie kick returner-wide receiver DERRICK WILLIAMS, who had eight kickoff returns for 178 yards (22.3 average) against Seattle.