Willis McGahee Named AFC Offensive Player of the Week

RAVENS RB WILLIS MC GAHEE, CHIEFS LB DERRICK JOHNSON &
CHARGERS K NATE KAEDING NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 17
 
Running back WILLIS MC GAHEE of the Baltimore Ravens, linebacker DERRICK JOHNSON of the Kansas City Chiefs and kicker NATE KAEDING of the San Diego Chargers are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the 17th week of the 2009 season (January 3), the NFL announced today.
 
OFFENSE: RB WILLIS MC GAHEE, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Facing a must-win scenario to secure the Ravens a playoff spot, McGahee scored three touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 167 yards on 16 carries (10.4 average) in a 21-13 win over the Raiders.
His effort helped the Ravens reach the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2000-01.
His 77-yard touchdown run in the second quarter tied for the second-longest run in Ravens history.
In 2009, McGahee totaled 14 touchdowns (12 rushing, two receiving), tying for the most in team history (MICHAEL JACKSON, 1996; JAMAL LEWIS, 2003).
In his seventh season from Miami, this is McGahee’s first career Player of the Week award. 
He joins linebacker BRENDON AYANBADEJO (Week 3) and cornerback DOMONIQUE FOXWORTH (Week 15) as the third Raven to earn Player of the Week honors this season.

 
Other nominees for AFC Defensive Player of Week 17:
·         Baltimore rookie linebacker DANNELL ELLERBE, who posted four tackles, one interception and two passes defensed.

Other POW's listed after the 'Jump.'

DEFENSE: LB DERRICK JOHNSON, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
In a 44-24 win over Denver, Johnson became the third linebacker in NFL history to record two interception-touchdown returns in a game as the Chiefs posted their first-ever win at Invesco Field.
He joined BILL BLACKBURN (with Bears on 10/24/1948) and KEN NORTON (with 49ers on 11/22/1995) as only the third linebacker in NFL history to register two INT-TD returns in a game.
He tied an NFL record, becoming the 25th player in league annals to record two INT-TD returns in a game.
His 105 interception return yards rank as the fourth-highest single-game total in franchise history.
In his fifth year from Texas, this is Johnson’s second career Defensive Player of the Week award.  He most recently won the award in 2008 (Week 4).  
He joins safety MIKE BROWN (Week 10) as the second Chief to win Defensive Player of the Week this season.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS: K NATE KAEDING, SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
In a 23-20 win over the Redskins, Kaeding made all three field goals (47, 24, 45) and ended the season with a franchise single-season record .914 field goal percentage (32 of 35).
He made field goals of 45 and 47 yards and added a 27-yarder to extend his NFL-record streak of field goals 40-yards-or-less to 69 straight.
He helped the Chargers extend their winning streak to 11, the longest current streak in the NFL.
He finished the season with an NFL-best and franchise-record 146 points among kickers.
Kaeding was selected to his second career Pro Bowl in 2009.
In his sixth season from Iowa, this is Kaeding’s first career Player of the Week award. 
He is the first Chargers kicker to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors since WADE RICHEY in 2001 (Week 2). 

VIKINGS QB BRETT FAVRE, COWBOYS LB ANTHONY SPENCER &
SAINTS P THOMAS MORSTEAD NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 17
 
Quarterback BRETT FAVRE of the Minnesota Vikings, linebacker ANTHONY SPENCER of the Dallas Cowboys and punter THOMAS MORSTEAD of the New Orleans Saints are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the 17th week of the 2009 season (January 3), the NFL announced today.
 
OFFENSE: QB BRETT FAVRE, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Favre completed 25 of 31 passes (80.6 percent) for 316 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 148.7 passer rating in the Vikings’ 44-7 win over the New York Giants.  The victory helped Minnesota clinch the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. 
Favre’s four-touchdown performance was the 23rd of his career, the most in NFL history.  Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO and Indianapolis’ PEYTON MANNING are tied for second with 21 such games. 
His 80.6 completion percentage marked the third time this season Favre has completed at least 80.0 percent of his passes.  He is the first player in NFL history to have three games with an 80.0+ completion percentage (minimum 25 attempts) in a single season. 
Favre, who was selected to his 11th Pro Bowl – a record for QBs – this season, finished with 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns and a career-high 107.2 passer rating. 
In his 19th season from Southern Miss, this is Favre’s 16th career Player of the Week Award, the third-most since the award was introduced in 1984 (Manning 20, Marino 18).
This is the third Player of the Week Award for Favre this year (Weeks 4 and 8).  He is the third Vikings quarterback to be honored three times in the same season joining DAUNTE CULPEPPER (2004, four times) and RANDALL CUNNINGHAM (1998).
 
DEFENSE: LB ANTHONY SPENCER, DALLAS COWBOYS
Spencer had five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in the Cowboys’ 24-0 win over Philadelphia.  With the win, Dallas improved to 11-5 and clinched the NFC East. 
He was part of a defense that allowed only 228 total yards of net offense.
Spencer, who started all 16 games, recorded a career-high 67 tackles and six sacks this year.  He recorded four sacks and a forced fumble in the team’s final three games as the Cowboys finished with three wins in a row. 
Dallas closed out the season with consecutive shutouts, becoming only the second team (2000 Tennessee) in the past 33 years to accomplish the feat.  Before them, the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers were the last team to end the regular season with back-to-back shutouts. 
In his third season from Purdue, this is Spencer’s first career Player of the Week Award.
He is the fourth Cowboys linebacker to be honored.  Spencer and DE MARCUS WARE (Week 15) are the first linebackers in team history to both be named Player of the Week in the same season. 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS: P THOMAS MORSTEAD, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Morstead placed seven of his nine punts inside the 15-yard line in the Saints’ 23-10 loss at Carolina.  On the day, he averaged 46.3 yards per punt with a net average of 42.3 yards.  The Saints finished the season with a 13-3 record, won the NFC South division and own homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
His seven punts inside the 20-yard line are tied for the third-most in a game since the NFL began tracking the stat in 1976.  MARK ROYALS (Pittsburgh, Nov. 6, 1994, OT) and BRYAN BARKER (Jacksonville, Nov. 14, 1999) are tied for the NFL record with eight punts inside the 20-yard line. 
Morstead is the first player since 1976 to place seven punts inside the 15-yard line. 
In his rookie season from Southern Methodist, this is Morstead’s second career Player of the Week Award (Week 11).  He is the first punter in team history to be honored twice in a season.
The last punter to be named Player of the Week twice in a season was BRIAN MOORMAN (2006).