Direct from the NFL below:
RAVENS WR ANQUAN BOLDIN, CHIEFS LB TAMBA HALI &
BILLS KR-RB C.J. SPILLER NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 3
Wide receiver ANQUAN BOLDIN of the Baltimore Ravens, linebacker TAMBA HALI of the Kansas City Chiefs and rookie kick returner-running back C.J. SPILLER of the Buffalo Bills are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the third week of the 2010 season (September 26-27), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: WR ANQUAN BOLDIN, BALTIMORE RAVENS
In the Ravens’ home opener, Boldin had eight catches for 142 yards (17.8 average) and tied his career-high with three touchdown receptions in a 24-17 win against the Cleveland Browns.
Boldin joined Pro Football Hall of Famer JAMES LOFTON (1978) and TERRELL OWENS (2004) as the only players in NFL history with three touchdown receptions in the first home game of a season with a new team.
He now has 606 receptions in 98 games, reaching 600 career receptions in the fewest games in NFL history.
Boldin posted his 29th career 100-yard receiving game and has two games with 100+ yards in 2010 (110, 142).
Led the NFL in Week 3 with three touchdown receptions.
In his eighth season from Florida State, this is Boldin’s first career Player of the Week Award. He is the first Baltimore wide receiver to win Offensive Player of the Week since QADRY ISMAIL in 1999 (Week 14).
DEFENSE: LB TAMBA HALI, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
· Hali tied his career-high with three sacks and had one forced fumble in a 31-10 win against the San Francisco 49ers.
· Played a pivotal role in the Chiefs’ registering five sacks, the club’s highest total since September 23, 2007 against Minnesota.
· In 2010, Hali ranks third in the AFC with 3.5 sacks. He registered a career-high 8.5 sacks in 2009.
· Has helped the Chiefs start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2003.
· In his fifth year from Penn State, this is Hali’s first career Player of the Week Award. He is the second Chiefs player to win an award this season – rookie PR-WR DEXTER MC CLUSTER was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 1.
SPECIAL TEAMS: KR-RB C.J. SPILLER, BUFFALO BILLS
Spiller set a franchise rookie record with 189 kickoff return yards, including a 95-yard kick-return touchdown in a 38-30 loss to the New England Patriots. He added a five-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter and is the second Bills player to record a kick-return touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the same game since CHARLEY WARNER in December 19, 1965 against the New York Jets.Spiller became the seventh Bills rookie to record a touchdown on a kickoff return.Through Week 3, Spiller ranks second in the AFC and third in the NFL with a 31.2 kickoff return average (374 yards on 12 kickoff returns).In his rookie season from Clemson, this is Spiller’s first career Player of the Week Award. He is the first Bills return specialist to win Special Teams Player of the Week since ROSCOE PARRISH in 2006 (Week 12).
VIKINGS RB ADRIAN PETERSON, COWBOYS LB DE MARCUS WARE &
SEAHAWKS KR-RB LEON WASHINGTON NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 3
Running back ADRIAN PETERSON of the Minnesota Vikings, linebacker DE MARCUS WARE of the Dallas Cowboys and kick returner-running back LEON WASHINGTON of the Seattle Seahawks are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the third week of the 2010 season (September 26-27), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: RB ADRIAN PETERSON, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Peterson rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings’ 24-10 victory over Detroit.
He scored on touchdown runs of 80 and six yards. The 80-yard touchdown run was the longest ever by a Viking at Mall of America Field and the longest of his career.
This season, he leads the NFC and ranks second in the NFL with 392 rushing yards.
Peterson added five receptions for 30 yards against the Lions. He leads the NFC and ranks second in the NFL with 477 scrimmage yards (392 rushing, 85 receiving).
· In his fourth season from Oklahoma, this is Peterson’s fourth career Player of the Week Award and first since 2008 (Week 10).
· His four career Offensive Player of the Week Awards are the most ever by a Vikings running back.
DEFENSE: LB DE MARCUS WARE, DALLAS COWBOYS
Ware tied a career-high with three sacks in the Cowboys’ 27-13 win at Houston. He has posted three sacks in a game six times in his career.
He finished with eight tackles and had two additional tackles for a loss.
In his career, he has 14 games with at least 1.5 sacks, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY WHITE for the third-most in franchise history.
All three of his sacks came on third-down and in his career, 29 of his 68.5 sacks have come on third-down.
· In his sixth year from Troy, this is Ware’s fourth career Player of the Week Award and first since Week 15, 2009.
· Ware’s four Defensive Player of the Week Awards are the most in franchise history.
SPECIAL TEAMS: KR-RB LEON WASHINGTON, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Washington became the 10th player in NFL history with two kickoff-return touchdowns in the same game as the Seahawks defeated San Diego 27-20.
He had KR-TDs of 101 and 99 yards – the two longest in franchise history – and finished with a team-record 253 kickoff-return yards.
For his career, Washington has six kickoff-return touchdowns, tied for the second-most in NFL history.
He is the Seahawks’ career leader with two kickoff-return touchdowns and also tops the New York Jets’ record books with four KR-TDs. Washington is the only player to lead two different current franchises in career kick-return touchdowns.
· In his fifth season from Florida State, this is Washington’s second career Player of the Week Award. He previously won in Week 11 of 2008 with the Jets.
· He is the first Seahawks kick returner to be honored since CHARLIE ROGERS in 2001 (Week 16).