Ravens' Torrey Smith: AFC Offensive Player Of The Week

Major congratulations go out to Baltimore Ravens rookie WR Torrey Smith for his six-catch, 165 yard and one TD performance in the team's huge 31-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. That performance earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. This is the second time in 2011 that the former Maryland Terrapin has had over 150 receiving yards and a score, making him only the third rookie in NFL history to do that more than one time in his first season.

Smith's speed is now well known in the league as well as QB Joe Flacco's love of throwing the long ball. However, expecting it and still being able to stop it are two very different things, as Smith hauled in a 49-yard pass to go along with his 38-yard TD reception. 

Not only did Smith's huge day include a 27.5 yards per reception average, but he is leading the entire NFL, averaging over 20 yards every time he catches the ball, not just huge numbers but amazing for a rookie wide receiver. Torrey leads the Ravens in TD receptions, catching five of Flacco's 12 TD passes. With 29 catches for 590 yards in ten games, he is easily having the best rookie WR season in team history.

 Let's hope he adds to that record tonight when he lines up against the San Francisco 49ers secondary.

See more on this story at BaltimoreRavens.com and click on the 'Jump' to read the NFL's official press release on Torrey Smith's honor.)

RAVENS WR TORREY SMITH, BRONCOS LB VON MILLER &

PATRIOTS PR-WR JULIAN EDELMAN NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 11

Rookie wide receiver TORREY SMITH of the Baltimore Ravens, rookie linebacker VON MILLER of the Denver Broncos and punt returner-wide receiver JULIAN EDELMAN of the New England Patriots are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the 11th week of the 2011 season (November 17, 20-21), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: WR TORREY SMITH, BALTIMORE RAVENS

• Smith totaled 165 receiving yards with six receptions (27.5 average) and one touchdown in the Ravens’ 31-24 win over Cincinnati. 

• Smith’s 165 receiving yards tied for an NFL-best in Week 11 (VINCENT JACKSON).
• Smith (two) joined KEN BURROW (two in 1971) and RANDY MOSS (three in 1998) as the only rookies to have multiple games with at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown catch since 1970.
• Four of Smith’s five touchdown receptions have been for at least 25 yards (74, 41, 38, 26) this season and he has a 39.4 yard per TD catch average.
• His 590 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions this season rank second among NFL rookies, trailing only A.J. GREEN(635 receiving yards, six touchdown receptions).
• In his rookie year from Maryland, this is Smith’s first career Offensive Player of the Week Award. He joins DERRICK ALEXANDER (Week 14 in 1996), ANQUAN BOLDIN (Week 3 in 2010) and QADRY ISMAIL (Week 14 in 1999) as the fourth Raven wide receiver to win Offensive Player of the Week honors.