FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PLAY-10 11/7/00


PACKERS’ FREEMAN & CARDINALS’ WILLIAMS
WINNERS OF DIRECTV "NFL PLAY OF THE WEEK" AWARD

Wide receiver ANTONIO FREEMAN of the Green Bay Packers and cornerback AENEAS WILLIAMS of the Arizona Cardinals are co-winners of the DirecTV NFL Play of the Week Award for the 10th week of the 2000 season, the NFL announced today.

Each scored touchdowns in a spectacular fashion.

Freeman helped the Packers to a 26-20 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night by catching an amazing game-winning 43-yard touchdown pass.

"Who says football is all skill?" said Freeman after the game.

On the play, Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE threw deep along the right sideline to Freeman, who slipped on the grass.

Vikings cornerback CRIS DISHMAN defended Freeman well and deflected the ball at the 20-yard line.

But the ball bounced out of Dishman’s hands and then off of Freeman's left shoulder as he rolled over. Freeman then tipped the ball up with his right hand and grabbed it without ever letting it hit the ground. He then jumped up untouched, avoided Vikings safety ROBERT GRIFFITH, and scored his improbable touchdown.

Williams sparked the Cardinals to a 16-15 win over Washington on Sunday with a first-quarter 104-yard fumble return for a touchdown. The return tied the NFL record for a fumble return set 28 years ago by Oakland’s Jack Tatum against Green Bay on September 24, 1972.

Washington took the opening kickoff and marched 67 yards to the Cardinals’ one-yard line. Then Redskins running back Stephen Davis fumbled into the end zone after being stripped. Williams picked up the loose ball and raced 104 yards for the touchdown.

"I'm still running, and my heart is still running," said Williams after the game. "It's just tremendous. To start the game off with a play like that kind of set the tone for what we wanted to accomplish."

Fans can view the DirecTV NFL Play of the Week each Tuesday on nfl.com.

This is the first season of the DirecTV NFL Play of the Week Award. DirecTV will donate a total of $10,000 in the names of the weekly winners to the United Way.

 

WEEK PLAYER(S) PLAY
1 Buccaneers QB Shaun King & WR Reidel Anthony Faked spike, 8-yard TD pass.
2 Jets WR Wayne Chrebet Spectacular game-winning touchdown catch.
3 Jets CB Marcus Coleman Defender catches first-half Hail Mary TD.
4 Jets RB Curtis Martin & WR Wayne Chrebet Halfback game-winning TD pass.
5 Redskins PR Deion Sanders 57-yard overtime punt return.
6 Patriots QB Michael Bishop & WR Tony Simmons 44-yard Hail Mary TD to end first half.
7 Falcons KR Darrick Vaughn & Rams KR Tony Horne Began the game with back-to-back kickoff return touchdowns, first time in NFL history.
8 Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper & WR Randy Moss Game-winning 39-yard fourth-quarter TD pass.
9 Titans CB Samari Rolle Spectacular 81-yard interception-return TD.
10 Packers WR Antonio Freeman & Cardinals CB Aeneas Williams Bobbling, game-winning touchdown catch; 104-yard fumble return for a touchdown.