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FOR USE AS DESIRED COLTS QB PEYTON MANNING, STEELERS S TROY POLAMALU & RAVENS
QB-P KORDELL STEWART NAMED Quarterback PEYTON MANNING of the Indianapolis Colts, safety TROY POLAMALU of the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback/emergency punter KORDELL STEWART of the Baltimore Ravens are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the 10th week of the 2004 season (November 14-15), the NFL announced today. OFFENSE: QB PEYTON MANNING, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS The Colts’ Manning threw for five touchdowns for the third time this season with 320 yards on 18 of 27 passing (66.7 percent) against two interceptions for a 115.7 passer rating in a convincing 49-14 win over upstart AFC South rival Houston (4-5) in Indianapolis. Manning has now passed for five touchdowns three times this season, tying an NFL record shared with Minnesota’s DAUNTE CULPEPPER, who also has three such games on the year. Manning has 31 touchdown passes through nine games – the fewest games played to reach that mark in NFL history. In his seventh year from Tennessee, he is on pace to surpass the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a season (DAN MARINO, 48, 1984). Manning’s arm accounted for the game’s first four touchdowns to place the visitors on their heels, throwing two scoring strikes to both tight end DALLAS CLARK and wide receiver BRANDON STOKLEY. Receiver REGGIE WAYNE’s TD catch marked the sixth game in the past eight that he has snagged a scoring reception. With the victory, Indianapolis (6-3) remains tied with Jacksonville (6-3) atop the AFC South. This is the second Player of the Week Award for Manning this season (Week 3) and the ninth of his career. DEFENSE: S TROY POLAMALU, PITTSBURGH STEELERS Pittsburgh’s Polamalu helped extend the Steelers’ win streak to seven games with a 24-10 victory at Cleveland in the AFC’s oldest rivalry. The second-year safety from USC claimed four tackles and a pair of interceptions, including one interception on the Steelers’ two-yard line to maintain a 14-3 lead. The 5-10, 212-pounder played a significant role in limiting the Browns’ offense to 228 total yards, including only 68 on the ground, to advance Pittsburgh’s record to 8-1, tied with New England for the AFC’s best mark. Cleveland was two-of-10 on third down conversion tries and ran only two plays inside the Steelers’ 10-yard line on the day. With the victory, Pittsburgh head coach BILL COWHER is now 71-1-1 (.979) in his career when his Steelers gain a lead of at least 14 points. This is Polamalu’s first career Player of the Week distinction and marks the third time a Steelers defender has been so honored in the past five weeks. SPECIAL TEAMS: QB-P KORDELL STEWART, BALTIMORE RAVENS In a 20-17 overtime road victory for Baltimore against the New York Jets, reserve quarterback KORDELL STEWART answered the call to handle punting duties in a battle of field position. Ravens punter DAVE ZASTUDIL left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury, leaving Stewart to fill the void. In his first punting effort since his days at John Ehret High School in New Orleans, the 10-year NFL veteran from Colorado punted five times for a 35.4 average, including two punts placed within the Jets’ 20-yard line. Stewart’s final punt of the day came in overtime, when he blasted a 42-yarder which was downed on the Jets’ nine-yard line by starting linebacker and standout special teamer ADALIUS THOMAS. Baltimore’s defense forced New York into a punt three plays later and the Ravens won the game on their ensuing possession, thanks to a 42-yard field goal by MATT STOVER. This is the second career Player of the Week Award for Stewart, who also was honored in Week 14 of 2001 for his quarterback play with the Steelers. 2004 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Other nominees for AFC Offensive Player of Week 10 were: Pittsburgh running back JEROME BETTIS, who rushed for 103 yards on 29 attempts and a pair of touchdowns. Kansas City running back DERRICK BLAYLOCK, who ran for 186 yards on 33 carries in his first NFL start in a 27-20 loss at New Orleans. Blaylock’s rushing total stands as the fifth-highest in club history. Baltimore quarterback KYLE BOLLER, who registered a 97.2 passer rating on 19 of 33 passing (58.8 percent) for 213 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. New England running back COREY DILLON, who rushed for 151 yards on 26 carries (5.8 average) for his fourth consecutive 100-yard game in a 29-6 win against Buffalo. Buffalo receiver ERIC MOULDS, who caught five passes for 46 yards. Moulds has a catch in 103 consecutive games. Jacksonville receiver JIMMY SMITH, who caught seven passes for 109 yards (15.6 average), including a 36-yard touchdown catch in overtime for a 23-17 win against Detroit. Other nominees for AFC Defensive Player of Week 10 were: New England linebacker TEDY BRUSCHI, who tied for the team-lead in tackles and snared an interception which he returned 29 yards to set up a Patriots touchdown. Tennessee defensive tackle-end KEVIN CARTER, who posted 12 tackles, including 3.0 sacks, which matched a career-high in a 19-17 overtime loss to Chicago. One of Carter’s three sacks forced a fumble to thwart a Bears drive in Titans territory. Buffalo linebacker LONDON FLETCHER, who compiled 13 tackles and surpassed 1,000 (1,001) for his career. Kansas City linebacker SCOTT FUJITA, who chalked-up 2.0 sacks and seven tackles. Indianapolis defensive end ROBERT MATHIS, who recorded 3.0 sacks and forced three fumbles in 39 defensive snaps. Baltimore safety ED REED, who had nine tackles and his second interception in as many weeks, returning it 78 yards to set up a touchdown and alter the game’s momentum in the Ravens’ favor. Other nominees for AFC Special Teams Player of Week 10 were: Steelers punter CHRIS GARDOCKI averaged 42.8 yards on four punts, including two within the 20-yard line, in his first game at Cleveland after playing for the Browns from 1999-2003. Kansas City kick returner DANTE HALL, who returned six kickoffs for 164 yards (27.3 average) with a long return of 64 yards. Buffalo rookie punt returner JONATHAN SMITH (No. 214), who in his second NFL game returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown. Smith’s return stands as the eighth-longest in Bills history. New England kicker ADAM VINATIERI, who scored a career-high 17 points, converting all five of his field goal attempts (27, 24, 20, 45, 37) and both point-after-touchdown tries.
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