FOR USE AS DESIRED
AFC-POW-4      10/6/04

CHIEFS RB PRIEST HOLMES, PATRIOTS LB TEDY BRUSCHI &
BRONCOS K JASON ELAM NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 4

Running back PRIEST HOLMES of the Kansas City Chiefs, linebacker TEDY BRUSCHI of the New England Patriots and kicker JASON ELAM of the Denver Broncos are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the fourth week of the 2004 season (October 3-4), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: RB PRIEST HOLMES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

• In a 27-24 road win on Monday night at Baltimore, Kansas City’s Holmes ran for two touchdowns and 125 yards on 33 carries in his 50th game as a Chief.  Holmes, who leads the NFL with 476 rushing yards, became the fourth player since 1970 to amass 5,000 rushing yards with a team in 50 or fewer games, previously done by ERIC DICKERSON (45 games, Rams), EARL CAMPBELL (46 games, Oilers), and TERRELL DAVIS (50 games, Broncos).  The win was Kansas City’s first of the season, halting an 0-3 skid.  Baltimore entered the game tied for the NFL’s longest streak of nine games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. 

In his eighth year from Texas, this is Holmes’ fifth career Player of the Week Award.

DEFENSE: LB TEDY BRUSCHI,  NEW ENGLAND

• The Patriots’ Bruschi chalked-up eight tackles, including 2.0 sacks, in a 31-17 win at Buffalo for the team’s 18th consecutive victory – one win away from netting the longest win streak in NFL history.  The nine-year veteran from Arizona forced a game-clinching Buffalo fumble on 4th-and-3 at the New England 17-yard line as the Patriots clung to a 24-17 lead with 2:59 left in regulation.  After forcing the fumble, Bruschi had the presence of mind to get up and block the nearest Buffalo player to enable teammate RICHARD SEYMOUR to run 68 yards for a touchdown after recovering the loose ball.  The game was the third of Bruschi's career in which he produced multiple sacks.

This is the third Player of the Week distinction for the 6-1, 247-pounder, all of which have been awarded since Week 2 of last season.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K JASON ELAM, DENVER

• Denver’s Elam accounted for 10 of Denver’s 16 points in a 16-13 win at Tampa Bay by splitting the uprights on all three field goal attempts (49, 50, and 23 yards) and his only point-after try.  Elam’s 49-yard field goal in the second quarter gave Denver a 10-0 lead, and his 50-yarder later in the quarter put the Broncos ahead 13-7.  The licensed commercial airplane pilot, who leads the AFC with 37 points scored, capped Denver’s scoring with a game-winner from 23 yards out with 9:03 to play for his 13th career game-winning field goal and his first of 2004.  Sunday’s game marked the second time in Elam’s career that he converted two field goals of 49 yards or longer.

In his 12th season from Hawaii, this is Elam’s fourth career Player of the Week honor.

2004 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Other nominees for AFC Offensive Player of Week 4 were:

• New England quarterback TOM BRADY, who posted a 112.9 passer rating by completing 17 of 30 (56.7 percent) for 298 yards with two touchdowns without an interception in the team’s win at Buffalo.
• San Diego quarterback DREW BREES, who in a 38-17 win over Tennessee, threw for a 149.2 passer rating, completing 16 of 20 (80.0 percent) for three TDs without an interception. This marks the second time in his career that Brees has thrown a career-high three touchdowns without an interception.
• Jets running back CURTIS MARTIN, who ran the ball 24 times for 110 yards (4.6 avg.) and a touchdown along with four receptions for 31 yards in a 17-9 win against Miami.  With his performance, Martin surpassed former Bills and Dolphins running back THURMAN THOMAS for 10th place on the NFL’s all-time rushing list.
• Buffalo wide receiver ERIC MOULDS, who caught 10 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown in a loss against New England.  Moulds now has four career 10-catch games.  

• Pittsburgh running back DUCE STALEY, who rushed for 123 yards on 23 carries (5.3 avg.) to help the Steelers defeat Cincinnati, 28-17.  This marks Staley’s second consecutive 100-yard rushing game.

Other nominees for AFC Defensive Player of Week 4 were:

·        Jets defensive end JOHN ABRAHAM, who recorded four tackles, 2.0 sacks, a pass defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery against Miami.

• Buffalo linebacker LONDON FLETCHER, who posted a team-high 11 tackles (seven solo), and a pass defensed.  Fletcher was part of a defense that limited New England to 99 total rushing yards.
• Denver safety JOHN LYNCH, who posted seven tackles, including two for losses, and two passes defensed in his return to Tampa Bay to help Denver earn a victory.
• Pittsburgh safety TROY POLAMALU, who registered six tackles and two passes defensed, including a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown for the final score in an 11-point victory against Cincinnati.
• Houston rookie cornerback DUNTA ROBINSON (No. 10), who posted two interceptions, another pass defensed, and six tackles in the team’s 30-17 victory against Oakland.  The win earned the Texans their first set of back-to-back victories.
• New England defensive end RICHARD SEYMOUR, who broke a 24-17 game open when he picked up a fumble (forced by Bruschi) at the Patriots’ 32-yard line and rumbled 68 yards for a touchdown to secure the win.  Seymour was credited with 5 tackles, including 1.0 sack on the day.
• Houston linebacker JAMIE SHARPER, who recorded a sack, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and scored a touchdown all on the same play in Houston’s victory against the Raiders.  Sharper finished the game with 10 tackles (8 solo).

Other nominees for AFC Special Teams Player of Week 4 were:

• Pittsburgh punter CHRIS GARDOCKI, who averaged 45.4 yards on five punts and a net of 35.8 in the Steelers’ win against the Bengals.  Gardocki has now kicked an NFL-record 1,002 punts without a block.
• Buffalo kick returner TERRENCE MC GEE, who scored on a 98-yard kick return for the sixth-longest return in Bills history.
• New England punter JOSH MILLER, who averaged 49.5 yards on four punts, including his season-long of 61 yards at Buffalo, in New England’s win.