FOR USE AS DESIRED
AFC-POW-5 10/13/04

TITANS RB CHRIS BROWN, JETS DE JOHN ABRAHAM &
DOLPHINS KR-PR-K WES WELKER NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 5

Running back CHRIS BROWN of the Tennessee Titans, defensive end JOHN ABRAHAM of the New York Jets and return specialist-kicker WES WELKER of the Miami Dolphins are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the fifth week of the 2004 season (October 10-11), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: RB CHRIS BROWN, TENNESSEE TITANS

· In a 48-27 road win Monday night in Green Bay, Tennessee’s Brown ran for two touchdowns (37 and 29 yards) and 148 yards on 27 carries (5.5 average).  The win keeps the Titans (2-3) within two games of AFC South-leading Indianapolis (4-1).  Brown had both touchdowns and 103 of his rushing yards by halftime to sullen the home crowd and help Tennessee reach the locker room with a 27-13 advantage.  The 6-3, 220-pound running back also caught three passes from STEVE MC NAIR on the night for 24 yards. Brown, who exited the game with 13:48 left in regulation as the Titans led 41-13, paces the AFC with 556 rushing yards, including an AFC-best five runs of 20 or more yards.

In his second year from Colorado, this is the first career Player of the Week Award for Brown.

DEFENSE: DE JOHN ABRAHAM, NEW YORK JETS

· New York’s Abraham registered 3.0 sacks and six tackles as the Jets (4-0) clawed their way to a 16-14 win against Buffalo to remain tied with New England (4-0) for the top spot in the AFC East. The fifth-year pro from South Carolina helped limit the Bills to 252 total yards (80 rushing, 172 passing).  Abraham’s third sack came with 51 seconds remaining in the game, dropping Buffalo on its own 35-yard line.  The play burned 19 seconds and helped New York keep its perfect record intact. Abraham now leads the AFC with 6.0 sacks and ranks eighth in team annals with 39.5 in his career.  The Jets are now 17-8 (.680) when Abraham notches at least 1.0 sack.

This marks the second career Player of the Week distinction for Abraham (Week 8, 2001, at New Orleans).

SPECIAL TEAMS: KR-PR-K WES WELKER, MIAMI DOLPHINS

Miami’s Welker put on a one-man special teams display that may never be duplicated as he became the first NFL player to return a punt and a kickoff as well as kick a kickoff, a successful field goal and a point-after-touchdown in the NFL’s Super Bowl era (since 1966) as the Dolphins dropped a 24-10 decision at New England. Primarily a return specialist, Welker was assigned kicking duties after OLINDO MARE aggravated a calf injury in warm-ups. The 5-9, 190-pound rookie free agent from Texas Tech successfully kicked a PAT and a 29-yard field goal to become the first non-kicker in Dolphins history to account for either scoring play. Welker three kickoffs delivered the Patriots an average drive start on their 31-yard line. He returned five kickoffs for 101 yards (20.2 average) and five punts for 41 yards (8.2 average).

Released by San Diego after Week 2 and signed by Miami two days later, Welker earned his Player of the Week Award in just his fourth NFL game.

2004 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
  Offense Defense Special Teams
Wk 1 RB Curtis Martin, NY Jets DE Kenard Lang, Cleveland P-K Micah Knorr, Denver
Wk 2 RB Edgerrin James, Indianapolis S Rodney Harrison, New England P Shane Lechler, Oakland
Wk 3 QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis CB Rashean Mathis, Jacksonville K Kris Brown, Houston
Wk 4 RB Priest Holmes, Kansas City LB Tedy Bruschi, New England K Jason Elam, Denver
Wk 5 RB Chris Brown, Tennessee DE John Abraham, NY Jets KR-PR-K Wes Welker, Miami

 

Other nominees for AFC Offensive Player of Week 5 were:

· Buffalo quarterback DREW BLEDSOE, who completed 16 of 29 (55.1 percent) passes for 197 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, including a 16-yard touchdown strike for a one-point lead with 5:58 remaining in regulation.

· New England running back COREY DILLON, who carried the ball 18 times for 94 yards (5.2 average) to help New England defeat Miami for the Patriots’ 19th consecutive victory last Sunday.

· Denver running back REUBEN DROUGHNS, who rushed for 193 yards on 30 carries and caught four passes for 18 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 home win against Carolina.  Droughns entered the game with 127 career rushing yards in five seasons.

· Baltimore running back JAMAL LEWIS, who had 116 yards rushing on 28 carries, including 18 carries for 97 yards in the second half, as the Ravens upended Washington, 17-10.

· New York quarterback CHAD PENNINGTON, who completed 31 of 42 passes for 304 yards with one touchdown and one interception for a 91.8 passer rating in the Jets’ victory.

· Pittsburgh rookie quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER, who posted a 107.4 passer rating by completing 16 of 21 passes (76.2 percent) for 231 yards with one touchdown and one interception as well as a touchdown run of six yards in a 34-23 win against Cleveland.

Other nominees for AFC Defensive Player of Week 5 were:

· Pittsburgh linebacker JAMES FARRIOR, who totaled eight tackles and a pair of quarterback pressures. 

· Buffalo linebacker LONDON FLETCHER, who led the team by tying his career-high with 21 tackles (16 solo). 

· New England safety RODNEY HARRISON, who recorded a game-high 11 tackles, including 1.0 sack along with a pass deflection and a forced fumble.

· Indianapolis defensive end ROBERT MATHIS, who notched 2.0 sacks for 10 yards in losses and a forced fumble in a 35-14 win against Oakland.  Mathis posted three tackles on defense and three additional tackles on special teams.

· Baltimore safety ED REED, who posted two tackles against Washington. In one play, Reed recorded a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery which he returned 22 yards for a touchdown.

Other nominees for AFC Special Teams Player of Week 5 were:

· New York kicker DOUG BRIEN, who connected on field goals of 37, 36 and 38 yards with his final field goal accounting for the game-winning points with :58 remaining.

· Denver kicker JASON ELAM, who was two-for-two in field goal tries (32 and 33), including his 300th career field goal.  Elam leads the NFL with 45 points scored.

· New England linebacker LARRY IZZO, who recorded three solo tackles.

· Pittsburgh rookie cornerback-kick returner RICARDO COLCLOUGH, who returned four kicks for 99 yards (24.8 average), including a long return of 48 yards.

· Buffalo punter BRIAN MOORMAN, who registered seven punts for 256 yards, including two inside the 20-yard line.  Moorman has recorded at least one punt inside the 20-yard line in 36 of 52 career games.

· Baltimore return specialist B.J. SAMS, who recorded a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown, which accounted for the Ravens’ margin of victory. Sams has returned two punts for touchdowns in as many weeks. Sams returned five punts on Sunday night for 101 yards (20.2 average).