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AFC-POW-8 11/3/04

CHARGERS QB DREW BREES, STEELERS LB JOEY PORTER & BILLS KR TERRENCE MC GEE NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 8

Quarterback DREW BREES of the San Diego Chargers, linebacker JOEY PORTER of the Pittsburgh Steelers and kick returner TERRENCE MC GEE of the Buffalo Bills are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the eighth week of the 2004 season (October 31-November 1), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: QB DREW BREES, SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

San Diego’s Brees set a team record last Sunday by completing 88 percent of his passes (22 of 25) and posted a career-high five touchdown passes without an interception in a 42-14 win against Oakland. The fourth-year quarterback opened the game by completing his first eight passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in compiling a 153.1 passer rating on the day. The Austin, Texas native became the fourth Chargers quarterback to throw five touchdown passes in a game and is the first to accomplish the feat since DAN FOUTS (Dec. 26, 1982 at Baltimore). With the win, San Diego rises to 5-3 and shares the best record in the AFC West with Denver.

From Purdue, this is the first Player of the Week honor for Brees.

DEFENSE: LB JOEY PORTER, PITTSBURGH STEELERS

· In the Steelers’ 34-20 win against New England, snapping the previously unbeaten Patriots’ historic 21-game winning streak, Porter registered 3.0 sacks, forced two fumbles, defensed a pair of passes, and had eight tackles.  Both fumbles Porter forced were recovered by Pittsburgh and resulted in Steelers touchdowns. The 6-3, 250-pounder from Colorado State was part of a defense that limited New England to five total rushing yards and recorded two interceptions.  The Steelers remain atop the AFC North at 6-1 and host the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles (7-0) this week.

This marks the second time in as many games that a Steelers defender has earned an AFC Player of the Week distinction (LB JAMES FARRIOR, Week 6). Porter has now earned the award three times in his career.

 SPECIAL TEAMS: KR TERRENCE MC GEE, BUFFALO BILLS

· McGee, Buffalo’s second-year kick returner from Northwestern State (Louisiana), promptly answered an Arizona touchdown with an 87-yard kickoff return for a score to give the Bills a 17-7 lead which they would not relinquish in a 38-14 victory. The 5-9, 201-pounder became only the third player in Bills history with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a season (Week 4 vs. New Engand). McGee, who handles cornerback and kick return duties, leads the AFC with a 28.0 average and is the only player in the league with two kickoff returns for touchdowns.

This is McGee’s first career Player of the Week Award and the second special teams honor earned by a Bills player (BRIAN MOORMAN, Week 6) in the past three weeks.

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
Wk 6 QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh LB James Farrior, Pittsburgh P Brian Moorman, Buffalo
Wk 7 G Brian Waters, Kansas City CB Deion Sanders, Baltimore K Josh Scobee, Jacksonville
Wk 8 QB Drew Brees, San Diego LB Joey Porter, Pittsburgh KR Terrence McGee, Buffalo

 

Other nominees for AFC Offensive Player of Week 8 were:

Baltimore quarterback KYLE BOLLER, who was 24 of 38 (63.2 percent) for 223 yards with a long completion of 52 yards against Philadelphia in a 15-10 loss. 

Kansas City quarterback TRENT GREEN, who had 389 passing yards by completing 27 of 34 attempts (79.4 percent) with three touchdowns without an interception for a 143.8 passer rating in a 45-35 win against the Colts.  Green’s passing yard total accounted for the third-highest in franchise history. 

Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING, who completed 25 of 44 (56.8 percent) for a career-high 472 yards with five touchdown passes and one interception at Kansas City.

New York center KEVIN MAWAE, who helped pave the way for a Jets ground game that accumulated an NFL season-best 275 yards and New York’s first pair of 100-yard rushers in the same game since 1975 in a 42-14 win against Miami.

Buffalo running back WILLIS MC GAHEE, who in his second career start, rushed 30 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Pittsburgh rookie quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER (No. 11), who completed 18 of 24 passes (75.0 percent) for 196 yards and two touchdowns without an interception for a 126.4 passer rating against New England.

Denver wide receiver ROD SMITH, who posted an NFL season-high 208 yards on nine catches and a touchdown in a 41-28 loss to Atlanta.  Smith is now tied with SHANNON SHARPE (55) for the most touchdown receptions in Broncos history.

Other nominees for AFC Defensive Player of Week 8 were:

· Kansas City safety GREG WESLEY, who posted six tackles and an interception.

· Buffalo linebacker LONDON FLETCHER, who registered 14 tackles and two quarterback pressures.

· Baltimore linebacker RAY LEWIS, who tallied 15 tackles against the Eagles.

· Houston linebacker JAMIE SHARPER, who recorded 13 tackles and forced a fumble in a 20-6 win against AFC South leader Jacksonville. Sharper led a defensive effort to limit the Jaguars to 39 rushing yards.

Other nominees for AFC Special Teams Player of Week 8 were:

· Kansas City punt returner-kick returner DANTE HALL, who had six kickoff returns for 122 yards (20.3 average) and one punt return for 46 yards.

· Pittsburgh punt returner-kick returner ANTWAAN RANDLE-EL, who returned four kickoffs for 113 yards (28.3 average) and a pair of punts for 10 yards.