FOR USE AS DESIRED
 NFL-ROM-1       9/30/04

LIONS WR ROY WILLIAMS & JETS S ERIK COLEMAN
NAMED NFL ROOKIES OF MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER

Wide receiver ROY WILLIAMS of the Detroit Lions and safety ERIK COLEMAN of the New York Jets are the NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Month for September, the NFL announced today.

 OFFENSE: WR ROY WILLIAMS, DETROIT LIONS

·         A first-round selection from Texas (No. 7 overall), Williams has paid immediate dividends for the Lions, helping the club to a 2-1 start – its best since 2000 – and a share of first place in the NFC North.  Williams leads all rookies with 17 receptions, 277 receiving yards and four touchdowns.  His four touchdown catches tie him for second-most in the NFL, trailing only perennial All-Stars RANDY MOSS and TERRELL OWENS, each with five.  After beginning his career with a four-catch, 69-yard effort in a Week 1 road win against Chicago, Williams played a pivotal role in a 28-16 victory over Houston on Sept. 19, hauling in touchdown catches of 31 and 14 yards.  Then last week versus Philadelphia, Williams notched his first career 100-yard receiving game, finishing with 135 yards on nine receptions, including touchdown catches of 12 and 29 yards.

Williams is the first Lion to earn Rookie of the Month honors since CHARLIE BATCH in October of 1998.

DEFENSE: S ERIK COLEMAN, NEW YORK JETS

·         Starting at safety, New York’s Coleman (No. 143 overall) has helped the Jets take-off to a 2-0 start by being involved in three of the club’s six takeaways with an interception in each of his first two games along with a Week 2 fumble recovery.  Thanks in part to Coleman, the Jets lead the AFC with a plus-five turnover differential.  The fifth-round draft pick from Washington State is the first player in team history to register three takeaways in the first two games of a season.  Coleman also has posted seven tackles and a forced fumble in addition to another pass defensed.  The 5-10, 200-pounder’s first career interception sealed a seven-point Kickoff Weekend victory over Cincinnati with 1:52 remaining in regulation.  His next one ended the Chargers’ second possession in Week 2 and led to a New York touchdown.   Coleman’s seeds of impact were sown in the preseason when he earned praise from head coach HERMAN EDWARDS for having a nose for the football, compiling 11 tackles, 1.0 sack and a forced fumble.

Coleman is the first Jets player to earn a Rookie of the Month Award since the honor’s inception in 1996.

2004 NFL ROOKIES OF THE MONTH

Other nominees for the September NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month were:

• Buffalo wide receiver LEE EVANS (first-round, Wisconsin), who caught three passes for 77 yards in the Bills’ first two games, including a 65-yard reception at Oakland in Week 2 for the second-longest pass play in the NFL this season.
• Tampa Bay wide receiver MICHAEL CLAYTON (first-round, Louisiana State), who ranks second among rookies with 15 receptions for 149 yards.  Leads the Buccaneers in both receptions and receiving yards through September.
• Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER (first-round, Miami of Ohio), who has completed 24 of 42 passes (57.1 percent) for 339 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions for a 77.4 rating.  Roethlisberger is 1-0 as a starter.

Other nominees for the September NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month were:

• Seattle safety MICHAEL BOULWARE (second-round, Florida State), who leads the team and ties for the NFL rookie lead with two interceptions.  He sealed a 10-6 win over Tampa Bay on Sept. 19, ending the Buccaneers potential game-winning drive with an interception.  Boulware joins CARLTON GRAY (1993) as the only Seahawks in team history with interceptions in each of their first two games.
• Pittsburgh cornerback RICARDO COLCLOUGH (second-round, Tusculum), who chalked-up five solo tackles to help the Steelers stand 2-1 in September.
• New England defensive tackle VINCE WILFORK (first-round, Miami), who registered nine total tackles and posted a goal line fumble recovery on Kickoff Weekend against Indianapolis.
• Denver linebacker D.J. WILLIAMS (first-round, Miami), who has started all three games at linebacker and ranks second on the team with 17 tackles (12 solo).
• New York Giants safety GIBRIL WILSON (fifth-round, Tennessee), who ties for the NFL rookie lead with two interceptions.  After being inactive in Week 1, has an interception in each of his first two games.  Led the Giants with eight tackles in a Week 3 win against Cleveland.