Quarterback TONY ROMO of the Dallas Cowboys, cornerback CHARLES WOODSON of the Green Bay Packers and punt returner-wide receiver DE SEAN JACKSON of the Philadelphia Eagles are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for December/January, the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: QB TONY ROMO, DALLAS COWBOYS
• Romo led the Cowboys to three consecutive victories to end the season as Dallas clinched the NFC East.
• He completed 131 of 191 passes (68.6 percent) for 1,550 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions for a 104.4 passer rating. His 1,550 passing yards led the league and his 104.4 passer rating was second in the NFC.
• Romo posted a passer rating of at least 100.0 in four of the team's five games and he had three 300-yard games.
• The Cowboys faced three playoff teams in the month – San Diego, New Orleans, Philadelphia – and Romo completed 65 of 98 passes (66.3 percent) for 872 yards with five touchdowns and one interception for a 107.2 passer rating in those three games.
• For the season, Romo finished with a franchise-record 4,483 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions for a 97.6 passer rating, the third-highest mark in team history behind Pro Football Hall of Famers ROGER STAUBACH (104.8) and TROY AIKMAN (99.0).
• In his seventh season from Eastern Illinois, this is Romo's third career Player of the Month Award. He was previously honored in November 2006 and September 2007.
DEFENSE: CB CHARLES WOODSON, GREEN BAY PACKERS
• Woodson had 20 tackles, two interceptions – including a 45-yard touchdown – and seven passes defensed. Green Bay went 4-1 during the month and finished the regular season by winning seven of the final eight games.
• The Green Bay defense finished the season ranked No. 1 in the NFC allowing 284.4 yards per game. The Packers led the NFL with 30 interceptions, 40 takeaways and a 24 turnover differential.
• Woodson had two interceptions during the month, including one in Week 17 against Arizona that he returned 45 yards for a touchdown. He recorded a career-high nine interceptions this season, tied for the most in the NFL. His three interception-return touchdowns also tied for the most in the league.
• Since joining the team in 2006, Woodson ranks second in the NFL with 28 interceptions and leads the league with seven interception-return touchdowns. His eight defensive touchdowns with the Packers are a franchise record.
• In his 12th season from Michigan, this is Woodson's fourth career Player of the Month Award and third this season (September, November). He is the only player to be named NFC Defensive Player of the Month multiple times in a season. He joins Pro Football Hall of Famer BARRY SANDERS and former Indianapolis kicker MIKE VANDERJAGT as the only players to win the award three times in a season.
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR-WR DE SEAN JACKSON, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
• Jackson returned eight punts for 115 yards (14.4 average) and had a 72-yard touchdown in four games. He also added 19 receptions for 398 yards (99.5 yards per game) and three touchdowns. The Eagles went 4-1 during the month and clinched a Wild Card berth with an 11-5 record.
• He was named an All Star for the first time and is believed to be the first player in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at both wide receiver and kick returner in the same season.
• He scored eight 50 yard touchdowns this year, tying the NFL record held by Pro Football Hall of Famer ELROY "CRAZY LEGS" HIRSCH (1951) and Chicago's DEVIN HESTER (2007) for the most in a single season. He averaged 52.8 yards per touchdown this year, the highest single-season mark in NFL history (min. 10 TDs).
• He had two punt-return touchdowns in 2009, tying the single-season club mark (BRIAN WESTBROOK, 2003) and his three career punt-return touchdowns set a new franchise record.
• In his second season from California, this is Jackson's second career Player of the Month Award and second this season (September). He is the only return specialist in team history to be honored.
2009 NFC DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
September: CB Charles Woodson, Green Bay
October: S Darren Sharper, New Orleans
November: CB Charles Woodson, Green Bay
December: CB Charles Woodson, Green Bay
