Quarterback JOSH FREEMAN of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, linebacker ERIK WALDENof the Green Bay Packers and punter JON RYANof the Seattle Seahawks are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the 17th week of the 2010 season (January 2), the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: QB JOSH FREEMAN, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
- Freeman completed 21 of 26 passes (80.8 percent) for 255 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 133.2 passer rating in the Buccaneers' 23-13 win at New Orleans.
- He recorded the 24th and 25th touchdown passes of the season and has now thrown a TD in 13 consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history. The performance also marked the 10th game in his career, and second in a row, in which he has thrown at least two touchdown passes.
- He finished the season having completed 291 of 474 passes (61.4 percent) for 3,451 yards with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions for a 95.9 passer rating. He joins BRAD JOHNSON (2002) as the only QBs in team history with 3,000 passing yards, 20 TD passes and fewer than 10 interceptions in a single season.
- In his second season from Kansas State, this is Freeman's second career Player of the Week Award (Week 5).
- He is the second player (Johnson, 2002) in team history to be named Offensive Player of the Week twice in a single season.
DEFENSE: LB ERIK WALDEN, GREEN BAY PACKERS
- Walden had a career-high 16 tackles and two sacks in the Packers' 10-3 win over Chicago. With the victory, Green Bay clinched a playoff spot.
- Walden's 16 tackles tied for the most by a Packer in a game this season.
- He was part of a defense that limited the Bears to 227 total net yards, including 117 net passing yards. The Packers held Chicago to a 43.5 passer rating, allowing just 168 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
- His two sacks were part of a six-sack effort by Green Bay, tied for the most in a game by the Packers this season. Green Bay finished with 47 sacks, tied for second in the league. That is the best ranking by a Packers team in franchise history.
- In his third year from Middle Tennessee State, this is Walden's first career Player of the Week Award.
- He is the seventh linebacker in team history to be honored and the second Packers linebacker to be named NFC Defensive Player of the Week this season (CLAY MATTHEWS, Weeks 2 and 9).
SPECIAL TEAMS: P JON RYAN, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
- Ryan placed four of his seven punts at the 10-yard line or inside in the Seahawks' 16-6 win over St. Louis. With the victory, Seattle won the NFC West, the team's fifth division title in the past seven years.
- He had a net average of 33.4 yards per punt and only one of his punts was returned for nine yards.
- Ryan dropped two punts at the St. Louis 10-yard line, another at the nine and pinned the Rams at the three-yard line with one of his punts.
- In his fifth season from Regina, this is Ryan's first career Player of the Week Award.
- He is the third punter in franchise history to be honored with a weekly award, joining RICK TUTEN (three times) and TOM ROUEN (Week 2, 2004).
GREEN BAY'S 2010 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week 1 (Special Teams): K Mason Crosby
Week 2 (Defense): LB Clay Matthews
Week 4 (Defense): CB Charles Woodson
Week 8 (Special Teams): P Tim Masthay
Week 9 (Defense): LB Clay Matthews
Week 11 (Offense): WR Greg Jennings
Week 13 (Offense): QB Aaron Rodgers
Week 16 (Offense): QB Aaron Rodgers
Week 17 (Defense): LB Erik Walden
Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 17:
- New York Giants wide receiver MARIO MANNINGHAM, who had four catches for 101 yards, including a 92-yard touchdown in the Giants' 17-14 win at Washington.
- Atlanta quarterback MATT RYAN, who completed 22 of 32 passes (68.8 percent) for 236 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 110.9 passer rating in the Falcons' 31-10 win over Carolina.
Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 17:
- Minnesota defensive end JARED ALLEN, who had four tackles, 0.5 sack and an interception-return touchdown in the Vikings' 20-13 loss at Detroit.
- Tampa Bay linebacker GENO HAYES, who had 10 tackles and a sack.
- New York Giants defensive end OSI UMENYIORA, who had two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
- Dallas defensive end DE MARCUS WARE, who had five tackles, three sacks and returned a fumble 17 yards for a touchdown in the Cowboys' 14-13 win at Philadelphia.
Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 17:
- Tampa Bay kicker CONNOR BARTH, who converted all three field-goal attempts and both PATs.
- Green Bay punter TIM MASTHAY, who placed four of his eight punts inside the 20-yard line, including two inside the five, and had a 36.8-yard net average.
- Atlanta punt returner-kick returner ERIC WEEMS, who had a 55-yard punt-return touchdown.
