Gbn Nfl Rookie Of The Week

WEEK ONE WINNER- JAMMAL BROWN

Winning one for the fans…No question, the best game of the NFL’s opening weekend was New Orleans’ gutty last-second 23-20 victory over Carolina. And while it won’t show up in the stats sheet, the biggest contribution to the win may have been the stellar play of Saints’ rookie RT Jammal Brown, the 13Th player selected at the 2005 draft. Starting his first game was pressure enough, but Brown had the daunting challenge of going head-to-head with the Panthers’ DE Julius Peppers, arguably the best defensive player in the league. Indeed, the Saints’ coaching staff would have been thrilled if Brown, the former Oklahoma star, could simply get a draw. Brown, though, exceeded that; Peppers did post 6 tackles and knocked a pass down, but had no sacks and, in fact, seldom put much more than token pressure on Saints’ QB Aaron Brooks. And for his efforts, Brown is the initial winner of the GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award.

http://www.gbnreport.com/rookiereport.htm

Good thing we didn't take that guy. No need for "Talented" OL here.

Week II GBN 'Rookie of the Week' was Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams, the 5th player selected at this past April’s draft, who put on another dazzling display, rushing for 128 yards on 24 carries to propel the Buccaneers to a 19-3 win over Buffalo, their second straight win of the year.

could Jammal Brown play left tackle for the Texans since he is a RT? maybe but it seems risky to me, however it would sure be nice to have a Cadillac instead of a Ford. I have a sneakin suspicion that Pendry along with Cappers would love to run the ball more consistantly and effectivly. envision the draw, shovel, screens and more use of our TE Matt Murphy.

if your wondering is there a back in the 2006 draft that could come into the league and produce similar to Cadillac well my answear would be doubtfull. but there is another Williams, DeAngelo Williams who plays for Memphis and he has a similar style & about the same size. he is a playmaker, a workhorse and has a nose for the endzone he will be worth watching as the season unfolds.

beerlover said:

Week II GBN 'Rookie of the Week' was Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams, the 5th player selected at this past April’s draft, who put on another dazzling display, rushing for 128 yards on 24 carries to propel the Buccaneers to a 19-3 win over Buffalo, their second straight win of the year.

could Jammal Brown play left tackle for the Texans since he is a RT? maybe but it seems risky to me, however it would sure be nice to have a Cadillac instead of a Ford. I have a sneakin suspicion that Pendry along with Cappers would love to run the ball more consistantly and effectivly. envision the draw, shovel, screens and more use of our TE Matt Murphy.

if your wondering is there a back in the 2006 draft that could come into the league and produce similar to Cadillac well my answear would be doubtfull. but there is another Williams, DeAngelo Williams who plays for Memphis and he has a similar style & about the same size. he is a playmaker, a workhorse and has a nose for the endzone he will be worth watching as the season unfolds.

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I think you all need to concentrate on that O-Line of yours before you take a RB. Dominack Davis is a pretty decent RB. If anything, take a QB before a RB...

Fldvldog said:

I think you all need to concentrate on that O-Line of yours before you take a RB. Dominack Davis is a pretty decent RB. If anything, take a QB before a RB...

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Im glad somebody looking in on the outside can see it, the o-line has to be fixed first. DD isnt a bad back, he is just behind a bad line.

this is a draft thread to tie into last years picks, how they perform and who is on the horizon that could be the next one or his best comp. each week it could be a different player at a different position, just analyzing each one as they come with no relationship to just Texans currently (or not) on the roster, other than how they might be considered upgrades or options should the time arise. just because the LT position was extra thin last year don't misconstrue that to include the LT's in this upcoming draft, thats gonna be another thread in itself

Week III: September 26-27, 2005

Keeping it in the family... For the second week in a row, a former Auburn RB is the winner of the GBN's 'Rookie of the Week' award. Only this week, its Miami RB Ronnie Brown who gets the award after former Tigers' teammate and current Tampa Bay sensation Carnell Williams won last week. While the early part of the season has been something of a breeze for the Buccaneers' Williams, Brown, the second player selected overall at the 2005 draft, generally struggled the first two weeks of the schedule, but got it going Sunday, rushing for 132 yards, including a 58-yard burst, to propel the Dolphins to an improbable last second win over Carolina. Along the way, Brown averaged 5.7 yards per carry and scored a TD to help Miami post its second win of the young season. And that was just enough to win Brown this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award.

'Just enough' were the operative words as Brown just edged out former temmate Williams, who continues to be the NFL's top rookie - by far - during the early part of the season, for this week's rookie award. Indeed, it could just as easily have been the third week in a week in a row that Williams was named the league’s rookie of the week after he rushed for another 158 yards as the Buccaneers ran their record to 3-0 with a one point win over the Packers right in Green Bay. And 101 of those yards came in the 4th quarter, as the Buccaneers ate up the clock sitting on that very slim lead. What separated the former Auburn teammates, though, was the fact that Williams had considerably more carries than Brown and averaged 'only' 4.3 yards per carry on the day. Williams, the 5th player selected this past April, however, continues to run away with rookie of the year honors. Prorated over a full 16 game schedule, the ‘Cadillac’ is on pace to rush for almost 2,300 yards as he has piled up 434 yards in the opening three weeks of the schedule to lead the league in rushing. Williams also became the first back in NFL history to rush for over 100 yards in each of his first three games in the NFL; Williams' 434 yards is also the most ever accumulated by a rookie RB in his first three games, surpassing former Baltimore Colts' FB Alan Ameche's 50-year old league record of 410 yards.

http://www.gbnreport.com/rookiereport.htm

Week IV: October 2-3:

Score one for the D!! Throughout the first three weeks of the season, its been all offense when it comes to major contributions by members of the 2005 rookie class. The defensive rookies got their revenge of sorts this weekend as most of the top rookie performances were turned in by players on that side of the ball. If there was a downside for this year’s rookie class, though, when the counting was done, a number of the better rookie outings came in losing causes. That wasn’t the case for Denver CB Domonigue Foxwoth, however, who was a major factor in the Broncos’ 20-7 win at Jacksonville. Foxworth, a 3rd round pick this past April, had the rather onerous responsibility of stepping into the Broncos’ starting lineup in place of incumbent starter Champ Bailey, arguably the top cover corner in the NFL. Foxworth, though, more than held his own as he chipped in 6 tackles, posted his first career interception – which he returned 23 yards – and recovered a fumble as the Broncos held off the Jaguars. And that was good enough to win Foxworth this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award.

Foxworth, however, was only one of several defensive rookies to have a solid week across the NFL. Seattle MLB Lofa Tatupu, a second round pick this year, for example, had 10 tackles and a sack, while Washington CB Carlos Rogers, the 9th player selected this past April, led the team with 8 tackles in the Redskins’ dramatic 20-17 overtime win over the Seahawks. Kansas City LB Derrick Johnson, the 15th player taken this year who has arguably been the most consistent defensive rookie in the league throughout the first month of the schedule, had another 10 tackles, but it wasn’t enough as the Chiefs fell to Philadelphia. In that game, Eagles’ DT Mike Patterson, a late first round pick, had a sack. Also picking up a sack this week was Cincinnati DE David Pollack, the 17th player taken this year, who got the first of his career as the Bengals ran their early season record to 4-0 with a 16-10 win over Houston. Bengals MLB Odell Thurman, a second round pick, also continued to be a thorn in opponents’ sides as he had 4 tackles, a sack of his own, and broke up a pass. Meanwhile, Houston DB C.C. Brown, a 6th rounder this year, had 9 tackles for the Texans, while Jets’ FS Kerry Rhodes, a 2005 4th rounder, had 8 tackles in the Jets’ loss to Baltimore. Finally, Dallas DE Demarcus Ware, the 11th player taken this year, had a sack in the Cowboys’ loss to Oakland, while DE Jay Ratliff, a 7th round afterthought, also had a half sack for the Cowboys.

http://www.gbnreport.com/rookiereport.htm

Kansas City LB Derrick Johnson, the 15th player taken this year who has arguably been the most consistent defensive rookie in the league throughout the first month of the schedule, had another 10 tackles, but it wasn’t enough as the Chiefs fell to Philadelphia.

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He dosen't fit our D as well as TJ, but he is a heck of a lot of fun to watch.
Nice thread Beerlover

Mathis this week.

rmartin65 said:

Mathis this week.

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I would like to see Travis Johnson win it because that would mean he had at least a couple sacks of McNair, forced a fumble and returned a INT for a TD

i think we were both wrong.

Week VI: October 16-17:

Bengals’ LB for the defense… One of the early trends of the NFL season was that through the first month of the season, defensive rookies around the league were almost invisible, why their offensive counterparts at least had a few moments. That trend has turned around the past couple of weeks however. Leading the way this past weekend, for example, was Cincinnati MLB Odell Thurman who had one of the key plays as the resurgent Bengals ran their record to 5-1. With Cincinnati trailing the Titans 17-10 late in the 3rd quarter in Tennessee, Thurman, a second round pick this past April, picked off a deflected pass and returned it 30 yards for the tying TD. For good measure, Thurman also had 6 tackles on the day – he leads the team with 34 on the year – and also broke up another pass. All that was just enough to win Thurman this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the week’ award.

Making up for lost time… The Bengals’ Thurman, though, was just one of several top defensive rookies to have solid performances this weekend. In fact, Thurman just edged out Chicago rookie DB Chris Harris for this week’s rookie award. Harris, an unheralded 6th round pick from unfashionable Louisiana-Monroe was all over the field as the Bears dispatched division-rival Minnesota 28-3; on the day, like Cincy’s Thurman, Harris had an interception which he returned 44 yards to set up a score; plus, he broke up 3 other passes and had 3 tackles. Meanwhile, the Denver rookie CB tandem of Domonique Foxworth and Darrent Williams continued to sizzle as the Broncos upset two-time defending Super Bowl champion New England. Foxworth, a 3rd round pick this year who was the rookie of the week a couple of weeks ago, had 10 tackles and broke up a couple of passes, while Williams, a second rounder this year, was credited with 4 pass breakups and 6 tackles. A couple of other second rounders – New Orleans FS Josh Bullocks and Pittsburgh CB Bryant McFadden – also had interceptions this weekend, although both their respective teams came up on the short end of the score. Same story for Oakland LB Kirk Morrison, a 3rd round pick this year, who led the Raiders with 8 tackles in their loss to San Diego. And it was more of the same for Detroit DT Shaun Cody, a second round pick this year, who had 1.5 sacks, but it wasn’t enough as the Lions were edged by Carolina. Meanwhile, Dallas DE Demarcus Ware, the 11th player selected this year, had a sack in the Cowboys’ 16-13 win over the Giants, while New York 3rd round DE Justin Tuck blocked a FG. And Atlanta undrafted rookie free agent P Mike Koenan, a true sleeper from Western Washington, continue to boom them out as he averaged 47 yards on 4 punts in the Falcons’ dramatic 34-31 win over New Orleans.

http://www.gbnreport.com/rookiereport.htm

Week VII: October 23-24:

Bad news Bears no more… It hasn’t necessarily been pretty, but indeed those are the FIRST-PLACE Chicago Bears tied atop the NFC North Division standings with Detroit. And yes, both teams are only 3-3 in one of the league’s weaker divisions, but it seems like its been a long time since either Chicago or Detroit and first-place were mentioned in the same sentence. For the record, the two will meet in a big divisional showdown Sunday in Detroit. The Bears, of course, have done it mostly with an old-time rugged Bears’ defense along with a punishing ground game led by resurgent RB Thomas Jones, however, don’t discount the impact of rookie QB Kyle Orton, a 4th round pick at the 2005 draft, who has been pressed into service because of a pre-season injury to incumbent starter Rex Grossman and has done just about everything that the Bears have asked of him. And what the Bears have asked of Orton is not to go and lose games. Orton was at his efficient best this past weekend when he led Chicago to a 10-6 win over Baltimore and the ferocious Ravens’ defense. Indeed, Orton’s numbers weren’t of the Hall-of-Fame variety – he completed 15 of 29 passes for only 145 yards, but one was for the game’s only TD; more importantly, Orton had no turnovers against the tough Baltimore defense. And that was just enough to earn Orton this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award.

’Just enough’ were the operative words as it was another quiet weekend for the 2005 NFL rookie class. Not only weren’t there many impact plays turned by this year’s freshman class, but most of those that were came in losing causes. For example, the week’s top impact plays by rookies were provided by Cleveland undrafted rookie WR Josh Cribbs and Houston 4th round WR Jerome Mathis, both of whom returned KOs for TDs, but both their teams were losers. The score by Cribbs, the former Kent State QB who has been a steady special teams’ player for the Browns this fall, was a 90-yarder for the only Cleveland TD in their loss to Detroit, while Mathis had an 89-yard return late in the Texans’ loss to the Colts.

http://www.gbnreport.com/rookiereport.htm

I was a couple of weeks early.

Week VIII: October 30-31:

RB U emerging in Big D… Its probably too early to start calling them the Dallas Broncos, but the Cowboys have closed the gap on Denver’s league-leading ability to find RBs in the college draft. In 2004, for example, the Cowboys got a steal when they traded out of the first round and still got former Notre Dame RB Julius Jones with their second round pick. Despite not playing until near the mid-point of the season because of an injury, Jones was still one of the top 2-3 offensive rookies in the league last fall. With Jones again battling injuries this fall, the Cowboys again turned to their rookie crop to grind out the yards on the ground. Indeed, Dallas undrafted rookie agent RB Tyson Thompson was a GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ winner earlier in the season. This weekend, though, Marion Barber, a 4th round pick this year, got his chance and he responded by rushing for 127 yards on 27 carries, including two for scores, as the Cowboys pummeled Arizona 34-13. For good measure, Barber, the former Minnesota Gophers’ star, added another 15 yards on a couple of receptions. All that was good enough to win Barber this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award. There could be bigger things on Barber’s horizon, however. There have been more than a few whispers around Dallas that the Cowboys are concerned about Jones’ durability and that it may in fact be Barber who ultimately emerges as the team’s RB of the future. And while Barber and Thompson have gotten the glory, how about a few props for rookie OT Rob Petitti, a 6th round pick this year, who has more than held his own as the Cowboys’ starting RT from the get-go.

Close, so here’s a cigar anyway!!! No question that this was the most productive week all-around for members of the 2005 draft class. Indeed. Several newcomers on both offense and defense could just as easily have garnered this week’s top rookie nomination. Miami RB Ronnie Brown, the second player selected at this year’s draft, for example, almost matched Barber yard-for-yard, as he ground out 106 yards on 23 carries helping the Dolphins to a win over New Orleans. Meanwhile, Chicago QB Kyle Orton, last week’s rookie winner, had another very efficient outing in leading the Bears to a dramatic 19-13 overtime win over Detroit AND first place in the NFC North. Orton, another 4th round pick this year, completed 17 of 31 passes for 230 yards and a score, again without turning the ball over. Orton also got plenty of help from fellow rookie WR Mark Bradley, who had 5 catches for 88 yards including a big 54-yarder; unfortunately, though, Bradley suffered a leg injury and wasn’t able to finish the game. Tennessee 3rd round WR Courtney Roby also had a strong game this week, hauling in 7 passes for 83 yards, including a 31-yarder for a TD, however, it wasn’t enough as the Titans fell to Oakland. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh TE Heath Miller, the 30th player selected overall this year, had only 18 yards on 3 receptions in the Steelers' Monday night win over Baltimore, but 2 of those catches were for TDs. Houston WR Jerome Mathis, yet another 4th round pick this year, also had a major impact as the Texans won for the first time this year, edging Cleveland 19-16. Mathis had a 34-yard TD reception and averaged 35 yards on 4 KO returns including a 63-yarder.
Top rooks for the D… We’ve got another full week to go before we announce our first half top rookies of the year, but figure that both CB Domonique Foxworth of Denver and Cincinnati LB Odell Thurman will be on the short list on the defensive side of the ball. Foxworth, a third round pick this year, had what may have been the single most significant rookie play this week. With Denver clinging to a fragile 28-21 lead over Philadelphia – the Broncos had led 28-0 at one point – and the Eagles driving for a potential tying TD, Foxworth intercepted a pass at his own goal line. That gave the momentum back to Denver which went on to post a convincing 49-21 win. In fact, Foxworth was credited with 3 pass breakups on the day, while another Denver rookie CB, Darrent Williams, a second rounder, had a sack. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ Thurman, another second round pick this past year, picked off two Brett Favre passes in Cincinnati’s 21-14 win over Green Bay. San Diego also got a solid return on their first round investments in LB Shawn Merriman and Luis Castillo, the 12th and 28th players selected respectively this year. The duo combined for 3.5 sacks – Merriman had 2, and Castillo 1.5 - in the Chargers 28-20 win over divisional rival Kansas City. In that game, Chiefs’ LB Derrick Johnson, the 15th player selected this year, had 8 tackles and a pass breakup as he continued his fine play. Elsewhere, Tennessee CB Renaldo Hill, a 7th round afterthought, has actually outpaled his more hearlded teammate Pacman Jones in coverage; Sunday, for example, Hill returned an interception 52-yards for a score in the Titans' loss to Oakland, while San Francisco CB Derrick Johnson, a 6th round pick in 2005, had 4 tackles, a pass breakup and a sack in the 49ers win over Tampa Bay.

From GBN-

now how many of you out there think that our 3rd rd draft pick Vernand Morency if given the chance to carry the ball 27 times would have the same kind of performance as Marion Barber?

If they even mention Travis Johnson once this season, I'll be happy.

samomin said:

If they even mention Travis Johnson once this season, I'll be happy.

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I dont really care. Getting Mathis made me happy.

Week IX: November 6-7:

Cedric sighting… So far, its been a rather disappointing year overall for the 2005 draft class, and no rookie was more disappointing in the early going than Chicago RB Cedric Benson, the 4th player taken at last April’s draft. After an ill-advised training camp holdout, Benson struggled to get on the field as he averaged less than 3 yards per carry throughout much of the early part of the season. Benson, though, got his chance on Sunday against New Orleans when incumbent Bears’ starter Thomas Jones was injured. Benson responded by rushing for 79 yards on 14 carries including 36 and 27 yard scampers. That latter run, in fact, came late in the 4th quarter and ignited the Bears on a long drive that culminated in a last-second game-winning FG that raised the surprising Bears’ record to 5-3 giving them a full two-game lead in the NFC North. It also enough to give Benson this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award.

Benson’s heroics came at just the right moment for Chicago as they usually only win when rookie QB Kyle Orton, a 4th round pick this year, is at his most efficient. Orton wasn’t this week as he hit on just 12 of 26 passes for only 137 yards and had two passes picked off versus one TD pass. Meanwhile, Miami RB Reggie Brown, the second player selected this year, had similar numbers to the Bears’ Benson as he rushed for 67 yards on 12 carries and added another 11 yards on 2 catches; however, it was not enough as the Dolphins lost 17-10 to Atlanta. There was a similar story for Philadelphia WR Reggie Brown, a second-round pick this year who had a breakout game versus Washington, hauling in 5 passes for 96 yards, including a 56-yarder for the Eagles’ only score in a 17-10 loss to division-rival Washington. A pair of Tennessee receivers, WR Roydell Williams and TE Bo Scaife, 4th and 6th round picks respectively, also each had 5 receptions – Williams for 61 yards and Scaife for 59 – although again it was not enough as the Titans lost 20-14 to Cleveland. Same for WR Mike Williams, the 10th player taken this year who had 4 receptions for 43 yards in the Lions’ loss to Minnesota, while Jacksonville RB Alvin Pearman, a 4th rounder, had 5 catches for 34 yards in the Jaguars’ win over Houston. And don't blame rookie OT Nick Kaczur for the Patriots' disappointing loss to the Colts late last night. Kaczur, starting at LT in place of an injured Matt Lyght, was matched up against Indianapolis' star DE Dwight Freeeny and more than held his own; indeed, Kaczur actually pitched something of a shutout, holding Freeney not only to no sacks, but also no tackles period!

Defensive standouts… In what was a rather quiet week overall for the 2005 rookie class, there weren’t any dominating days by first year defensive players, however, there were a number of solid outings. San Diego OLB Shawn Merriman, for example, continued to come on as he had 9 tackles, including a sack in the Chargers’ exciting 31-26 win over the Jets in New York. Same for Chicago DB Chris Harris, an underrated 6th rounder this year, who helped the Bears win over the Saints as he had 7 tackles and a sack. And same for Seattle LBs Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill, second and third rounders respectively, who combined for 13 tackles – Hill also had a sack – in the Seahawks win over Arizona. Cleveland FS Brodney Pool, a second rounder this year, had an interception in the Browns’ win over Tennessee, while Houston DT Travis Johnson, the 16th player selected this year, and Pittsburgh CB Bryant McFadden, another second rounder, had sacks. Other leading rookie tackles included CB Fabian Washington, the 23rd pick overall who had 9 in the Raiders’ loss to Kansas City, while Jets’ DB Kerry Rhodes, a 4th rounder, had 8 in the loss to the Chargers, and Miami LB Channing Crowder had 7 in the Dolphins loss to Atlanta.

beerlover said:

Week IX: November 6-7:

while Houston DT Travis Johnson, the 16th player selected this year, and Pittsburgh CB Bryant McFadden, another second rounder, had sacks.

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Finally a TJ mention. Now to wait until a Texan gets the RotW, probably Jerome Mathis.

And don't blame rookie OT Nick Kaczur for the Patriots' disappointing loss to the Colts late last night. Kaczur, starting at LT in place of an injured Matt Lyght, was matched up against Indianapolis' star DE Dwight Freeeny and more than held his own; indeed, Kaczur actually pitched something of a shutout, holding Freeney not only to no sacks, but also no tackles period!

Who is that guy lol. How did we miss him ? Funny how that Derrich Johnson fellows name keeps poping up week after week. Little too light for our defense though.
Bump.

Week IX: November 13-14:

UDFA Pack RB leads upset; wins rook award… This one was just too easy. Not that the performance was so earth shattering but the story was just too good to be true. Indeed, Green Bay undrafted rookie free agent RB Samkon ‘Don’t call me Sam’ Gado is probably the most improbable winner of the GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award ever. Improbable because at this time last year, Gado was a 3rd stringer at Division 1-AA Liberty, and not surprisingly wasn’t drafted. In fact, Gado, a pre-med major, figured he’d be enrolled at medical school about this time in his career. However, after impressing pro scouts with his physical skills – he’s 5-10, 225 and reportedly runs in the 4.45 range – Gado got a free agent tryout with Kansas City and started the season on the Chiefs’ practice squad. Then after being released by the Chiefs, Gado moved over to the Packers’ practice squad in mid-October, before being promoted to the active roster when the Green Bay backfield was decimated by injuries. And Gado responded by helping the Packers post one of the season’s biggest upsets when Green Bay stunned the Falcons right in Atlanta on Sunday. On the day, Gado ran for 103 yards on 25 carries, in the process scoring three times as the Packers, who entered the weekend sitting on the #1 pick at the 2006 draft, raised their record to 2-7. For his efforts, Gado is this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award winner. In fact, in what has been an odd season for this year’s rookie class, Gado is actually the second undrafted free agent RB to be named rookie of the week after Tyson Thomson of Dallas won the award earlier this season.

WR versus WR… More than a few eyebrows were raised at the 2005 draft when Jacksonville pulled the trigger and selected former Arkansas QB-turned-WR Matt Jones with the 21st pick overall. Part of the buzz was that in the process of taking Jones, Jacksonville passed on Mark Clayton, the former Oklahoma receiver whom most teams had rated considerably higher than Jones. The Jaguars got the last laugh, at least this week, however, when the two teams met on the weekend. Indeed, Jones had his best day as a pro, hauling in 5 passes for 117 yards, including a 32-yard TD reception, plus another catch for 42 yards as the Jags rolled to an easy 30-3 win. In fact, Jones’ performance was one of several that could just as easily have won rookie of the week honors. Meanwhile, the Ravens’ Clayton, whom Baltimore selected with the next pick after Jacksonville grabbed Jones, had just 2 receptions for a measly 3 yards. Arizona WR Leron McCoy, a 7th round afterthought, also had a breakout game of sorts, catching 5 passes for 70 yards, however, it wasn’t enough as the Cardinals lost again, this time to Detroit.

Stepping up for the defense… There were also a number of outstanding performances turned in by defensive rookies that could just as easily have won this week’s award. Denver CB Darrent Williams, a second-round pick this past April, for example, returned an interception 80 yards for a TD which clinched the Broncos 31-17 win over division-rival Oakland; for good measure, Williams also chipped in a 52-yard punt return. Same story for New England CB Ellis Hobbs, another second rounder who came up big in the Patriots’ banged up secondary; Hobbs picked off a pass, broke up three others and posted 7 tackles in New England’s 23-16 win over Miami. Meanwhile, Philadelphia DE Trent Cole, a surprising 5th round pick this year, had two sacks in the Eagles' Monday night loss to Dallas. The Seattle tag-team of rookie LBs Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill also made nuisances of themselves in the Seahawks’ win over St. Louis. Tatupu, a second-round pick this year, had 10 tackles and a sack in the win, while Hill, a 3rd rounder, also had a sack, as well as 4 tackles, as the Seahawks separated themselves from the rest of the NFC West pack. The top rookie tackler this past weekend, though, was Oakland MLB Kirk Morrison, already the top tackler among this year’s rookie class, who had another 12 stops in the Raiders’ loss to Denver. Same story for Atlanta which got 9 tackles from 5th round LB Michael Boley, plus a 1/2 sack from second-round DT Jonathan Babineaux in the Falcons’ loss to the Packers.

Week X: November 20-21:

He’s baaacckkk!!!... Through the first quarter of the season, Tampa Bay rookie QB Carnell Williams looked like he would run and away and hide with this year’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ honors. Indeed, Williams became the first RB ever to run for over 100 yards in each of his first three career games as he piled up almost 450 yards in his first 3 outings. In the process, though, Williams banged up a foot and has been virtually invisible since. That was until this past weekend, however, when the ‘Cadillac’ was back in gear, rushing for 116 yards on just 19 carries – including a TD – to help the Buccaneers stun divisional rival Atlanta right in the Georgia Dome. And that was enough to win Williams his second GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award, making him the first player to get multiple nods so far this fall.

Bears’ keep spinning great story… No question, the best story in the NFL this fall has been the resurgence of the Chicago Bears who appear headed to the NFC North title. In fact, the Chicago story is all that more improbable in that the Bears have been forced to play a rookie at QB all fall. And while the Bears’ defense and tough ground game get most of the credit, QB Kyle Orton, a 4th round pick at the 2005 draft, has certainly played a part. In particular, Orton, the former Purdue star, has taken advantage of what the defense has given him and has stayed away from the big mistakes. Orton and the Bears faced, and more than met, their biggest challenge of the season when they knocked off Super Bowl contender Carolina on Sunday. Playing against the rugged Panthers’ defense, Orton was at his efficient best, completing 15 of 26 passes for 136 yards and the games only TD. Meanwhile, Cleveland QB Charlie Frye, a third round pick this year, who has been biding his time backing up veteran Trent Dilfer, got some extended playing time in the Browns’ 22-0 win over Miami; on the day, Frye completed 6 of 11 passes for 58 yards, but had an interception.

They also shall receive… Speaking of the Browns and their big win over the Dolphins, Cleveland WR Braylon Edwards, the 3rd player selected this year, got his wish to see more of the ball, as he hauled in 6 passes for 90 yards. In fact, it was a pretty good weekend around the league for several rookie receivers. Atlanta WR Roddy White, the 27th player taken this year, for example, had a breakout game of sorts, catching 4 passes for 108 yards, including a 54-yarder, in the Falcons’ loss to Tampa Bay. Same story for Philadelphia WR Reggie Brown, a second rounder this year, who had 3 catches for 88 yards, including a TD reception in the Eagles’ loss to the Giants. Brown, though, could have had more as he dropped a couple of catchable balls. There were also dueling rookie receivers in Baltimore’s upset OT win over Pittsburgh. Ravens’ WR Mark Clayton, the 22nd player selected this year who has been all but invisible to date this fall, had 4 catches for 43 yards, while Steelers’ TE Heath Miller, selected 30th overall, had 5 receptions for 37 yards. Meanwhile, Jacksonville WR Matt Jones, taken one slot ahead of the Ravens’ Clayton had 3 catches for 46 yards, one of which was for a score in the Jaguars’ win in Tennessee, while Arizona undrafted rookie free agent TE Adam Bergen also had a TD in the Cardinals’ surprise win in St. Louis; for the day, Bergen, from football factory Lehigh, had 4 catches for 37 yards.

More special teams’ stars… While the overall impact of the 2005 draft class hasn’t blown anyone away to date, this year’s rookies have at least held their own as special teamers. Houston WR Jerome Mathis, a 4th round pick, was one of the very few bright lights for the 1-9 Texans in the trouncing they received at the hands of Kansas City. Mathis gave the Texans a sliver of hope when he returned a KO 99 yards for a TD and averaged 33 yards on 5 other returns. Same story for Tennessee CB Pacman Jones, the 6th player picked at this year’s draft who remains something of an enigma as a cover corner, but who continues to sizzle running back kicks, this week averaging 33 yards on 6 KO returns in the Titans’ loss to Jacksonville. And it was more of the same for Buffalo WR Roscoe Parrish, a second round pick this year, who averaged 29 yards per KO return in the Bills’ loss in San Diego. Meanwhile, Giants’ undrafted free agents DB James Butler and LB Chase Blackburn combined for 10 tackles in the New Yorkers’ big win over Philadelphia, most of them coming on special teams.

Bolts for the defense… San Diego continues to reap the benefits of taking two front-seven defenders in the opening round of the 2005 draft. For the second time this fall, both LB Shawne Merriman, the 12th player selected this year, and DT Luis Castillo, the 28th player taken overall, had sacks in the same game; in fact, Merriman had two in the Chargers drubbing of Buffalo. Same story for Phladelphia DE Trent Cole, a 5th round pick this year, who was credited with a couple of sacks in the Eagles’ loss to the Giants. Arizona LB Daryl Blackstock, a 3rd rounder this year, also had a sack in the Cardinals’ win over St. Louis. Meanwhile, it was a good news, bad news story for CB Eric Green, the Cardinals’ other 3rd rounder, who got picked on a little by the Rams and finished with a whopping 15 tackles. Elsewhere, Jets’ DB Kerry Rhodes, a 4th rounder, had 10 tackles including a sack in the Jets’ demoralizing loss to Denver, while Indianapolis CB Marlin Jackson, the 29th player taken this year, had an interception in the Colts win over Cincinnati. Rookies also played a big part in the Monday night game. In fact, Minnesota undrafted rookie free agent CB Devonte Edwards had the key play as he interested a Brett Favre pass and returned it 50-yards for a score that got the Vikings back in a game they were being dominated in; Green Bay DB Nick Collins also had a pick.

this one really hurts almost to a personel level, I even remember picking Fitzpatrick as the Texans proverbial 7th rd QB draft project in several Mock Drafts last year, who would have known this?


Week XII: November 28-29:

You think football is hard??? … It was one of the ‘cute’ story lines of the run up to the 2005 draft when former Harvard QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had to write an exam – in a real college course – immediately after last January’s Shrine game. On draft weekend Fitzpatrick had to wait as 249 players were taken ahead of him; indeed, he was the 14th and last QB selected at last April’s draft, when St. Louis took him with their final 7th round pick. The Rams, though, have had some success with afterthought QBs – current starter Marc Bulger was a 6th rounder, while former QB Kurt Warner was actually an undrafted free agent – and may have hit the jackpot again with Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick certainly paid big dividends this past weekend. In fact, the Rams appeared to have hit rock bottom trailing the woeful, one-win Houston Texans 24-3 at the half, but Fitzpatrick keyed a dramatic comeback – he was filling in for an injured Jamie Martin who was in turn replacing an injured Bulger – completing 19 of 30 passes for 310 yards and 3 TDs as the Rams won 33-27 in overtime. That included scoring twice in the last half minute to overcome a late 10-point deficit. And just for good measure, the reasonably athletic Fitzpatrick scrambled three times for another 23 yards. That was plenty to earn Fitzptarick this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award in a season full of sometimes improbable winners.

Week XIV: December 12-13

Who the heck needs Reggie Bush!!!… The most improbable story of the season has been the emergence of Green Bay RB Samkon Gado, an undrafted rookie free agent, as the go-to guy in the Packers offense in recent weeks. The improbability of Gado’s rise to stardom in the NFL has been well documented. In particular, Gado, who hales from Nigeria, wasn’t even a regular starter at Division 1-AA Liberty as a collegian, but did get a free agent tryout by Kansas City because he at least had some impressive physical skills. Gado was released prior to the season and was making plans to head to medical school when the injury depleted Packers gave him a call. And with the rest of the Green Bay RB corps banged up in one way or another, Gado suddenly found himself promoted from practice squad afterthought to NFL starter, literally in the space of a few days. And Gado has responded rushing for over 500 yards through his four starts including a club rookie record 171 yards on 29 carries in Sunday night’s win over Detroit. Included in that total was a 64-yard TD run by Gado for their only score. And that was enough to win Gado his second GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award in the past month in what was a pretty good week for members of the 2005 rookie class.

beerlover said:

Week XIV: December 12-13

Who the heck needs Reggie Bush!!!… The most improbable story of the season has been the emergence of Green Bay RB Samkon Gado, an undrafted rookie free agent, as the go-to guy in the Packers offense in recent weeks. The improbability of Gado’s rise to stardom in the NFL has been well documented. In particular, Gado, who hales from Nigeria, wasn’t even a regular starter at Division 1-AA Liberty as a collegian, but did get a free agent tryout by Kansas City because he at least had some impressive physical skills. Gado was released prior to the season and was making plans to head to medical school when the injury depleted Packers gave him a call. And with the rest of the Green Bay RB corps banged up in one way or another, Gado suddenly found himself promoted from practice squad afterthought to NFL starter, literally in the space of a few days. And Gado has responded rushing for over 500 yards through his four starts including a club rookie record 171 yards on 29 carries in Sunday night’s win over Detroit. Included in that total was a 64-yard TD run by Gado for their only score. And that was enough to win Gado his second GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award in the past month in what was a pretty good week for members of the 2005 rookie class.

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Thats a nice feel-good story...

Week XV: December 17-19

All good things must come to an end!! The best story of the current season, of course, has been Indianapolis’ run at an unbeaten season. The Colts’ dreams of duplicating the 1972 Dolphins’ perfection when the lost to San Diego yesterday right in Indianapolis. The Chargers won, in large part, because they had a secret weapon: LT. And no not that LT, #21 at RB, but the original! Anyway, it certainly seemed that way with a big #56 exploding off the edge as Chargers’ rookie LB Shawne Merriman, the 12th player selected at the 2005 draft, made like Hall-of-Fame New York Giants’ LB Lawrence Taylor who invented the stand-up DE position back in the 1980s. Merriman, who started slowly this season, spent the entire afternoon in the Colts’ backfield, harassing Colts’ QB Peyton Manning who had been sacked less than once per game through the first 13 weeks of the schedule. Merriman, though, was credited with two sacks himself, although he was actually involved as three as two were credited as half sacks. Merriman also forced Manning out of the pocket on several other plays, in the process allowing a teammate to get a sack or hurry. Merriman also came up huge on a couple of key running plays. In particular, with the Chargers leading 10-0 midway through the second quarter, the Colts had a first-and-goal from the San Diego 10, but Merriman held the edge and dropped running back Edgerrin James for a 2-yard loss. Then on fourth-and-goal from the 1, he chased down Manning from behind for a 6-yard loss. And that was more than enough to win Merriman this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award. Merriman, who leads all rookies with 9 sacks this fall, has also vaulted himself into contention for overall rookie of the year honors. Merriman, though, got a lot of help from his friends in Sunday’s win over the Colts. DT Luis Castillo, the Chargers other opening round pick this year – he was taken 28th overall – had 5 tackles including a sack that ended Indianapolis final desperation drive.

San Diego’s Merriman, in fact, was not the only rookie to post more than one sack this weekend. Minnesota DE Erasmus James, the 18th player selected this past April, had a pair of sacks, however, they didn’t have the same impact as the Vikings winning streak came to a thudding end in Pittsburgh. Same story in Oakland where CB Stanford Routt, a second round pick, had a sack and two pass breakups, but the Raiders lost anyway to Cleveland. It was better news for Miami DE Matt Roth, another second rounder this year, who had a sack and recovered a fumble in the Dolphins’ comeback win over the Jets. Same for Houston DB C.C. an unheralded 6th rounder who had his first career pick in the Texans win over Arizona. The Giants’ D dug even deeper. Undrafted rookie FS James Butler had an interception in the New Yorkers’ win over Kansas City, while another NY undrafted rookie free agent – LB Chase Balckburn – was one of the week's top rookie tacklers with 9 when he was forced to start at MLB because of injuries. Meanwhile, Green Bay DB Nick Collins, a second rounder this year, was one of the very few Packers who appeared to show up for last night's Monday nighter as he led all rookie tacklers this weekend.

beerlover said:

Week XV: December 17-19

All good things must come to an end!! The best story of the current season, of course, has been Indianapolis’ run at an unbeaten season. The Colts’ dreams of duplicating the 1972 Dolphins’ perfection when the lost to San Diego yesterday right in Indianapolis. The Chargers won, in large part, because they had a secret weapon: LT. And no not that LT, #21 at RB, but the original! Anyway, it certainly seemed that way with a big #56 exploding off the edge as Chargers’ rookie LB Shawne Merriman, the 12th player selected at the 2005 draft, made like Hall-of-Fame New York Giants’ LB Lawrence Taylor who invented the stand-up DE position back in the 1980s. Merriman, who started slowly this season, spent the entire afternoon in the Colts’ backfield, harassing Colts’ QB Peyton Manning who had been sacked less than once per game through the first 13 weeks of the schedule. Merriman, though, was credited with two sacks himself, although he was actually involved as three as two were credited as half sacks. Merriman also forced Manning out of the pocket on several other plays, in the process allowing a teammate to get a sack or hurry. Merriman also came up huge on a couple of key running plays. In particular, with the Chargers leading 10-0 midway through the second quarter, the Colts had a first-and-goal from the San Diego 10, but Merriman held the edge and dropped running back Edgerrin James for a 2-yard loss. Then on fourth-and-goal from the 1, he chased down Manning from behind for a 6-yard loss. And that was more than enough to win Merriman this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award. Merriman, who leads all rookies with 9 sacks this fall, has also vaulted himself into contention for overall rookie of the year honors. Merriman, though, got a lot of help from his friends in Sunday’s win over the Colts. DT Luis Castillo, the Chargers other opening round pick this year – he was taken 28th overall – had 5 tackles including a sack that ended Indianapolis final desperation drive.

San Diego’s Merriman, in fact, was not the only rookie to post more than one sack this weekend. Minnesota DE Erasmus James, the 18th player selected this past April, had a pair of sacks, however, they didn’t have the same impact as the Vikings winning streak came to a thudding end in Pittsburgh. Same story in Oakland where CB Stanford Routt, a second round pick, had a sack and two pass breakups, but the Raiders lost anyway to Cleveland. It was better news for Miami DE Matt Roth, another second rounder this year, who had a sack and recovered a fumble in the Dolphins’ comeback win over the Jets. Same for Houston DB C.C. an unheralded 6th rounder who had his first career pick in the Texans win over Arizona. The Giants’ D dug even deeper. Undrafted rookie FS James Butler had an interception in the New Yorkers’ win over Kansas City, while another NY undrafted rookie free agent – LB Chase Balckburn – was one of the week's top rookie tacklers with 9 when he was forced to start at MLB because of injuries. Meanwhile, Green Bay DB Nick Collins, a second rounder this year, was one of the very few Packers who appeared to show up for last night's Monday nighter as he led all rookie tacklers this weekend.

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I could have sworn that glen earl made that pick and not C.C.

Both Earl and Brown made interceptions in the Cards game. Brown's INT was reviewed, and it was off of a deflection. It was a pass intended for Boldin (I believe), and it bounced off him and Brown was able to get his hands under it to make the pick.

Week XVI; December 24-26

Bucs hitch caddy ride to playoffs… The Chicago Bears have fashioned one of the great turnaround stories in NFL history this seasons, going from the 4th pick overall at the 2005 draft to a home-field bye in the playoffs. Tampa Bay, which picked one selection after the Bears, though, has also fashioned a terrific comeback tale of its own. Ironically, of course, both the Bears and Buccaneers chose RBs with those top picks last April. However, while Cedric Benson, whom the Bears selected with the 4th pick overall, hasn’t contributed much this fall, Carnell Williams, the Buccaneers’ choice one pick later, has been an integral part of the Tampa Bay turnaround. In fact, Williams set the league on fire through the first month of the season when he became the first back in league history to rush for over 100 yards in each of their first three games. And Williams was back at this past weekend when he rushed for 150 yards on 31 carries to propel Tampa Bay to a dramatic 27-24 overtime win over division rival Atlanta, in the process eliminating the Falcons, the 2004 NFC finalists, from the playoffs and putting the Buccaneers within one win - they close out the season at home against the hapless, homeless New Orleans Saints – of a playoff spot. Williams’ best moment on Saturday came with the Buccaneers facing a 4th and one at the Falcons’ 6-yard line, down by a TD and under 30 to play when he bounced a run to the outside and scooted into the end zone for the tying score which sent the game into the sudden-death stanza. That was more than enough to win Williams this week’s GB ‘Rookie of the Week’ award for the third time this year. Indeed, Williams’ performance this week also pushed into a clear lead for offensive rookie of the year honors as he passed the 1,000 yard mark for the campaign with a full week to play.

last one of these for the year, thank goodness & this one sums up our season as well-

Week XVII; December 31-January 1

Rook help decides top pick… With most of the playoff spots already settled, much of the focus in the NFL was on San Francisco where Houston and the 49ers played to decide which team would get the #1 pick overall at the 2006 draft. And while a number of players had central roles in the final outcome – the 49ers won 20-17 in OT to give Houston the top pick this year – the game devolved, at least in part, into a battle between rookie RBs Frank Gore of the 49ers and Vernand Morency of Houston, a pair of 3rd round picks at last April’s draft where Gore was selected 65th overall and Morency 8 picks later at #73. Gore and Morency finished their respective days on Sunday with similar numbers: Gore had 121 yards of total offense, including 108 yards on the ground and 13 more on a couple of receptions, while Morency had 129 totals yards, including 83 on the ground and 46 through the air on 4 receptions. Morency also scored a TD, however, in the end it was Gore’s 49ers who won out and that was just enough to tip the balance and give the 49er rookie this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award in what was a surprisingly very quiet week for this year’s rookie class.

Also in the 49ers win over Houston, San Francisco QB Alex Smith, the #1 pick at the 2005 draft, got his second straight “W” to finish out the season. Again, Smith didn’t put up big numbers, but was efficient enough as he completed 16 of 29 passes for 159 yards and his first pro TD pass. More importantly, Smith came up big in overtime when with the 49ers backed up inside their own 5-yard line he connected on a 38-yard completion to Arnaz Battle that got the 49ers out of trouble and eventually in position to kick the game-winning FG. Cleveland rookie QB Charlie Frye, a 3rd round pick this year, also got himself a “W” as he directed the Browns to a 20-16 win over division-rival Baltimore. Along the way, Frye completed 22 of 38 passes for 199 yards and a TD, although he also had a couple picked off. Meanwhile, New England rookie QB Matt Cassel, the former USC backup selected in the 7th round by the Patriots got some playing time against Miami as New England rested Tom Brady for the playoffs. Cassel responded by completing 11 of 20 passes for 168 yards and a pair of TDs as he rallied the Patriots late but a failed last second 2-point conversion was the difference as the Dolphins prevailed 28-26. There wasn’t much more offense provided by this year’s rookie class over the weekend, although Philadelphia WR Reggie Brown, a 2nd round pick this year, caught 7 passes for 77 yards and two scores, but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles turned the ball over 5 times and lost 31-20 to playoff bound Washington.

New York Jets CB Justin Miller, a second round pick this year, turned in the day’s biggest individual play by a rookie – indeed, it may been the most dramatic play turned in by anyone who didn’t play for a NY team this week – when he returned a punt 95 yards for a TD in the 4th quarter to give the Jets a 30-26 win over Buffalo. Meanwhile, another New York rookie, this time Giants’ 3rd round DE Justin Tuck, also had a huge play as he stuffed former Giants’ QB Kerry Collins on a 4th down sneak at New York’s one-yard line to help preserve the Giants’ win in Oakland. Tuck, a 3rd rounder this year who got some playing time when Michael Strahan was poked in the eye, also had 5 tackles and a knocked down a pass in New York’s win. In Saturday night’s other game, Denver DB Curome Cox, an undrafted free agent this year, had an interception which he returned 48 yards to help the Broncos douse the Chargers, while San Diego OLB Shawne Merriman, the 12th player taken this year, added a sack to finish the year as the top rookie sacker. Cincinnati DE David Pollack, the 17th player selected this year, went Merriman one better, posting two sacks against the Chiefs, but they were as the Bengals were blasted 37-3 by KC. Meanwhile, St. Louis DB O.J. Atogwe, a 3rd round pick, had an interception and a 1/2 sack for the Rams in their win over Dallas in the late Sunday night game, while both Dallas #1 picks, OLB Demarcus Ware, the 11th player selected this year, and DE Marcus Spears taken 20th overall, had sacks.

Previous weekly winners:

Week 1: New Orleans OT Jammal Brown
Week II: Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams
Week III: Miami RB Ronnie Brown
Week IV: Denver CB Domonique Foxworth
Week V: Dallas RB Tyson Thompson
Week VI: Cincinnati LB Odell Thurman
Week VII: Chicago QB Kyle Orton
Week VIII: Dallas RB Marion Barber
Week IX: Chicago RB Cedric Benson
Week X: Green Bay RB Samkon Gado
Week XI: Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams
Week XII: St. Louis QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
Week XIII: Seattle LB Lofa Tatupu
Week XIV: Green Bay RB Samkon Gado
Week XV: San Diego LB Shawne Merriman
Week XVI: Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams

beerlover said:

last one of these for the year, thank goodness & this one sums up our season as well-

Week XVII; December 31-January 1

Rook help decides top pick… With most of the playoff spots already settled, much of the focus in the NFL was on San Francisco where Houston and the 49ers played to decide which team would get the #1 pick overall at the 2006 draft. And while a number of players had central roles in the final outcome – the 49ers won 20-17 in OT to give Houston the top pick this year – the game devolved, at least in part, into a battle between rookie RBs Frank Gore of the 49ers and Vernand Morency of Houston, a pair of 3rd round picks at last April’s draft where Gore was selected 65th overall and Morency 8 picks later at #73. Gore and Morency finished their respective days on Sunday with similar numbers: Gore had 121 yards of total offense, including 108 yards on the ground and 13 more on a couple of receptions, while Morency had 129 totals yards, including 83 on the ground and 46 through the air on 4 receptions. Morency also scored a TD, however, in the end it was Gore’s 49ers who won out and that was just enough to tip the balance and give the 49er rookie this week’s GBN ‘Rookie of the Week’ award in what was a surprisingly very quiet week for this year’s rookie class.

Also in the 49ers win over Houston, San Francisco QB Alex Smith, the #1 pick at the 2005 draft, got his second straight “W” to finish out the season. Again, Smith didn’t put up big numbers, but was efficient enough as he completed 16 of 29 passes for 159 yards and his first pro TD pass. More importantly, Smith came up big in overtime when with the 49ers backed up inside their own 5-yard line he connected on a 38-yard completion to Arnaz Battle that got the 49ers out of trouble and eventually in position to kick the game-winning FG. Cleveland rookie QB Charlie Frye, a 3rd round pick this year, also got himself a “W” as he directed the Browns to a 20-16 win over division-rival Baltimore. Along the way, Frye completed 22 of 38 passes for 199 yards and a TD, although he also had a couple picked off. Meanwhile, New England rookie QB Matt Cassel, the former USC backup selected in the 7th round by the Patriots got some playing time against Miami as New England rested Tom Brady for the playoffs. Cassel responded by completing 11 of 20 passes for 168 yards and a pair of TDs as he rallied the Patriots late but a failed last second 2-point conversion was the difference as the Dolphins prevailed 28-26. There wasn’t much more offense provided by this year’s rookie class over the weekend, although Philadelphia WR Reggie Brown, a 2nd round pick this year, caught 7 passes for 77 yards and two scores, but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles turned the ball over 5 times and lost 31-20 to playoff bound Washington.

New York Jets CB Justin Miller, a second round pick this year, turned in the day’s biggest individual play by a rookie – indeed, it may been the most dramatic play turned in by anyone who didn’t play for a NY team this week – when he returned a punt 95 yards for a TD in the 4th quarter to give the Jets a 30-26 win over Buffalo. Meanwhile, another New York rookie, this time Giants’ 3rd round DE Justin Tuck, also had a huge play as he stuffed former Giants’ QB Kerry Collins on a 4th down sneak at New York’s one-yard line to help preserve the Giants’ win in Oakland. Tuck, a 3rd rounder this year who got some playing time when Michael Strahan was poked in the eye, also had 5 tackles and a knocked down a pass in New York’s win. In Saturday night’s other game, Denver DB Curome Cox, an undrafted free agent this year, had an interception which he returned 48 yards to help the Broncos douse the Chargers, while San Diego OLB Shawne Merriman, the 12th player taken this year, added a sack to finish the year as the top rookie sacker. Cincinnati DE David Pollack, the 17th player selected this year, went Merriman one better, posting two sacks against the Chiefs, but they were as the Bengals were blasted 37-3 by KC. Meanwhile, St. Louis DB O.J. Atogwe, a 3rd round pick, had an interception and a 1/2 sack for the Rams in their win over Dallas in the late Sunday night game, while both Dallas #1 picks, OLB Demarcus Ware, the 11th player selected this year, and DE Marcus Spears taken 20th overall, had sacks.

Previous weekly winners:

Week 1: New Orleans OT Jammal Brown
Week II: Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams
Week III: Miami RB Ronnie Brown
Week IV: Denver CB Domonique Foxworth
Week V: Dallas RB Tyson Thompson
Week VI: Cincinnati LB Odell Thurman
Week VII: Chicago QB Kyle Orton
Week VIII: Dallas RB Marion Barber
Week IX: Chicago RB Cedric Benson
Week X: Green Bay RB Samkon Gado
Week XI: Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams
Week XII: St. Louis QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
Week XIII: Seattle LB Lofa Tatupu
Week XIV: Green Bay RB Samkon Gado
Week XV: San Diego LB Shawne Merriman
Week XVI: Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams

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that was a great post set to follow beer. thanks for the time and effort of each post.