Players of the week
Players of the week · NFL · Week 2
A rookie Raider with two interceptions, a Carolina linebacker who scored and a Seattle receiver who scored three times. We agreed with the league in four of six slots; the two we didn't are Jaxon Smith-Njigba over Brock Purdy and Harrison Butker over Andre Szmyt.
AFC offense
QB · Buffalo Bills
W Bills 41, Lions 31 · vs Detroit Lions
20 of 31, 248 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT (121.4 rating); 14 rushes, 69 yards, 2 TD
Five touchdowns, no turnovers, and a hand in all three scores as Buffalo went up 21-0 early in the second quarter. That's nine touchdowns and no interceptions in two weeks. Patrick Mahomes threw for more yards in an overtime win, but Allen produced more points.
AFC defense
CB · Las Vegas Raiders
W Raiders 26, Chargers 14 · at Los Angeles Chargers
5 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 passes defensed, 2 INT
A rookie with two interceptions on the road against an 11-win team from last season. The first came with the game scoreless and set Las Vegas up at the Chargers' 23. The second, with 2:29 left and the Raiders up 24-14, ended it.
AFC special teams
K · Kansas City Chiefs
W Chiefs 33, Colts 30 (OT) · vs Indianapolis Colts
4 of 5 field goals (46, 28, 31 and 40 yards; missed from 51), 3 of 3 extra points, 15 points
Both of Kansas City's overtime scores: a 31-yarder for a 30-27 lead and, after Indianapolis tied it, a 40-yarder as time expired. The league went with Andre Szmyt's clean three-for-three in Tampa, but none of Szmyt's kicks put his team ahead.
NFC offense
WR · Seattle Seahawks
W Seahawks 31, Cardinals 7 · at Arizona Cardinals
9 catches on 11 targets, 155 yards, 3 TD (82, 7 and 12 yards)
Three of Seattle's four touchdowns, on the road, including an 82-yarder. Brock Purdy was nearly perfect and the league gave him the award, but he did it at home against a Miami team that had lost its opener. Arizona had just won in Los Angeles.
NFC defense
LB · Carolina Panthers
W Panthers 34, Falcons 3 · at Atlanta Falcons
9 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 3 passes defensed, 2 INT (69 return yards), 1 pick-six
The best defensive line of the week in either conference: two interceptions, one returned 16 yards for a touchdown, a sack and three passes defensed, on the road. Atlanta scored three points.
NFC special teams
CB · Minnesota Vikings
W Vikings 9, Bears 3 · at Chicago Bears
Blocked a 23-yard field goal with Minnesota up 6-3 in the fourth quarter; also 4 tackles, 1 pass defensed and a fumble recovery at the Minnesota 1
In a 9-3 game, he took the tying points off the board. Cairo Santos lined up a 23-yarder with 6:26 left and Rodgers blocked it. Earlier, on defense, he recovered a fumble at the Minnesota 1 to stop another Chicago score.
One player per slot, judged the way the power rankings judge teams: what happened on the field, against whom and where. Production counts, and so does the opponent. A big game against a good defense or on the road beats the same numbers at home against a bad one, and a play that decided the game beats one that padded a lead. A great game in a loss can still win if nothing else comes close.
NFL awards follow the league's format, AFC and NFC, and go up on Tuesday morning, a day before the league names its own. College awards are national and go up on Sunday morning. Where there's an official pick (the NFL's, or Walter Camp's for college offense and defense), it's listed under ours, agree or not.
Sources: NFL.com: Week 2 players of the week. Stat lines from each game's ESPN box score.
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