Another ‘Player of the Week’ award, this time for a new team.
It is that time of the week again, when the NFL names its ‘Players of the Week’ from each conference.
One player from offense, defense and special teams wins the weekly award, with Lamar Jackson among those to do so in the AFC.
Here are all those winners from the AFC, but now let’s take a look at the three NFC winners from Week 5.
Offense – Kirk Cousins
KHADAREL HODGE CALLED GAME#TNFonPrime | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/vtKobQt7gc
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 4, 2024
Week 5 got off to a flying start – no pun intended – as the Atlanta Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime.
Drake London, Darnell Mooney and even Kyle Pitts had impressive games, all thanks to a stellar performance from Kirk Cousins.
Cousins has not set the world on fire since joining Atlanta, but Week 5 marked his best performance for his new franchise to date.
Cousins threw for 509 yards – the highest single-game number in Falcons franchise history – and four touchdowns. In doing so, the former Minnesota Viking picks up his eighth ‘Player of the Week’ award.
Defense – Xavier McKinney
5️⃣ straight games with an interception for Xavier McKinney!! An unreal start in GB for 5th-year safety.
📺: #GBvsLAR on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/I9sIlUdd9B— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024
There was no 100-yard Pick-Six by an NFC team this week, but Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney is having himself a season.
McKinney recorded three tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams.
What is notable, is that McKinney now has a takeaway in each of the first five games of the 2024 season.
McKinney is one of only four players who have managed to do so since 1970. More specificially, McKinney is the only player in that time period to record an interception on his first five games for a franchise.
It is also a nice coincidence that McKinney’s Alabama teammate, Pat Surtain II, won the AFC’s ‘Player of the Week’ on defense in Week 5 as well.
Special Teams – Isaiah Simmons
THE NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS!! pic.twitter.com/wecnASCDM2
— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024
To round off Week 5’s ‘Players of the Week’ is New York Giants’ Isaiah Simmons.
The Giants were on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5, and with just over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter the Seahawks had to chance to level the game with a field goal.
Simmons had other ideas. Leaping over two Seahawks, Simmons charged down the field goal, which was instead returned for a Giants touchdown.
It was a play which won the game for the Giants, securing a second win of the season for ‘Big Blue’.
