There was concern Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence would be unable to play in Week 14 due to a toe injury.
There was uncertainty Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield would be unable to play in Week 14 because he’d been claimed by his new squad just two days before game time.
The former No. 1 overall picks showed up and showed out, however, as Lawrence and Mayfield led their teams to victories and were lauded as Players of the Week, which were released Wednesday morning.
Lawrence, in what might well have been the best game of his budding career so far, had four total touchdowns in the Jags’ 36-22 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Showing no bother from a toe injury, Lawrence, the 2021 NFL Draft’s top pick, ran for a touchdown and threw for three more as he completed 30 of 42 passes (71.4%) for 368 yards with no interceptions and a 121.9 QB rating. In the aftermath of Lawrence’s sterling effort, he earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.
Two days after he was claimed by the Rams, Mayfield didn’t start L.A.’s game on Thursday night, but he most certainly finished it. Taking the quarterback reins after the first offensive series, Mayfield led L.A. to a dramatic 17-16 come-from-behind win against the Las Vegas Raiders. Mayfield piloted a 98-yard game-winning drive that began with 1:45 to play in the game and ended with a touchdown pass to Van Jefferson. Mayfield, the NFC Offensive Player of the Week, finished his Rams debut going 22-of-35 passing for 230 yards, the TD and no interceptions. The top pick in the 2018 draft, Mayfield garnered AFC Offensive Player of the Week twice before with the Cleveland Browns, but after one game with the Rams he took home his first NFC honor.
New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche‘s breakout season continued Monday night in his team’s 27-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Uche posted five tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss and earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week — the first such honor of his career.
Calais Campbell has a decorated defensive career, as the defensive end has tallied four prior Defensive Player of the Week awards. However, the veteran standout was recognized as AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after the Baltimore Ravens standout came up huge with a blocked field goal in the fourth quarter of his team’s 16-14 victory against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Campbell garnered NFC Special Teams Player of the Week as a member of the Arizona Cardinals in 2009.
The Philadelphia Eagles became the first NFL team to clinch a playoff berth with their 48-22 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, and defensive end Brandon Graham was a big reason why. Graham racked up three sacks, along with four tackles and a forced fumble, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week in the process.
As the Carolina Panthers continue a sudden playoff push, it was kicker Eddy Pineiro who was recognized as NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after he booted 12 points in his squad’s 30-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Pineiro was good on all three of his extra points and on all three of his field goals, turning in a perfect 6-of-6 day kicking.