After a rookie season marked more by struggles than success, 2021 NFL Draft No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence is rounding into the phenomenal form many predicted he was destined to reach.
Evidence of that came Sunday in a sensational showing that has garnered Lawrence his first NFL Player of the Week accolade, as the weekly honors were released Wednesday morning.
Lawrence was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week on the strength of his performance in a 38-10 win over the host Los Angeles Chargers. The second-year quarterback matched his career high with three touchdown passes to go with 262 yards, no interceptions and a 115.5 QB rating on 28-of-39 passing.
Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson has once before received a Player of the Week honor and was twice before recognized as a Player of the Month. However, each of those awards came for his special teams contributions. Patterson garnered his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week accolade for his stellar showing in the Falcons' 27-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Patterson ran for a career-high 141 yards on 17 carries, averaging a whopping 8.3 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson terrorized the New York Jets in his team's 27-12 victory on Sunday and earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week in the process. Hendrickson racked up four tackles, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in his squad's first win of the season.
NFC Defensive Player of the Week was had by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham. Graham posted six tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, a pass defensed and a forced fumble in Philly's 24-8 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
Offense was hard to come by on Sunday night, so field position was paramount and Denver Broncos punter Corliss Waitman was stellar in that account. Waitman was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Broncos' 11-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers in which he averaged 47.6 yards on 10 punts, including a long of 57, and put six punts inside the 20-yard line.
Green Bay Packers punter Pat O'Donnell played a pivotal role in his team's 14-12 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. O'Donnell punted seven times, putting five inside the 20 and averaging 48.3 yards per boot with a long of 63 to garner NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
