Jake Bates honored for his heroic 4th quarter vs. Texans

Lions kicker Jake Bates honored for his heroic 4th quarter vs. Texans as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Jake Bates made Detroit Lions history in the team’s Week 10 comeback win in Houston. Bates became the first kicker — on a franchise with a rich history of great kickers — to make two field goals of at least 50 yards in the fourth quarter of the same game. The second of those came from 52 yards as time expired and provided the winning margin.

His late-game heroics in the 26-23 win over the Texans earned Bates the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor. It’s the second of his career, after nailing a 44-yard game-winner against the Vikings in Minnesota.

Bates joins return specialist Kalif Raymond in winning the NFC Special Teams honor in the last month. Raymond picked up the honors in Detroit’s win over Tennessee.

Kalif Raymond earns NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Kalif Raymond earns NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his return work vs. the Titans in Week 8

Congratulations are in order for Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond. Though Raymond caught a touchdown pass in Detroit’s 52-14 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 8, it’s his work on special teams that earned Raymond a spot in the record books.

Raymond was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his incredible returns on punts against Tennessee. No. 11 had the biggest day of punt returns in his career and one of the biggest in NFL history. Raymond netted 190 yards on five punt returns, including a thrilling 90-yard touchdowns return that came with Detroit’s starting defense on the field instead of his typical blocking unit.

Raymond very nearly ran three punts back for touchdowns. He got caught from behind on one return while setting up a final block inside the Titans’ 30-yard line, and another huge return was wiped out by a holding penalty. With his touchdown reception, Raymond became the first player in NFL history to score on a reception and a punt return in the same game.

Commanders kicker Austin Seibert named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

The dream week continues for Austin Seibert.

It’s been a week for new Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert to remember. Signed last Tuesday to replace Cade York, who struggled in his only game for Washington, Seibert made all seven field goal attempts in Sunday’s win over the Giants. Included among those seven field goals was the game-winner as time expired.

Seibert’s dream week continued Wednesday, as he was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 2.

The 27-year-old Seibert was a fifth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in the 2019 NFL draft. He has spent time with the Browns, Bengals, Lions, Saints and two stints with the Jets. It was during his second stint with the Jets that Washington paid close attention to Seibert during this summer’s joint practice and preseason game.

Here’s some Seibert highlights from Sunday:

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Seibert’s seven field goals made in one game is second in NFL history to Rob Bironas, who set the record back in 2007. Seibert is one of 10 kickers to make seven field goals in a game.

Seibert is the seventh kicker in Washington history to win the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.

 

 

Vikings K Greg Joseph wins second NFC Special Teams POTW award

The Vikings have their seventh player of the week award

The Minnesota Vikings picked up their seventh NFC Player of the Week award on the season with Greg Joseph winning Special Teams Player of the week for a second time this season.

Joseph has been really good for the Vikings since his mid-season struggles. He emphasized that on Saturday afternoon against the New York Giants.

Joseph made all three of his extra points and both of his field goals but it was his last field goal that set him apart from the rest of the NFL.

That 61-yard field goal not only set a career-high for Joseph, but it also set a Vikings franchise record. If he stays consistent with his extra points, the Vikings might have found their kicker.

Commanders kicker Joey Slye named NFC special teams player of the week

It’s the second time in Slye’s four-year NFL career he has won the award.

Washington Commanders kicker Joey Slye was named NFC special teams player of the week on Wednesday.

Slye made all four of his four field-goal attempts in Washington’s 32-21 upset win over the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles. Slye made field goals of 32, 44, 58 and 55 yards in the win. His 58-yard field goal just before halftime gave the Commanders a six-point lead.

Slye also made both of his point-after attempts in the win.

Slye has made 13 of his 15 field-goal attempts this season. He’s connected on 14 of his 15 PATs.

It’s the second time in Slye’s four-year NFL career that he has been named the NFC special teams player of the week. Slye won the award back in 2019 when he was a rookie with the Carolina Panthers.

Slye and the Commanders face the Houston Texans in Week 11.

 

Bears K Cairo Santos named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Cairo Santos is the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after scoring 15 points in the Bears’ dominant win over the Patriots in Week 7.

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Bears kicker Cairo Santos has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week following Monday night’s 33-14 victory over the Patriots.

Santos accounted for 15 of Chicago’s 33 points, including all four of his field goal attempts from 42, 23, 38 and 50 yards and all three extra point attempts.

Through six games this season, Santos has gone a perfect 11-for-11 on field goals (he missed Week 4 with a personal issue). In fact, Santos has connected on 17 straight field goal attempts (dating back to 2021). It’s the second-longest active streak behind the Raiders’ Daniel Carlson (39 straight).

Santos missed two extra points during a monsoon against the 49ers in Week 1. But he’s followed it up a perfect 19-of-19, both field goals and extra points.

Santos broke Robbie Gould’s franchise record of consecutive field goals made. Santos connected on 40 straight from 2020-21, which is also the third-longest streak in NFL history.

This is the second time Santos has been honored with the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. Santos last won it back in 2020, when he connected all three field goal attempts in a Week 6 win over the Panthers.

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Ryan Wright wins NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

The Vikings punter got recognized for his excellent play on Sunday

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The Minnesota Vikings had some impressive individual performances on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins but arguably none of them were more impressive than rookie punter Ryan Wright. The NFL agreed and awarded him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Wright was impressive on Sunday as he became the second punter since 2016 to punt 10 times with his tea getting the victory. The other was Denver Broncos punter Corliss Waltman in week three against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Over his 10 punts, Wright averaged 44.1 yards per punt and nailed six of them inside the 20. His most impressive kick came early in the game when the Vikings were pinned at the six yard line. Wright kicked the ball over 80 yards in the air for an official long of 73 yards.

It’s not the best thing in the world to have a Vikings’ best player in a game be the punter, but it’s also great to see the purple and gold have a player that can flip the field.

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Eagles CB Zech McPhearson named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Zech McPhearson named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

The Eagles defeated the Lions 38-35 on Sunday in the season opener, and Zech McPhearson’s play on the special teams could be the biggest reason for the win.

Philadelphia was up 31-21 with 4:09 left in the third quarter when Lions Special Teams Coordinator Dave Fipp called for an onside kick that McPhearson could secure.

The Eagles capitalized on the short field with a 1-yard Boston Scott touchdown run that put Philadelphia up 38-35 to open the season 1-0.

It is McPhearson’s first career weekly honor in his second NFL season.

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Bears WR Jakeem Grant named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Jakeem Grant is the first Bears return specialist to win NFC Special Teams Player of the Week since Devin Hester.

Bears wide receiver Jakeem Grant has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week following his impressive performance against the Packers in Week 14.

Grant was a big reason why Bears fans — and Matt Nagy — were able to have a little fun during the first half of Sunday night’s game against the Packers, which featured a thrilling six-touchdown second quarter.

Grant scored two touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 46-yard catch-and-run score. But it was his impact on special teams that garnered him recognition.

Grant returned three punt returns for 131 yards, including an insane 97-yard punt return touchdown in the second quarter, the longest in Bears history. It was also the first punt return touchdown of the 2021 NFL season.

Grant, who Chicago traded for back in October,  currently ranks second in the league with an average of 13.2 yards per punt return.

This is the third time Grant has earned player of the week honors, with his previous ones coming in 2018 and 2020 with the Dolphins. Grant now has six kick return touchdowns, four on punts and two on kickoffs in his six-year career.

Grant is the first Bears returner to win the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week since the great Devin Hester, which is certainly good company to be in.

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Eagles’ LB T.J. Edwards named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Eagles’ linebacker T.J. Edwards was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his 4th quarter blocked punt help Philadelphia upset Carolina

The NFL announced on Wednesday that third-year linebacker T.J. Edwards was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Philadelphia’s victory over the Carolina Panthers.

This is Edwards’ first career Player of the Week honor and he’s the first Eagle to be named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week since Kenjon Barner in 2017.

Edwards block on Joseph Charlton’s punt with four minutes remaining in Sunday’s game put the Eagles in scoring position at the Panthers’ 27-yard line.

With the Eagles down 18-13 at the time, quarterback Jalen Hurts scored on a 6-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive and hit wide receiver DeVonta Smith for the two-point conversion to give the Eagles a 21-18 lead.

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