Tag: Player of the Week

Bills Wire Week 1 Player of the Game: Matt Milano

Bills Wire Week 1 Player of the Game: Matt Milano (via @TejasVemparala):

The Buffalo Bills’ first game of the 2023 NFL season ended in heartbreak as the New York Jets won in overtime on a punt return for a touchdown.

The Jets won 22-16 in a game that stayed close because of turnovers despite an injury to new Jets QB Aaron Rodgers.

Despite the loss, a few Bills players had very good games and worked hard to keep the lead. We are awarding the Player of the Week Award in Week 1 to linebacker Matt Milano, who had eight tackles, including a tackle for a loss on New York Jets running back Dalvin Cook, one pass deflection, one QB hit, and an interception on the Jets backup quarterback Zach Wilson:

The 2022 All-Pro was a force to be reckoned with all game, with multiple great tackles throughout all four quarters and securing the interception after a Bills touchdown. Milano’s pick would lead to a Tyler Bass field goal before the end of the first half. After the interception, the linebacker taunted Zach Wilson which backed up the Bills following the penalty.

You can see Matt Milano’s perfect read of Zach Wilson’s throw here:

 

Despite Milano’s best efforts to keep the Jets score to 3 points, New York ultimately would score in the 4th quarter before the game-ending punt return in overtime.

Buffalo will host their season home opener on Sunday, September 17th at 1 PM to face the Oakland Raiders.

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Bills’ S Jordan Poyer lands at No. 57 on NFL Network top-100 players list

#Bills’ S Jordan Poyer lands at No. 57 on NFL Network top-100 players list (via @TejasVemparala):

Jordan Poyer is one of the top safeties in the NFL, and he’s earned the respect of his peers with his elite play during his career.

NFL Network kicked off its Top 100 Players of 2023 list, and the 2021 All-Pro continued to perform at the top level, earning a spot on the Pro Bowl roster last season and land him at No. 57 in the latest release.

Poyer ranked No. 45 when he first appeared on the list after his All-Pro selection. Despite multiple injuries limiting his availability, the Pro Bowl defender logged 63 total tackles, 8 passes-defended, four interceptions, and one forced fumble last season. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week in October 2022, when he secured a pair of interceptions against the Baltimore Ravens, the latter sealing the game for the Bills.

This year, he joins linebacker Matt Milano who recently debuted on the list at No. 69. For the 13th consecutive year, current NFL players have voted to determine the Top 100 players in the NFL.

NFL Films produces the series and provides an inside look at the stars around the league entering the 2023 season.

Premiering this past Monday, July 24, The Top 100 Players of 2023 counts down the top players in the NFL as determined solely by the players themselves.

Fans can tune in at www.nfl.com/plus.

The Top 100 Players of 2023 streams on NFL+ beginning July 24, with players, ranked No. 100-91. Then, over the next ten days, NFL+ will reveal players ranked 90-11 over eight episodes. Finally, The Top 10 will be announced during a two-hour NFL+ show on Monday, August 7, at 8:00 PM ET on NFL+. The live show will be hosted by Rich Eisen and Andrew Whitworth, with special guests featured from the Top 10 players selected.

On Sunday, August 6, NFL Network will air a four-episode marathon counting down from No. 50 – No.11 starting at 9:00 AM ET. We definitely expect more Bills players to appear in the coming week.

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Paul Skenes named Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week

We have yet to see Paul Skenes take any swings from the plate, but when it comes to receiving Player of the Week honors, he is 5-for-7 (72%). 

We have yet to see [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] take any swings from the plate, but when it comes to receiving Player of the Week honors, he is 5-for-7 (72%).

Skenes was tasked with trying to shut down an electric Tennessee Vols team on Thursday night, and he did that. He pitched seven innings and gave up five hits and one run on 12 strikeouts and one walk.

Unfortunately, he was not credited with the win, but LSU did pull out the win eventually. With his performance against the Vols, Skenes now has a 5-0 record this year with a 0.81 ERA. He has 83 strikeouts and only eight walks.

Skenes’ next start will come against the No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks on the road Thursday night. The first pitch for that game is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. The Gamecocks have been a surprise this year as they have started the season on fire. We will see if they can keep up with LSU.

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Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

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Celtics announce Jaylen Brown earns Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors

The Celtics now have three such players so honored this season, Brown joining Derrick White and Jayson Tatum.

The Boston Celtics announced via press release that star forward Jaylen Brown was named Player of the Week for the NBA’s Eastern Conference last week.

“Brown earns his third career nod, and this award marks the 67th overall honor for a Celtics player in franchise history,” wrote Boston of the Georgia native’s honor after a torrid week of scoring for the Celtics.

“Brown joins Derrick White (2/12) and Jayson Tatum (10/23) as the third player to receive the recognition this season,” added the team’s PR department. “The last team to have three players earn a weekly honor in a single season was Toronto (2019-20).”

“Brown led the Celtics to a 3-0 week with wins over San Antonio (137-93), Indiana (120-95) and Sacramento (132-109) while averaging 31.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 34.6 minutes per game,” according to the release.

“Brown was the only player in the Eastern Conference to average at least 30 points while shooting better than 55% from the field and 39% from 3-point range,” shared the Celtics, noting the former Cal player “tied Tommy Heinsohn for the fifth-most 40-point games in franchise history (8) and passed Cedric Maxwell for 18th on the Celtics all-time points list with 8,343 career points.”

“Brown’s 95 total points on the week were tied for the most points in the Eastern Conference, and he is riding an eight-game streak of scoring at least 24 points, the second-longest active streak in the league.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Jayda Coleman earns D1Softball’s Player of the Week award

After a strong weekend in Norman, Jayda Coleman earns player of the week honors from D1Softball.

Oklahoma’s Jayda Coleman has been one of the Sooners’ most important players for several years now.

She’s been one of the emotional leaders of the squad, a spark plug that can get the Sooners going on a scoring barrage. Coleman’s been an on-base machine and defensive wizard in her career in Norman, but in 2023, she’s showing off another element to her game. Her power.

Over the weekend, in the Sooners’ first home slate of the season, Jayda Coleman hit three home runs and had two doubles, hitting .636 in the process. For her efforts in Oklahoma’s home sweep against No. 17 Kentucky and UIC, Jayda Coleman was named D1Softball’s player of the week.

Oklahoma Softball’s “Supergirl” is tied for the team lead in home runs and doubles. She’s second on the team in batting average and slugging, while leading Oklahoma in on-base percentage.

Coleman’s five home runs and 10 extra-base hits are on pace to shatter her previous career highs from 2021. That season she hit nine home runs and 11 doubles. At her current pace, she’ll finish the regular season with 14 home runs and 14 doubles to give her 28 extra-base hits on the season. And she’ll still have the Big 12 tournament, NCAA Tournament, and Women’s College World Series to add to those totals.

She’s been a great player and one of the best in the nation for several years now, but Jayda Coleman’s taking her game to another level in 2023.

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Boston’s Derrick White earns East Player of the Week honors

Celtics reserve guard Derrick White has been named the league’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

The NBA announced on Monday that Boston Celtics reserve guard Derrick White has been named the league’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder getting the nod for the Western Conference Player of the Week for Week 17 of the 2022-23 league calendar.

White earned the award over Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat, Joel Embiid and James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers,  and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks among other players in the mix for the weekly honor.

For the week in question, the Colorado native put up 24.5 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game while his team went 4-0 for the week.

Stepping into a role created by the absence of guards Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon, the Colorado alum more than acquitted himself with his play to garner this award.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Eric Gray named Senior Bowl practice running back of the week

At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, running back Eric Gray was named the practice player of the week for the American team.

While a lot of the conversation at the running back position centers around Texas’ Bijan Robinson or Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs, Oklahoma’s Eric Gray is creating some buzz of his own at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Eric Gray had the opportunity to put his talents on display this week in the Senior Bowl in front of NFL coaches and front-office personnel. He’s had a phenomenal week, earning the American team’s running back practice player of the week as voted on by members of the running back room on his team.

Gray had a phenomenal season for the Oklahoma Sooners, rushing for 1,366 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry to lead Oklahoma’s rushing attack. He may not have been the MVP of the team, but he certainly could make an argument as the most important offensive piece not named Dillon Gabriel.

A forgotten man under Lincoln Riley in 2021, Gray recorded eight 100-yard games in 2022, including a 200-yard effort in Oklahoma’s loss to West Virginia on a rainy day in Morgantown. Gray was fourth in the Big 12 in rushing yards behind Robinson, Deuce Vaughn, and Kendre Miller. Gray was first in the conference in runs of 10 and 15 yards or more showing his breakaway ability.

Gray may not be considered a first or second round option in the 2023 NFL draft, but he’ll have a chance to carve out an incredible career with whatever team drafts him. He’s got great agility and elusiveness to go along with really good vision.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Cameron Jordan named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after 3-sack game vs. Eagles

Cameron Jordan has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after his big game against the Eagles won him the franchise sacks record:

This is cool: Cameron Jordan has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after his big game against the Philadelphia Eagles won him the New Orleans Saints’ franchise sacks record. Jordan brought down Eagles quarterback Gardner Minshew three times last Sunday afternoon, which played a huge part in New Orleans pulling off the upset on the road.

Good for him. Jordan has worked hard and toiled for years on some gnarly defenses with the Saints, so it’s great to see him earn this kind of recognition after reaching such an important career milestone. He’ll look to add onto his career total in this week’s season finale with the Carolina Panthers.

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Rayshawn Jenkins named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

It was an easy choice for AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins is the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after a career day against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15.

Jenkins, 28, was a pretty easy choice for the NFL after he became the first player ever to record at least 18 tackles and two interceptions in a game. His second pick Sunday was returned 52 yards for a game-winning overtime touchdown.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors twice this season, but Jenkins is the first player on the team to win on the other side of the ball. Last year, Josh Allen was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording a sack, interception, and a fumble recovery against the Buffalo Bills.

Jenkins began his career with the Los Angeles Chargers and joined the Jaguars in 2021 as a free agent. After Sunday, he has three interceptions on the season with 11 pass deflections and 95 total tackles.

Kene Nwangwu has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

The Vikings picked up their fifth player of the week award on the season

For the fourth time this season, a Minnesota Vikings has been named NFC Player of the Week. For his performance in week 12 against the New England Patriots, kick return ace Kene Nwangwu has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

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Nwangwu has been a sleeping giant all season, being just inches away from a couple of long returns. Well, he finally got it on Sunday, busting out a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to tie the game at 23.

As mentioned above, Nwangwu becomes the fifth player to win a player of the week award joining Justin Jefferson, Za’Darius Smith, Ryan Wright and Greg Joseph.

On the season, Nwangwu leads the league in averaging 25.8 yards per return over 24 returns. He is also in line to make the Pro Bowl being second in the vote currently.

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