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NFL 2008

NFC POW -- Week 11

Week 11, 11/21/2008


49ERS QB SHAUN HILL, GIANTS CB AARON ROSS &

CARDINALS K NEIL RACKERS NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 11


Quarterback SHAUN HILL of the San Francisco 49ers, cornerback AARON ROSS of the New York Giants and kicker NEIL RACKERS of the Arizona Cardinals are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the 11th week of the 2008 season (November 13, 16-17), the NFL announced today.


OFFENSE: QB SHAUN HILL, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Hill completed 15 of 20 passes (75.0 percent) for 213 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a career-high 142.3 passer rating in the 49ers’ 35-16 win over St. Louis, while also adding a touchdown run. Hill led the 49ers to a 35-3 halftime advantage and became the first quarterback in franchise history to post a perfect passer rating (158.3) in the first half, besting the pervious mark of 156.5 set by Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG in 1997. Hill completed 12 of 14 passes (85.7 percent) for 192 yards and two touchdowns before halftime, the most first-half passing yards by a 49ers quarterback since 2003 (JEFF GARCIA, 221). The 35 points in the first half are the team’s most since 1992, when the 49ers scored 42 first-half points. The club’s 28 second-quarter points tied the franchise mark for the most points scored in any quarter.

In his seventh season from Maryland, this is Hill’s first career Player of the Week Award. The last 49er to be honored on offense was running back FRANK GORE (Week 12, 2007). Hill is the first San Francisco quarterback to be named Player of the Week since 2004 (TIM RATTAY, Week 5).



DEFENSE: CB AARON ROSS, NEW YORK GIANTS

· Ross tied for the team lead with six solo tackles and had two interceptions, including a 50-yard interception-return touchdown in the Giants’ 30-10 win over Baltimore. It marked the second time in his career that Ross had two interceptions in a game, and the touchdown was his second in the NFL. Ross’ first interception came late in the first half when he picked off a pass at the New York 37-yard line and returned it 10 yards to end a Ravens’ drive. In the third quarter, after Baltimore closed the Giants’ lead to 20-10, the Ravens drove to their own 47-yard line and faced a second-and-five. On the next play, Ross picked off the pass and raced 50 yards to turn the momentum around and increase New York’s lead to 27-10. The Giants own the best record in the NFC with a 9-1 mark.

In his second year from Texas, this is Ross’ first career Player of the Week Award. He is the second Giant to be honored on defense this season, joining defensive end MATHIAS KIWANUKA (Week 8). The last Giant cornerback to win the award was PHILLIPPI SPARKS in Week 12, 1998.



SPECIAL TEAMS: K NEIL RACKERS, ARIZONA CARDINALS

· Rackers scored 14 points and converted all four field-goal attempts and two PATs in the Cardinals’ 26-20 victory over Seattle. He was successful on field goals of 38, 48, 54 and 26 yards and has now made 13 consecutive field goals. Rackers made a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter to put Arizona up 3-0 and then added a 48-yarder in the second period to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 13-0. On the last play of the first half, he nailed a 54-yard field goal to give Arizona a 16-7 lead heading into halftime. In the third quarter, Rackers extended the lead to 19-7 with a 26-yard field goal. The Cardinals have a 7-3 record and are in first place in the NFC West.

In his ninth season from Illinois, this is Rackers’ third career Player of the Week Award (Week 7, 2004 and Week 4, 2005). He is the second Cardinal to be honored on special teams this season, joining SEAN MOREY (Week 6). With three career awards, Rackers is now tied for the most Special Teams Player of the Week Awards in franchise history (BILL GRAMATICA).



2008 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK



Offense
Defense
Special Teams

Wk 1
RB Michael Turner, Atlanta
DE Adewale Ogunleye, Chicago
PR-KR Will Blackmon, Green Bay

Wk 2
QB Kurt Warner, Arizona
S Chris Horton, Washington
KR-RB Felix Jones, Dallas

Wk 3
RB Michael Turner, Atlanta
S Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia
K John Carney, New York

Wk 4
QB Jake Delhomme, Carolina
LB Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay
K Matt Bryant, Tampa Bay

Wk 5
RB Clinton Portis, Washington
CB Antoine Winfield, Minnesota
PR-RB Reggie Bush, New Orleans

Wk 6
QB Drew Brees, New Orleans
S Oshiomogho Atogwe, St. Louis
WR Sean Morey, Arizona

WK 7
RB Steven Jackson, St. Louis
S Aaron Rouse, Green Bay
S Zackary Bowman, Chicago

Wk 8
QB Drew Brees, New Orleans
DE Mathias Kiwanuka, New York
WR-PR Santana Moss, Washington

Wk 9
QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta
S Antrel Rolle, Arizona
KR-RB Clifton Smith, Tampa Bay

Wk 10
RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
DE Julius Peppers, Carolina
LB Chase Blackburn, New York

Wk 11
QB Shaun Hill, San Francisco
CB Aaron Ross, New York
K Neil Rackers, Arizona


Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 11 were:

New York Giants left tackle DAVID DIEHL, who helped the Giants rush for 207 yards against the NFL’s top-ranked run defense entering the game.
Green Bay running back RYAN GRANT, who rushed for 145 yards and one touchdown in the Packers’ 37-3 win versus Chicago.
New York Giants right tackle KAREEM MC KENZIE, who helped the Giants rush for 207 yards and average 6.3 yards per carry.
New York Giants center SHAUN O’HARA, who helped the Giants rush for 207 yards, the third consecutive 200-yard rushing game for the team.
New York Giants left guard RICH SEUBERT, who helped the Giants rush for 207 yards against the Ravens’ defense, which entered the game allowing just 65.4 rush yards per game.
New York Giants right guard CHRIS SNEE, who helped the Giants rush for 207 yards against a defense that had not allowed more than 76 rushing yards in a game this season.
Carolina rookie running back JONATHAN STEWART, who rushed for a career-high 130 yards and one touchdown in the Panthers’ 31-22 victory over Detroit.
Arizona quarterback KURT WARNER, who completed 32 of 44 passes (72.7 percent) for 395 yards with one touchdown and one interception for a 98.2 passer rating.
Carolina running back DE ANGELO WILLIAMS, who rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns.


Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 11 were:

Tampa Bay linebacker DERRICK BROOKS, who had seven tackles, including one for a loss and one pass defensed in the Buccaneers’ 19-13 win over Minnesota.
San Francisco cornerback NATE CLEMENTS, who had six tackles and one interception.
Carolina rookie safety CHARLES GODFREY, who had five tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Minnesota linebacker CHAD GREENWAY, who had a team-best 16 tackles, including two for a loss, and one pass defensed in the Vikings’ 19-13 loss at Tampa Bay.
Green Bay linebacker A.J. HAWK, who had seven tackles, including a team-best six solo tackles.
Green Bay defensive end JASON HUNTER, who had a 54-yard fumble-return touchdown.
Carolina defensive end JULIUS PEPPERS, who had five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
Dallas defensive tackle JAY RATLIFF, who had six tackles and two sacks in the Cowboys’ 14-10 win over Washington.
Arizona rookie cornerback DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE, who recorded the first two interceptions of his career, including one to seal the game with just under two minutes remaining.
Tampa Bay defensive end-defensive tackle JIMMY WILKERSON, who had five tackles, one sack and a forced fumble.


Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 11 were:

Tampa Bay kicker MATT BRYANT, who converted four of his five field-goal attempts and scored 13 points.
Green Bay kicker MASON CROSBY, who scored 13 points, converting all three field-goal attempts and four PATs.
Detroit kicker JASON HANSON, who converted all three field-goal attempts, including tying the franchise record for longest field goal (56 yards), in the Lions’ 31-22 loss at Carolina.
San Francisco punt returner-kick returner ALLEN ROSSUM, who had two punt returns for 40 yards (20.0 average) and three kickoff returns for 70 yards (23.3 average).


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