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Home , Antrel Rolle, Blair Walsh, Delvin Breaux, Dwight Freeney, Jerraud Powers, Julio Jones

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/30/15 http://twitter.com/nfl345

FALCONS WR , CARDINALS LB & VIKINGS K BLAIR WALSH NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 16

Wide receiver JULIO JONES of the , DWIGHT FREENEY of the and kicker BLAIR WALSH of the are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the 16th week of the 2015 season (December 24, 26-28), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: WR JULIO JONES, ATLANTA FALCONS  Jones had nine catches for 178 yards and a 70-yard in the Falcons’ 20-13 win over the previously unbeaten .  He leads the NFL with 127 receptions and 1,722 receiving yards and is only the second player in NFL history with at least 125 catches and 1,700 yards in a single season (, 2002).  Jones is one of four players in NFL history with at least 100 receptions and 1,500 receiving yards in consecutive seasons (Harrison, and ).  The performance marked Jones’ fourth game with at least 160 receiving yards this season, one shy of the NFL single-season record (, 1984).  Since entering the NFL in 2011, Jones has six catches of at least 70 yards, including five . Both of those are tied for the second-most in the NFL during that span.  In his fifth season from , this is Jones’ second career Player of the Week Award and second this season (Week 1).  He is the first to be named Offensive Player of the Week multiple times in a season since New England’s in 2007 (Weeks 9 and 11).

DEFENSE: LB DWIGHT FREENEY, ARIZONA CARDINALS  Freeney had three sacks and forced a that was returned for a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 38-8 win over Green Bay. Arizona recorded its franchise-record 13th victory and clinched a first-round bye.  The Cardinals had nine sacks and two fumble-return touchdowns, becoming the first NFL to accomplish the feat since at least 1963 (the first year team sacks were recorded).  In the third quarter, Freeney had an 11-yard sack and forced a fumble which was recovered by JERRAUD POWERS, who returned it seven yards for a touchdown.  Freeney has six career games with at least three sacks, tied for the third-most among active players.  In his 14th year from Syracuse, this is Freeney’s sixth career Player of the Week Award and first with the Cardinals. He previously won five times with Indianapolis, the last coming in Week 8, 2010.  Freeney (Week 16) and (Week 15) are the second Cardinals teammates to win Defensive Player of the Week in consecutive weeks. KARLOS DANSBY (Week 10) and (Week 11) accomplished the feat in 2007.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K BLAIR WALSH, MINNESOTA VIKINGS  Walsh scored 19 points – the most in the NFL in Week 16 – and converted all five field-goal attempts in the Vikings’ 49-17 win over the . Minnesota clinched a playoff berth with the victory.  Walsh’s 19 points are the most by a Vikings kicker in a game since GARY ANDERSON scored 20 points in 1998 (December 13).  The performance marked the third time in Walsh’s career he made five field goals in a game.  Walsh joins Anderson, RICH KARLIS and FUAD REVEIZ for the most games in franchise history with at least five field goals.  In his fourth season from Georgia, this is Walsh’s fifth career Player of the Week Award.  Walsh’s five career Special Teams Player of the Week Awards are the most in franchise history.

2015 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offense Defense Special Teams Wk 1 WR Julio Jones, Atlanta DT , St. Louis PR-WR , St. Louis Wk 2 WR , Arizona LB Sean Lee, Dallas KR-RB David Johnson, Arizona Wk 3 QB , Green Bay S , Arizona PR-RB , Philadelphia Wk 4 QB Drew Brees, New Orleans CB , Carolina K , Chicago Wk 5 QB , New York Giants DE , Philadelphia PR Bobby Rainey, Tampa Bay Wk 6 WR , Detroit DT Kawann Short, Carolina LB Michael Mauti, New Orleans Wk 7 QB Kirk Cousins, Washington DE Michael Bennett, Seattle KR Dwayne Harris, New York Giants Wk 8 QB Drew Brees, New Orleans LB Kwon Alexander, Tampa Bay PR Marcus Sherels, Minnesota Wk 9 QB , Carolina DT , Minnesota K Josh Brown, New York Giants Wk 10 QB Kirk Cousins, Washington CB Terence Newman, Minnesota KR Ameer Abdullah, Detroit Wk 11 QB Cam Newton, Carolina LB Lavonte David, Tampa Bay K Mason Crosby, Green Bay Wk 12 QB , Seattle LB , Carolina P Sam Martin, Detroit Wk 13 QB Cam Newton, Carolina S , Philadelphia K Dan Bailey, Dallas Wk 14 QB Eli Manning, New York Giants DT Aaron Donald, St. Louis K Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona Wk 15 QB Cam Newton, Carolina LB Deone Bucannon, Arizona KR Benny Cunningham, St. Louis Wk 16 WR Julio Jones, Atlanta LB Dwight Freeney, Arizona K Blair Walsh, Minnesota

Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 16 as submitted by NFC clubs:  St. Louis center TIM BARNES, who had two fumble recoveries and did not allow a sack in the Rams’ 23-17 win at Seattle.  New Orleans DREW BREES, who completed 25 of 36 passes (69.4 percent) for 412 yards with three touchdowns and no for a 135.4 passer rating in the Saints’ 38-27 win over Jacksonville.  Washington quarterback KIRK COUSINS, who completed 31 of 46 passes (67.4 percent) for 365 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 120.3 passer rating in the Redskins’ 38-24 win at Philadelphia.  Arizona wide receiver , who had six catches for 111 yards.  New Orleans TIM HIGHTOWER, who rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns.  Minnesota running back , who rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown.  Detroit quarterback , who completed 29 of 37 passes (78.4 percent) for 301 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 118.6 passer rating in the Lions’ 32-17 win over San Francisco.

Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 16 as submitted by NFC clubs:  Atlanta rookie defensive end , JR., who had a sack, one forced fumble and four tackles.  New Orleans cornerback DELVIN BREAUX, who had an , four passes defensed and four tackles.  St. Louis defensive end WILLIAM HAYES, who had three sacks and nine tackles.  Chicago rookie safety HAROLD JONES-QUARTEY, who had an interception, a forced fumble, four tackles and two passes defensed in the Bears’ 26-21 win at Tampa Bay.  Minnesota safety HARRISON SMITH, who had a 35-yard interception-return touchdown and five tackles.  Washington rookie linebacker PRESTON SMITH, who had three sacks, a forced fumble and four tackles.  Detroit defensive end DEVIN TAYLOR, who had a sack and three tackles.  New Orleans safety KENNY VACCARO, who had two sacks and three tackles.

Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 16 as submitted by NFC clubs:  Chicago kicker ROBBIE GOULD, who scored 14 points and converted all four field-goal attempts and both PATs.  Detroit kicker MATT PRATER, who scored 14 points and converted all four field-goal attempts and both PATs.