NFC Players of the Week – Week 3

RAMS QB MATTHEW STAFFORD, CARDINALS CB BYRON MURPHY & PACKERS K MASON CROSBY NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 3

Quarterback MATTHEW STAFFORD of the Los Angeles Rams, cornerback BYRON MURPHY of the Arizona Cardinals and kicker MASON CROSBY of the Green Bay Packers are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 3 (September 23, 26-27).

OFFENSE: QB MATTHEW STAFFORD, LOS ANGELES RAMS

• In their win over Tampa Bay, Stafford completed 27 of 38 pass attempts (71.1 percent) for 343 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 134.0 rating to help the Rams remain unbeaten.
• This is Stafford’s third Offensive Player of the Week award and second this season. He is the first player to earn the honor multiple times in 2021.
  • 2009: Week 11
  • 2021: Weeks 1, 3
• Stafford joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (twice in 2001) as the only Rams quarterbacks to win the award multiple times within a single season.

DEFENSE: CB BYRON MURPHY, ARIZONA CARDINALS

• In Arizona’s 31-19 comeback victory against Jacksonville, Murphy recorded four tackles and two interceptions, including a 29-yard interception-return for a touchdown to give the Cardinals the lead late in the third quarter.
• This is the first Defensive Player of the Week award for Murphy.
• Murphy is the first Cardinals defensive back to earn the honor since Budda Baker (Week 6, 2020), who also attended the University of Washington.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K MASON CROSBY, GREEN BAY PACKERS

• Crosby converted all three of his field goal attempts (54 yards, 38 yards and a game-winning 51-yard field goal as time expired) in Green Bay’s dramatic Sunday Night Football victory in San Francisco.
   
• This is the eighth-career Special Teams Player of the Week award for Crosby:
  • 2007: Week 1
  • 2010: Week 1
  • 2011: Weeks 5, 7
  • 2013: Week 5
  • 2015: Week 11
  • 2018: Week 6
  • 2021: Week 3
• Crosby becomes the third player to win at least eight Player of the Week awards with Green Bay, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre (12-time winner) and Aaron Rodgers (18-time winner).

2021 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK