CHARGERS QB JUSTIN HERBERT, JAGUARS DE/LB JOSH ALLEN & CHIEFS P TOMMY TOWNSEND NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 9
Quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT of the Los Angeles Chargers, defensive end/linebacker JOSH ALLEN of the Jacksonville Jaguars and punter TOMMY TOWNSEND of the Kansas City Chiefs are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 9 (November 4, 7-8).
OFFENSE: QB JUSTIN HERBERT, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
- Herbert completed 32 of 38 pass attempts (84.2 percent) for 356 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a rating of 123.2 and added a rushing touchdown in the Chargers’ 27-24 victory over the Eagles.
- It marked the second-highest single-game completion percentage ever (minimum 30 attempts) by a player age 23 or younger.
- Herbert took 6:05 off the clock during a game-winning drive that resulted in the go-ahead field goal with two seconds remaining, giving the Chargers their fifth victory of the season. On the drive, he completed five of six pass attempts and rushed for a fourth-down conversion.
- This is the first career Offensive Player of the Week award for Herbert. He becomes the sixth Chargers quarterback to ever earn the honor and first since Philip Rivers (Week 12, 2018).
DEFENSE: DE/LB JOSH ALLEN, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
- In Jacksonville’s 9-6 victory over Buffalo, Allen recorded eight tackles and two tackles for loss along with a sack, interception and fumble recovery. He is the first defender to post such stat line this season.
- Allen led a Jacksonville defense that held the league’s top-scoring offense without a touchdown. It marked the fourth time since 1970 that a team has held an opponent that entered Week 9 or later averaging at least 32 points per game without a touchdown
- This is the first career Defensive Player of the Week award for Allen. He becomes the first Jacksonville player to earn the honor since Calais Campbell (Week 3, 2019).
- Allen is the second player from Kentucky to win a Player of the Week award this season, joining former Wildcat teammate and current Buccaneers safety Mike Edwards (Week 2).
SPECIAL TEAMS: P TOMMY TOWNSEND, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
- Townsend pinned five of his six punts inside the 20-yard line in the Chiefs’ 13-7 victory over the Packers. He ended the game with an average of 56.8 yards per punt (54.3 net), with a long of 64.
- That marks the highest net punting average by a player since 2018, minimum five punts.
- This is the second career Special Teams Player of the Week award for Townsend (Week 15, 2020). He is the first Chiefs punter to ever earn the honor twice.
- He becomes the second former Florida player to win Special Teams Player of the Week this season, joining Cincinnati kicker Evan McPherson (Week 1).
2021 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
| Offense | Defense | Special Teams | |
| Wk 1 | QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City | DE Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas | K Evan McPherson, Cincinnati |
| Wk 2 | RB Derrick Henry, Tennessee | LB Odafe Oweh, Baltimore | K Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas |
| Wk 3 | QB Josh Allen, Buffalo | DE Myles Garrett, Cleveland | K Justin Tucker, Baltimore |
| Wk 4 | QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati | LB Tremaine Edmunds, Buffalo | P Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis |
| Wk 5 | QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore | DE Greg Rousseau, Buffalo | K Nick Folk, New England |
| Wk 6 | RB Derrick Henry, Tennessee | LB T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh | K Matthew Wright, Jacksonville |
| Wk 7 | WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati | DE Yannick Ngakoue, Las Vegas | P Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis |
| Wk 8 | QB Mike White, N.Y. Jets | DB Adrian Phillips, New England | K Randy Bullock, Tennessee |
| Wk 9 | QB Justin Herbert, L.A. Chargers | DE/LB Josh Allen, Jacksonville | P Tommy Townsend, Kansas City |
