Wednesday’s announcement of the league’s players of the week features some big names in Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning, but not every recipient is a regular visitor to the headlines.
Take Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith, for example. Smith is a fifth-round rookie who has only started one game for the Jaguars this season and that start didn’t even come in Week Seven, but he is still this week’s choice as the AFC defensive player of the week.
Smith stuffed the stat sheet during Jacksonville’s first victory of the season. He had four tackles, two pass breakups, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble to help the Jaguars defense hold the Browns to just six points.
Smith should get plenty of opportunities to build on his big day. Paul Posluszny is done for the season because of a torn pectoral muscle and the Jags could use the kind of playmaking that Smith displayed against Cleveland as they try to shorten the interval before their next victory.
