The Awards Section

Offensive Player of the Week

Green Bay QB Brett Favre. Hard not to get gee-whiz watching Favre play right now. Not only did he break Dan Marino's hallowed record of 420 touchdown passes in his 16th game at the Metrodome, but he also did it in the midst of playing a nearly perfect game 11 days shy of his 38th birthday. Here's the deal: He completed 71 percent of his throws (32 of 45) for 344 yards, two touchdowns and, most importantly, no interceptions against the Vikings. Only one negative play -- a sack.

Defensive Players of the Week

New York Giants DE Osi Umenyiora. There's a reason why former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi refused to put Umenyiora in the Eli Manning trade three-plus years ago. If you ask the Giants' brass who's the most dangerous player on their defense today, they would say Umenyiora. As Exhibit A, just watch his six-sack performance Sunday night in obliterating the Eagles.

Seattle OLB Julian Peterson, for his three-sack, two-forced-fumble effort in a 23-3 rout of the 49ers. The Seahawks needed to put this division back in the proper order, after losing to the 49ers twice last year, and Peterson was the most dominant player on the field -- his former field, Monster Park -- Sunday.

Special Teams Player of the Week

Green Bay P Jon Ryan. A product of the football-powerhouse University of Regina, Ryan had a huge impact on the Packers' 23-16 win at Minnesota, taking a fake punt seven yards for a key third-quarter first down and pinning the Vikes at their seven with a booming high spiral in the second half. For the day, he punted four times for a 49-yard average. What hang time, too!

Coaches of the Week

Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt, for many reasons. He got his team ready to play, and he out-coached the team that said he and Cards assistant head coach Russ Grimm weren't the best men for the Steelers head-coaching job, though they'd helped Pittsburgh win the Super Bowl two years ago. Plus, Whisenhunt is handling his quarterbacks perfectly.

New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. If Tom Coughlin hired Spagnuolo away from the Eagles in the offseason for only one purpose -- to beat the Eagles into submission when the archrivals played this fall -- he got his money's worth. The Giants had 12 sacks of Donovan McNabb, held opponents to three points in the last six quarters, blitzed at least seven different back-seven players, and showed they could be a playoff team again.

Goat of the Week

Chicago QB Brian Griese. Five days ago, he was the messiah. This morning, he's the same guy the Broncos, Dolphins and Bucs let walk. He threw three interceptions -- two of them downright stupid -- in a 34-of-52, 286-yard passing day during the loss to the Lions. "Our quarterback position has to protect the football better,'' said coach Lovie Smith. Hmmm. Kyle Orton, anyone?

Stat of the Week

Detroit plays at Washington on Sunday. The Lions are 0-20 in their history at Washington.

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