Derrick Henry and Jared Goff played leading roles in reducing the number of undefeated NFL teams by two last week. The Titans’ ageless running back and Lions’ perfect passer are the respective AFC and NFC Offensive Players of the Week, the NFL announced Wednesday afternoon.
In a 35-10 win over Buffalo (3-1) on Sunday night, Henry proved that stereotyping him as just another old running back is a bad idea. Henry, 30, racked up 209 scrimmage yards – the NFL’s first 200-yard game this season — and two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving). On the team’s first snap, he recorded the longest run in Ravens history, an 87-yard romp. Plus, with 199 rushing yards, Henry reached 195 on the ground for the eighth time in his career, tied for most in NFL annals.
Henry, who collected his eighth career weekly award from the NFL, is the first Baltimore running back in a decade to garner the recognition, since Justin Forsett won it in Week 12 of the 2014 campaign. The Ravens (2-2) are at Cincinnati (1-3) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
A day after Henry’s efforts, Goff was snubbed twice, first by his own head coach and then by the league’s passer-rating formula, despite completing all 18 of his passes. The Detroit quarterback passed for 292 yards and two touchdowns, and also caught a touchdown from wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, in the Lions’ 42-29 victory over Seattle (3-1) on Monday. Per the NFL, Goff became the first player in league history to attempt at least 15 passes with a perfect completion percentage. What’s more, his 292 yards were the most ever by a player without an incompletion.
The No. 1 overall selection in the 2016 draft, Goff has now earned the weekly honor six times, three with Detroit and three with the L.A. Rams. No other quarterback in Lions history has won it more than twice.
The first-place Lions are on their bye week before returning Oct. 13 at Dallas (2-2).