Remember when the Broncos gave up 70 points in a loss at Miami last year? That game feels like 70 years ago, especially after Denver linebacker Cody Barton earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Rams cornerback Cobie Durant took home the NFC award, the league announced.
In Denver’s 33-10 win at New Orleans on Thursday, Barton posted eight tackles, broke up a pass, forced a fumble and returned another loose ball for a 52-yard touchdown. Only one other Denver linebacker, Von Miller, has earned the award since the beginning of Denver’s last Super Bowl season, 2015. Barton is a key cog on a Broncos defense that ranks third in total yards (allowing just 282.4 yards per game), third in scoring defense (15.14 points allowed per game) and first in red-zone touchdown percentage (35.7).
Since that 70-20 loss at Miami on Sept. 24, 2023, Vance Joseph’s Denver defense has allowed only 18.9 points per game, fourth in the NFL.
Barton is the fifth player from the University of Utah to garner Defensive Player of the Week honors, following Anthony Davis (Week 10, 1997), Andre Dyson (Week 13, 2005), Star Lotulelei (Week 8, 2016) and Eric Weddle (Week 13, 2017).
Durant, meanwhile, helped the Rams secure a 20-15 home win over the Raiders on Sunday. The cornerback registered a sack, interception and forced fumble to become the NFL’s first defensive back with tallies in each of those categories during a 2024 game.
The Rams’ fourth-round selection in the 2022 draft, Durant is the second South Carolina State product to win a Player of the Week honor since 2000, joining four-time winner Shaquille Leonard.
Durant and the Rams (2-4) have a short turnaround before another home game against Minnesota (5-1) on Thursday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video). Meanwhile, Denver (4-3) hosts Carolina (1-6) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).
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