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Jaylon Jones picked off two Caleb Williams passes in a tight game, and Jonathan Greenard had a hat trick of sacks against his former team to earn the respective AFC and NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, the NFL announced Wednesday.

Jones also posted a tackle for loss, combining with Laiatu Latu and the Indianapolis defense to foil the Bears, 21-16, on Sunday. Jones is the second Colts defensive back to win the honor over the last 12 NFL weeks, joining Kenny Moore, who earned the award in Week 9 last season. He also joins Kevin Smith (1993) and now Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (2002) as the only former Texas A&M defensive backs to earn the recognition.

Thanks in part to Greenard’s three sacks in a 34-7 win over Houston, the Vikings are just the third club since 1990 to reach five sacks in each of their first three games (New Orleans in 2001, Tampa Bay in 2000). The veteran linebacker teamed up with another former Houston teammate to shut down the high-powered Texans offense.Jaylon Jones picked off two Caleb Williams passes in a tight game, and Jonathan Greenard had a hat trick of sacks against his former team to earn the respective AFC and NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, the NFL announced Wednesday.

Minnesota is also the first team since the 1970 Los Angeles Rams with five-or-more sacks and two-plus takeaways in each of the first three games of a season.

Jones also posted a tackle for loss, combining with Laiatu Latu and the Indianapolis defense to foil the Bears, 21-16, on Sunday. Jones is the second Colts defensive back to win the honor over the last 12 NFL weeks, joining Kenny Moore, who earned the award in Week 9 last season. He also joins Kevin Smith (1993) and now Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (2002) as the only former Texas A&M defensive backs to earn the recognition.

Thanks in part to Greenard’s three sacks in a 34-7 win over Houston, the Vikings are just the third club since 1990 to reach five sacks in each of their first three games (New Orleans in 2001, Tampa Bay in 2000). The veteran linebacker teamed up with another former Houston teammate to shut down the high-powered Texans offense.

By Zak Gilbert

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office.

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