After watching Sunday's record-setting touchdown-fest, it was clear that Drew Brees would earn the NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor for Week 8.
The quarterback tied a single-game record with seven touchdown tosses, officially threw for 505 yards while completing a ridiculous 78.0 percent of his passes (39 of 50) and threw two interceptions in the Saints' wild 52-49 win over the New York Giants.
With Brees and Eli Manning combining to set the record for most touchdown passes in a single game -- 13 -- whichever team won, their quarterback would get this week's award.
Brees was nearly flawless, picking apart the Giants' secondary with ease and spreading the ball to nine different receiving targets. The future Hall of Fame quarterback has looked like his old self after missing a game early this season with a shoulder injury. Brees has led the Saints to three straight wins and vaulted his team back into playoff contention.
The rest of this week's winners:
NFC
Buccaneers LB Kwon Alexander: The rookie was a playmaking machine Sunday, compiling 11 tackles, an interception and a mammoth strip of receiver Julio Jones in the open field. Alexander literally just ripped the ball away from one of the most physical receivers in the NFL and started running the other way; it was ri-dic-u-lous. Alexander also had another interception in the end zone that was nullified by penalty. When we found out after the game that he did all that less than 48 hours after his little brother was killed, it became more impressive. It gets a little misty watching the Bucs honor the linebacker in the locker room following the win.
Vikings KR Marcus Sherels: Minnesota needed the special teams boost from Sherels in its nail-biting win over the Chicago Bears. Sherels provided a 65-yard TD score to give the Vikings an early lead when the offense was scuffling. It was the third punt return TD of his career, setting a Vikings record. Sherels' three punt return TDs are tied for the most in the NFL since 2012 with Tavon Austin, Travis Benjamin, Micah Hyde and Darren Sproles. The five-year veteran also added a 12-yard return on the final possession to help set up the Vikings' game-winning field goal.
AFC
Patriots QB Tom Brady: The NFL's best quarterback in 2015 compiled four touchdown passes with zero interceptions (19th time he's hit that mark in his career) on 26-of-38 passing for 356 yards in New England's Thursday night romp over the Miami Dolphins. It was Brady's 24th career game with four-plus TD passes (third-most since 1960). Brady is playing flawless football while guiding the Pats to a 7-0 start. He has multiple touchdown passes in every game this season and is on pace to set NFL records in passing yards and touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Broncos LB Derek Wolfe: After Denver's defense shut down Aaron Rodgers for a grand total of 77 passing yards, it was clear the name of a Broncos defender would land here. The powers that be decided Wolfe earned the honors after leading the team in tackles with seven and adding a tackle for loss. Wolfe's stellar play since returning from suspension shows just how deep and talented the Broncos' defense has been in 2015.
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker: Tucker went 5 for 5 on field goals, including the game winner, to propel Baltimore to a 29-26 win over the San Diego Chargers. Tucker became the third player in NFL history to go 5-5 with a game-winning FG in the final minute of a game twice (Doug Pelfrey and John Carney).
