Dallas Cowboys fans had a feeling they left Aaron Rodgers too much time when Dak Prescott scored the go-ahead touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.
Some 70 seconds later, those fans' fears turned out to be justified. In true Rodgers-in-Jerry-World fashion, the legendary quarterback carved up the Cowboys' defense, leading his team on an easy, nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that proved to ultimately be the game-winner in the Packers' 35-31 victory over the Cowboys in Dallas.
For his heroics, which ultimately included 221 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-29 passing, Rodgers earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for Week 5.
In the AFC, Melvin Gordon's shredding of another struggling NFC East squad, the New York Giants, allowed him to take home the conference's Offensive Player of the Week award. Gordon ran through -- and in same cases, slammed down -- Giants defenders all afternoon, piling up 105 rushing yards on 20 carries, 58 receiving yards on six catches and two touchdowns.
Numerous players on the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense could have taken home AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for their thrashing of Ben Roethlisberger over the weekend, but linebacker Telvin Smith's 10-tackle, pick-six performance earned him the award. Smith's third-quarter interception off Roethlisberger, when the game was actually 9-7 in Pittsburgh's favor, flipped momentum and allowed the Jaguars to cruise to a 30-9 win.
In the NFC, Earl Thomas picked up Defensive Player of the Week honors for his huge game in the Seahawks' 16-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Arguably the league's top safety piled up seven tackles, an interception and forced a fumble on Todd Gurley at the goal line that turned a touchdown into a touchback.
Adam Vinatieri's clutch performance (stop us if you've heard that before) allowed him to take home AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Vinatieri not only connected on the game-winning 51-yard kick that lifted the Colts to a 26-23 win over the San Francisco 49ers, but he also made a 52-yarder, a 23-yarder, a 38-yarder and connected on both of his extra points.
Eagles returner Kenjon Barner, meanwhile, wrapped up NFC Player of the Week honors because of his long punt returns in Philadelphia's 34-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagle averaged 36 yards on his three returns, including a 76-yarder.
