More than halfway through the season, we're already witnessing another standout season from a Steelers great.
Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown continues to light up scoreboards and secondaries in his sixth season and was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for November.
At the end of the month, Brown ranks second in the league in receiving yards (1,192) and is on pace for a career high 1,734 yards. In November, Brown boasted the most dominant receiving game of the season, amassing 284 yards on 17 grabs in a win over the Raiders. His Steelers sit at 6-5, just a tie-breaker away from the AFC wild card.
Fellow athletic marvel Adrian Peterson took the NFC Offensive Player of the Month. The Vikings running back is staking a serious claim for Comeback Player of the Year, thanks to a dominant month in which he ran for 634 yards in just five games. The league's top rusher, Peterson scored five touchdowns in November, leading the Vikings into the NFC North lead at 8-3.
Other November winners:
AFC
Defense: DE J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
The league's leader in sacks (13.5) took home the defensive prize in a month when his unit, which had once surrendered over 40 points to the hapless Dolphins, turned it around and surrendered an average of 8.5 points per game during an undefeated stretch. Watt compiled 7.5 sacks during Houston's November spring and is now tied for the second-most Defensive Player of the Month awards all-time with five, trailing Reggie White's six.
Special Teams: K Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts
The old man's still kicking, and kicking well. Vinatieri was a perfect 11-for-11 on field goals during the Colts' three-win month, in which the veteran kicker launched another late game-winner against the Falcons.
NFC
Defense: Safety Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals
The Honey Badger has been all over the field. Mathieu compiled 27 combined tackles, six passes defended and two interceptions in November for the Cardinals, who went undefeated in four games.
Special Teams: K Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers
The kicker on the only perfect team in the NFL wasn't quite perfect in November -- 15 for 18 -- but he sure was prolific. The Panthers look to ride Gano, and his 25 made field goals, to 16-0.
Rookies
Offense: QB Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Famous Jameis doesn't look like a rookie anymore. In an up-and-down month, Winston added to his resume a late-game comeback -- against the Cowboys, no less -- and a five-touchdown game in a win over the Eagles.
Defense: CB Damarious Randall, Green Bay Packers
The corner out of Arizona State has been a force in the Green Bay secondary. In November, Randall compiled 25 combined tackles and two interceptions for a struggling squad.
