Brock Bowers, Talanoa Hufanga and Tyler Loop Earn AFC Week 3 Honors
The Raiders tight end, Broncos safety and Ravens kicker each made their mark in Week 3, with Loop delivering a game-winning field goal in Brazil.
The NFL has named Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga and Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop as its AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for Week 3.
The awards recognize performances from games played Sept. 24 and Sept. 27-28.
Bowers Continues Making Tight End History
Bowers was nearly unstoppable in Las Vegas’ 35-27 win over New Orleans, catching 10 passes for 116 yards and adding a fourth-quarter touchdown that helped secure the victory.
His 116 receiving yards were the most by an NFL tight end during Week 3.
The performance also marked the sixth game of Bowers’ career with at least 10 receptions, the most such games by a tight end through his first three NFL seasons.
The honor is Bowers’ first career Offensive Player of the Week award. He joins Mike Dyal as the only Raiders tight ends to receive the award.
Bowers also becomes the first former Georgia tight end to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Hufanga Makes Defensive History
Hufanga delivered a game-changing performance for Denver, recording five tackles, three passes defensed, one sack and two interceptions.
One of those interceptions turned into a 66-yard touchdown return.
Hufanga's fourth-quarter performance put him in NFL history. He became the first player since 1982, when individual sacks became an official statistic, to record a sack and multiple interceptions — including an interception return of at least 50 yards for a touchdown — during the same quarter.
The award is the first Defensive Player of the Week honor of Hufanga’s career.
He becomes one of three Broncos safeties to earn the award over the past 10 seasons, joining Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons.
Hufanga also becomes the fourth former USC safety since 2000 to win Defensive Player of the Week, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu, Sammy Knight and Isaiah Pola-Mao.
Loop Wins It in Brazil
Loop saved his biggest moment for the final play of the Ravens' historic trip to Brazil.
The Baltimore kicker converted both of his field-goal attempts, including a 56-yarder as time expired, along with all four extra-point attempts in the Ravens' 34-31 victory over Dallas.
The game marked the first NFL regular-season contest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Loop's last-second kick gave Baltimore the victory.
It is Loop's first career Player of the Week award, making him the third Ravens kicker to earn the honor. He joins Justin Tucker and Matt Stover and becomes Baltimore's first kicker to receive the award since 2021.
Loop is also the second former Arizona kicker to win a Special Teams Player of the Week award, joining Nick Folk.
The three AFC winners each delivered historic moments in Week 3, with Bowers continuing to rewrite the record book, Hufanga producing a rare defensive performance and Loop providing a walk-off finish on an international stage.
Source: NFL Communications
