Grossman, Dawkins, Tomlinson among NFL Players of the Week

Dec 20, 2006 - 6:49 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) - Rex Grossman has gone from on the outs to the top of the heap.

The maligned quarterback of the Chicago Bears, Grossman was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week by the NFL on Wednesday.

The Bears (12-2) have locked up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, although many feel their success had been in spite of Grossman rather than because of him.

Calls for a quarterback change began when the Bears lost two games in November. Grossman threw three interceptions in the setbacks and was no better in a 23-13 win over Minnesota on December 3 as he completed just 6-of-19 passes for 34 yards and three interceptions.

Grossman started to turn things around in a win over St. Louis and he earned the NFC honor with one of the best games of his career in Sunday's 34-31 overtime victory over Tampa Bay.

Grossman threw two TD passes against the Rams and followed up that performance by establishing career highs in completions (29), attempts (44) and yards (339) as the Bears maintained the best record in the NFL with San Diego.

It was the first 300-yard game by a Bears quarterback since 2002. Grossman is 8-2 all-time at Soldier Field and has won 16 of 21 career starts.

A strong all-around performance in a key divisional showdown earned Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors while St. Louis Rams punter Matt Turk was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

LaDainian Tomlinson of San Diego was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week and fourth time this season. Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney earned the conference's defensive award and Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman captured special teams honors.

Named to his sixth Pro Bowl on Tuesday, Dawkins was honored for his play in a 36-22 victory over the NFC East rival New York Giants. Dawkins was all over the field at Giants Stadium, recording 12 tackles, an interception and two forced fumbles to win the award for the second time in his career.

Turk punted five times for an average of 49.8 yards and placed two inside the 10-yard line in the Rams' 20-0 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Tomlinson had the national stage of a Sunday night game against the Kansas City Chiefs to show his stuff and did not disappoint. He racked up a season-high 199 yards on 25 carries in a 20-9 victory.

Tomlinson scored on TDs runs of 15 and 85 yards and extended his NFL record of consecutive games with multiple TDs to eight. He also eclipsed Hall of Famer Paul Hornung's record for points in a season (176), which had stood since 1960.

The leading rusher in the NFL this season with 1,626 yards, Tomlinson has a record 31 TDs.

Freeney had been in the midst of a sub-par season but showed signs of life Monday night as the Colts posted a 34-16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

In his fifth season out of Syracuse, Freeney entered the game with Cincinnati with just 2 1/2 sacks after collecting no less than 11 in his first four seasons. But he found his way back to the quarterback Monday, recording three sacks and three forced fumbles.

Moorman did an exceptional job is tough conditions in Buffalo on Sunday, overcoming strong winds and rain to drop four of his seven punts inside the 20-yard line in a 21-0 victory over Miami.