Rams RB Jackson, Patriots QB Cassel earn NFL weekly honors

Oct 22, 2008 - 6:13 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Steven Jackson ran all over the Dallas Cowboys and, as a result, was honored Wednesday for helping the St. Louis Rams pull off the season's biggest upset.

Jackson was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week while Matt Cassel earned the AFC's award for his three-touchdown effort on Monday night.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs and Oakland Raiders placekicker Sebastian Janikowski were honored on defense and special teams, respectively, for the AFC. In the NFC, Green Bay Packers safety Aaron Rouse and Chicago Bears safety Zackary Bowman claimed special teams honors.

Jackson, who had scored just one touchdown through five games, trampled Dallas' defense for 160 yards and three scores to spark the Rams to a 34-14 blowout win. It was the second 100-yard effort for Jackson and just the second time he surpassed 80 yards this season.

St. Louis rattled off 34 unanswered points behind Jackson, who scored on a pair of short TD runs within a three-minute span of the first quarter before putting the game out of reach by rumbling 56 yards in the third quarter to earn his second Player of the Week honor.

Cassel, in his first season as a starter following an injury to Tom Brady in Week One, threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns as the New England Patriots rolled to a 41-7 victory over the Denver Broncos.

In finishing 18-of-24, Cassel threw a pair of scoring passes to Randy Moss and one to Wes Welker to register a career-best 136.3 passer rating.

Rouse, a second-year cornerback, put the finishing touches on the Packers' 34-14 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Rouse picked off Peyton Manning and returned it a club record-tying 99 yards to give the Packers a 34-7 lead. He also had seven tackles and two passes defensed.

Suggs also had a pivotal defensive play that turned the momentum in the Ravens' 27-13 victory at Miami. Suggs returned an interception of Chad Pennington 44 yards for a touchdown to give Baltimore a 10-3 lead. He added nine tackles and one sack - the 49th of his career - to win his second weekly honor.

Bowman, a rookie who was appearing in just his first game of the season, recovered a fumbled punt and had an interception in the Bears' 48-41 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. He is the first Bears player in 58 years to record a touchdown and interception in his NFL debut.

Janikowski provided a thrilling ending for the Raiders, drilling a 57-yard field goal in overtime to sink the New York Jets, 16-13. It was the longest overtime field goal in history and a club record for Janikowski, who won his third special-teams honor.