Ware, Smith honored by NFL

Dec 17, 2008 - 7:10 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith were named NFC and AFC Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, on Wednesday.

Quarterbacks Tarvaris Jackson of the Minnesota Vikings and Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers were named Offensive Players of the Week for their respective conferences.

Chicago Bears safety-kick returner Danieal Manning and New England Patriots cornerback-kick returner Ellis Hobbs were honored as Special Teams Players of the Week.

Ware tied a career-high with three sacks and forced two fumbles in the Cowboys' 20-8 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday. Ware led a defensive unit that recorded eight sacks and held the Giants to 218 total yards.

For the season, Ware leads the NFL with 19 sacks and needs four over the final two games to break the NFL single-season sack record of 22 1/2 sacks set by Michael Strahan of the Giants in 2001.

Ware has recorded at least one sack in 13 of 14 games this season, including six in a row.

Smith registered eight tackles, one sack and two quarterback pressures in a 13-9 road win over Baltimore as the Steelers clinched a second consecutive AFC North title. Smith played a pivotal role as Pittsburgh's defense limited Baltimore to 202 total yards.

Jackson passed for a career-high four touchdowns in the Vikings' 35-14 victory over the NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals. In his first start since Week Two, Jackson completed 11-of-17 passes for 163 yards in place of the injured Gus Frerotte.

With the Chargers trailing 21-10 entering the fourth quarter,Rivers rallied the Chargers for a 22-21 victory and preserved San Diego's slim playoff hopes. For the game, Rivers completed 34-of-48 passes for 346 yards with two touchdowns.

Manning returned five kickoffs for 179 yards, including an 83-yard touchdown on the game's opening kickoff in the Bears' 27-24 overtime win over New Orleans. This season, Manning leads the NFL with a 29.5-yard kickoff-return average and has six returns of at least 40 yards.

In a 49-26 victory against the Raiders, Hobbs totaled three kick returns for 126 yards, including a 95-yard touchdown. The TD was the third return of his career, tying Raymond Clayborn for the most in franchise history.