Manning, Ward honored by NFL

Dec 24, 2008 - 6:32 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and New York Giants backup running back Derrick Ward were named AFC and NFC Offensive Players of the Week, respectively, on Wednesday.

It is an accustomed position for Manning, who garnered his 19th weekly award to surpass Dan Marino for the most honors since the NFL originated the award in 1984.

Manning threw for a season-high 364 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-34 passing to lead the Colts to a 31-24 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, which clinched their seventh consecutive playoff appearance.

In winning the award for the second time this season, Manning completed his first 17 passes of the game and helped Indianapolis erase a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Ward turned in the most impressive performance of the week, piling up 215 yards rushing on just 15 carries as the Giants clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage for the playoffs with a 34-28 overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Averaging a stunning 14.3 yards a carry, Ward ripped off runs of 51, 14 and 17 yards in OT to set up the winning touchdown. He helped the Giants churn out a season-high 301 yard rushing in earning his first career weekly honor.

A pair of cornerbacks, Leon Hall of the Cincinnati Bengals and Josh Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks, were named the respective AFC and NFC Defensive Players of the Week.

Hall had three interceptions, including one he returned 50 yards for a touchdown, in a 14-0 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Hall tied a franchise record with the three picks to help Cincinnati record its first shutout in two years.

Wilson had a pair of interceptions and his first career sack to lift the Seahawks to a 13-3 upset win of the New York Jets. His second interception in the fourth quarter sealed the victory in coach Mike Holmgren's final home game.

Baltimore Ravens punter Sam Koch and Washington Redskins punter Ryan Plackemeier were honored as Special Teams Players of the Week.

Koch averaged 52.2 yards on five punts, dropping two of them inside the 20-yard line, as the Ravens posted a 33-24 upset of the Dallas Cowboys.

Plackemeier continually gave his team the edge in the battle for field position in a 10-3 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Plackemeier punted eight times and pinned the Eagles inside the 10-yard line on five occasions.