Alex Anzalone Wins First Career Player of the Week Award

Alex Anzalone won his first NFC Defensive Player of the Week award after a stellar performance against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Anzalone was a substantial part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 16–0 win; his two interceptions and six tackles earned him the first weekly award of his 10-year career.

All but one recipient took home their first award this week, including Tee Higgins, Tyler Allegeier, Rayuan Lane III, and Dylan Laube. Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox won his second career award.

Anzalone was humble about it in the locker room on Wednesday.

“It’s cool, but you know, the best thing is that we held them to a shutout and we got a win,” he said. “Any individual award is an accumulation of guys doing their job and being in the right spot and just capitalizing on your opportunities. It’s cliché and all that, but it is the truth.”

Anzalone finished with six total tackles, including a tackle for loss; two passes defended; and two interceptions, both in the first quarter.

The AFC Player of the Week winner also took home his first award, though he has significantly fewer years under his belt than Anzalone.

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Rayuan Lane III, in his second career start, had four tackles, three passes defended, a quarterback hit, and a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Jags’ 42–7 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

“Just out there making my communications,” Lane said of how the interception happened after the game Sunday.

“Obviously [Colts wide receiver Josh Downs], he kind of went shallow, so I was able to get my eyes back to the quarterback and just play off the quarterback, and then the ball went right through; I think it was Tyler Warren’s hand. So just being able to see that, get it, and then just run. I just thought about running and scoring. It was huge.”

Lane, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a 6th-round pick of the Jaguars in 2025, made his second start in relief of veteran Eric Murray, who is out for the year with an elbow injury.

“I mean, it’s really cool, and I think it just enforces that next-man-up mentality,” Lane said of getting his first career pick and touchdown in the same play. “On the first play of the game or something, we had somebody go down. So, just being able to step up and be able to make the plays and help my team out.”

On offense, the AFC award went to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Higgins, a seven-year veteran, had 10 catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the Bengals’ 43–36 overtime win over the Tennessee Titans.

“Anytime I get the ball, I try to make plays,” Higgins said after the game. “That’s my job, and that’s one thing I emphasized this season is getting some yards after the catch, and just hopefully I keep it going.”

The NFC award went to Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier. With rookie Jeremiyah Love and veterans James Conner and Trey Benson on injured reserve, the former Falcon put up 147 yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries, and added five catches for 44 yards and another score in the Cards’ 33–30 overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys.

“My first touchdown … had [wideout Reggie Virgil] sliding,” Allegeier said of his 63-yard rushing TD.

“Reg and Simi end up doing two awesome blocks, and then just filling, shoot, just end up scoring right behind him. It was awesome. I think we all just dug deep. We know we needed to win this … game, and then we end up winning.”

Laube won the AFC Special Teams award for his 95-yard kick return touchdown in the Raiders’ 38–33 win over the New York Jets. It was his first career kick-six, and the first for the Raiders since 2011.

The NFC Special Teams award went to Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox, who flipped the field multiple times in the Lions’ 19–15 win over the Minnesota Vikings.