Byron Murphy Jr. named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

The Arizona Cardinals are on a roll.

They have won a player of the week award in each of the first three games, with Byron Murphy Jr. being named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after his performance in the teams win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

From the team:

This is Murphy’s first career “Defensive Player of the Week” award and the third consecutive week Arizona had a “Player of the Week” winner this season. It is the fifth time in team history and the second consecutive year (2020, Weeks 5-7; 2015, Weeks 14-16; 2014, Weeks 8-10; 1998, Weeks 15-17) that the Cardinals have had “Player of the Week” winners in three straight weeks.

It is also the first time since the awards began in 1984 that the Cardinals had a “Player of the Week” selected in each of the first three weeks of the season.

Quarterback Kyler Murray was named “Offensive Player of the Week” following the Cardinals Week 2 win over the Vikings and linebacker Chandler Jones won “Defensive Player of the Week” honors after Arizona’s season opening win at Tennessee.

Murphy finished last week’s game with four tackles, two interceptions (one returned for a TD) and two passes defensed. It was the first multi-INT game of Murphy’s career and the first touchdown of his career.

Both interceptions proved critical to the Cardinals come-from-behind victory. Murphy’s first interception came early in the second quarter with Arizona leading 7-0 and the Jaguars threatening at the AZ 17-yard line. Murphy snatched a deflected pass at the 7-yard line to end the Jaguars scoring threat.

With the Cardinals trailing 19-17 late in the third quarter, Murphy picked off his second pass of the game on a flea-flicker attempt. He intercepted the pass and returned it 29 yards for a score to put Arizona up 24-19 – on what turned out to be the game-deciding TD.

Through three games, Murphy has 11 tackles and leads the team in interceptions (2) and passes defensed (5). He joins Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs (6 PD, 3 INT) as the only players in the league with at least five passes defensed and two interceptions this season.

Congratulations to Murphy on the well deserved award.