Following the Patriots’ shutout of the league’s top offense on Sunday, one New England defender’s efforts were recognized by the NFL.
Linebacker Matthew Judon was named as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday. He had a huge game against the Lions, recording two sacks, a forced fumble, and four quarterback hits.
His second-quarter sack of Lions quarterback Jared Goff resulted in a fumble that was picked up and taken for a 59-yard touchdown by Kyle Dugger. The play gave New England a 13-0 lead at the time.
Judon’s performance was a key factor in the Patriots’ ability to completely shut down the Detroit offense, which had entered Sunday’s contest averaging a league-best 35 points per game.