Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, Falcons defensive end John Abraham and 49ers punter Andy Lee have been named the NFC’s players of the week for Week 15.
Johnson had a career-high 214 receiving yards in the Lions’ come-from-behind 28-27 victory over the Raiders. Johnson gave the Lions their first score with a 51-yard catch in the first quarter, and he gave the Lions their only lead of the game when he caught a six-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds left.
The Lions have now won an NFL-record four games in which they trailed by 13 or more points, and in three of those four comeback wins, big plays by Johnson late in the game were the difference. Memo to NFL defensive coordinators: If you have a fourth-quarter lead against the Lions, it’s probably a good idea to make sure Megatron is covered.
Abraham beat Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert like a rented mule in Thursday night’s blowout victory. Abraham had 3.5 sacks, hit Gabbert three other times, and was about as dominant as a defensive player can be. Abraham now has 8.5 sacks this season and is closing in on the seventh double-digit sack season of his NFL career.
Lee helped the 49ers win the field position battle against the Steelers all night on Monday. He averaged 47.5 yards on his six punts, and landed four inside the 20-yard line without ever having a touchback. Of his two that didn’t go inside the 20, one went 62 yards and the other went 57 yards. Lee’s net average of 44.1 yards a punt this season leads the league by more than a full yard.