DE Jason Pierre-Paul propelled the Giants to a win against the Browns:
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Jason Pierre-Paul today was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week, giving the Giants one-quarter of those awards through the season's first 12 weeks. Safety Landon Collins was honored twice earlier this season.
Pierre-Paul was the dominant player in the Giants' 27-13 victory against the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday. He established a career-high with 3.0 sacks of Josh McCown, forced a fumble that was recovered by Kerry Wynn, and caught a ball McCown had fumbled in midair - after it was forced by Johnathan Hankins - and returned it 43 yards for his third career touchdown.
The seven-year veteran is the first NFL player with at least three sacks and a fumble-return touchdown of at least 40 yards in the same game since 1982, the first year individual sacks became an official statistic. He is the first Giants player with at least three sacks and a touchdown in the same game since George Martin on Nov. 24, 1985, and the first NFL player to accomplish the feat since Dallas' Demarcus Ware on Jan. 2, 2011.
JPP's previous career-high was 2.5 sacks, which he tied two weeks ago against Chicago (he also had 2.5 sacks vs. Washington on Dec. 14, 2014). Pierre-Paul had 1.5 sacks in the first nine games this season and has 6.5 in the last two.
His two previous touchdowns were on interception returns: a 28-yarder at Dallas on Oct. 28, 2012, and a 24-yarder vs. Green Bay on Nov. 17, 2013. All three of his touchdowns have been in a Giants' victory.
This is Pierre-Paul's fourth Defensive Player of the Week award. He was honored in Weeks 14 and 16 in 2011, and in Week 11 of the 2013 season (when he had a pick-six and three tackles vs. the Packers). Only Lawrence Taylor (9) & Michael Strahan (5) have more in team history.
The last Giants defensive end to win the award was Justin Tuck in Week 13 of the 2013 season, after he collected 4.0 sacks against Washington.
Collins became the first Giants player to win the award in consecutive games when he was honored following Week 7 against the Rams in London (two interceptions, one which he returned for a touchdown, and eight tackles) and Week 9 vs. Philadelphia (an interception and 12 tackles).
Also this season, Janoris Jenkins was the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 2, and Odell Beckham, Jr. was the Offensive Player of the Week in Week 6.
