Anthony Barr Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

Minnesota Vikings' rookie linebacker Anthony Barr may have to face a vote for the right to be the Rookie of the Week for Week 8, but he's already got one award for the week locked up.

It was just announced that Barr was named the NFC's Defensive Player of the Week for Week 8 of the 2014 NFL season. Not Defensive Rookie of the Week. . .Defensive Player.

Barr put together a heck of a performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, racking up eight tackles, a sack, a pass defensed and, of course, the game-winning forced fumble/touchdown combination in Minnesota's 19-13 win.

According to the NFL's Stats and Information department, Barr is just the sixth NFC rookie in the last ten years to earn such a distinction. The others are DeMarcus Ware, Clay Matthews, Brian Orakpo, Sean Lee, and Luke Kuechly. That's some pretty good company to be in.

Barr is already among the front runners for the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, and has now collected the first of what will (hopefully) be many more accolades going forward.

Congratulations to Anthony Barr on being named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 8!