Everson Griffen named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

Another game, another Player of the Week. It’s almost routine by now.

The Minnesota Vikings have now had a player recognized as the NFC Player of the Week four consecutive games dating back to Week 17 of last season. Everson Griffen won it in the division-clinching win over the Packers. Eric Kendricks won it in Week 1 thanks to his game-changing pick six. Stefon Diggs got in on the act Week 2 with his incredible performance in the US Bank Stadium home opener.

EDIT 9:23 AM: Blair Walsh was also recognized as Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 16 of the 2015 season, so technically this makes five consecutive weeks that a Vikings player has won Player of the Week honors. We apologize for the omission; apparently we’re trying not to think of Blair Walsh very much lately.

And since Griffen had so much fun doing it last year, he figured he’d do it again.

After racking up three sacks, three tackles for loss, and pressuring Cam Newton a whopping NINE TIMES on Sunday, Griffen was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 3 in the NFL. It was the third three-sack game of Griffen’s career, matching totals he had in 2012 against the Packers and 2014 against the Bills.

Two seasons ago, Forbes named Griffen the most overpaid player in the NFL after he signed his 5 year/$42 million deal before the 2014 season. The way Griff is playing these days, his contract is a bargain.

This is the tenth player of the week award earned by a Vikings player in Mike Zimmer’s 35 games as a head coach; it is the sixth on the defensive side of the ball.

Might as well keep the streak alive on Monday night against the Giants, right?