Alright, the Week 5 player of the week awards dropped, and while we’re all looking at the big offensive names, there’s one stat that should absolutely grind our gears, especially if you bleed green and blue like me. Niners punter Corliss Waitman just snatched the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after absolutely pinning our Seahawks in their 32-29 loss. This dude had *five* punts downed inside the 20, with *three* of them buried inside the 10-yard line. That kind of field position battle is brutal, and it tells you a huge part of the story in a game that close.
Special Teams Stings Against the Hawks
Seriously, five punts inside the 20? Three inside the 10? That’s not just good punting, that’s game-changing punting. When you’re talking about a three-point loss to a division rival, every single yard matters. Every time Waitman pinned us deep, it put our offense in a hole, forcing long drives and making every possession feel like a climb up Mount Rainier. It’s a tough pill to swallow, knowing a punter had such a direct impact on our final score. That’s the kind of quiet dominance that can break a team’s spirit, and it definitely had an impact on the Seahawks’ 32-29 defeat.
Gibbs Goes Off, Record Falls
While we’re trying to figure out what happened in our own backyard, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs went absolutely ballistic against the Cardinals, securing NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. The guy racked up 151 rushing yards, punched in two touchdowns, and added another five receptions for 56 yards. That’s a staggering 207 total yards from scrimmage! Even crazier, those two touchdowns pushed his career total to 58 scores, giving him the NFL record for most touchdowns before turning 25. Yeah, he passed Barry Sanders’ 57. This is the fourth time Gibbs has snagged this award, and honestly, Lions quarterback Jared Goff was also throwing darts with 271 yards, three passing touchdowns, and even a rushing score himself. Over in the NFC Defensive Player of the Week spot, Vikings CB Byron Murphy, a former Cardinal, picked off two passes in their 23-13 win over the Saints.
Looking ahead, we’ve got to keep an eye on how these early season trends develop. While it stings to see a punter get an award for what he did against us, it highlights the kind of playmakers who are stepping up across the league. You can bet our guys are already looking at Week 6, ready to correct course and show what Emerald City football is really made of.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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