Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week by the NFL.
Dalton, bidding this season to become only the fifth starting quarterback in NFL history to reach the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, posted his best passer rating of the season (105.9) in last week's 27-24 overtime win at Buffalo. He completed 26 of 40 (65.0 percent) for 337 yards, with three TDs and one INT. His yardage and TD totals were also personal season highs.
Dalton completed all four of his passes in overtime, for 55 yards. He led the offense to a pair of first downs after facing first-down-and-20 from the Cincinnati 13-yard line, securing field position that led to Mike Nugent's game-winning field goal.
This marks Dalton's second AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. He won the nod last season for his performance in a Week 10 victory over the New York Giants. That was the last time any Bengal won the offensive award. In 2011, Dalton was named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Month for October.
The last Bengal to win any AFC weekly award was defensive tackle Geno Atkins, named Defensive Player of the Week for his Week 16 game last year at Pittsburgh. Atkins had two sacks as the Bengals won 13-10 to clinch a playoff berth.
Dalton's nod for the Buffalo game is the first weekly or monthly NFL award for the Bengals this season. Last season, the team copped six weekly or monthly awards, tying the franchise record.
