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| Rookie LB Colin McCarthy forces Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to fumble Sunday in Buffalo. His overall effort earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, the NFL announced Wednesday. |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. --Titans rookie middle linebacker Colin McCarthy has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week following his outstanding effort in Tennessee's 23-17 victory at Buffalo on Sunday.
Making his third career start, McCarthy, a fourth-round pick out of the University of Miami, recorded 11 tackles, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a pass defensed as the Titans held Buffalo to just seven points in the second half.
It marked the third consecutive week that McCarthy notched at least one fumble recovery in a game.
McCarthy recorded his first turnover of the game on a fourth-and-three play in the first quarter, when he knocked the ball loose from Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. McCarthy recovered the fumble at the Titans' 43-yard line. Six plays later, running back Chris Johnson scored on a four-yard touchdown run to put the Titans up 17-7.
On the Bills' first play of the second half, McCarthy recovered his second fumble of the game at the Titans' 37-yard line when defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks stripped Bills tight end Scott Chandler after a 22-yard reception. The Titans registered a 27-yard field goal by kicker Rob Bironas on the ensuing drive.
McCarthy previously forced a fumble at Atlanta (Nov. 20) and notched an interception against Tampa Bay (Nov. 27).
Over the last four games he has registered 44 tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception, four tackles for loss, two passes defensed and one quarterback pressure.
This is McCarthy's first career Defensive Player of the Week Award. He is the first Titan to win Defensive Player of the Week honors since linebacker Keith Bulluck in Week 14 of the 2009 season.
