Detroit Lions rookie safety Kerby Joseph was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after his two-interception game against Aaron Rodgers.
Joseph, a third-round pick out of Illinois, had the first two interceptions of his career, both near the goal line, as the Lions snapped a five-game losing streak with a 15-9 win over the Green Bay Packers.
He made a heads-up play to corral his first interception on a pass that deflected off teammate Derrick Barnes’ helmet on Green Bay’s opening drive, and undercut a throw intended for tight end Robert Tonyan to snag his second in the third quarter.
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Joseph now has four takeaways in the Lions’ past three games. He forced fumbles with big hits in losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, and had a third pass breakup against the Packers on a Rodgers throw to Samori Toure in the second half.
“Kerby’s been, for three weeks now he has not come off the field and we’re just letting him grow, but he’s been so close,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “I swear, every week we talk about, ‘Man, he is (close).’ The first time he missed one of those interceptions, he was about an inch away. And then the next one, he was about half an inch away. And so now, he’s starting to feel it. He’s got a little bit of – he’s got some instincts to him, some ballhawk instincts, but that was good to see.”
Joseph is the first Lions rookie ever to win Defensive Player of the Week, and the first Lion to win the award since Tracy Walker in Week 18 last season.
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who the Lions play this week, was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.