Allen Park — Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph has been named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for his performance last Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. In the team’s 15-9 victory, the rookie out of the University of Illinois intercepted Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers twice, broke up a third pass at the goal line that forced a punt and recorded 10 total tackles.
“For three weeks now, he has not come off the field and we’re just letting him grow, but he’s been so close (to intercepting passes),” Lions coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “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 some instincts to him, some ball-hawk instincts.”
A third-round selection in last April’s draft, Joseph moved into the lineup a little more than a month ago after starter Tracy Walker suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Quickly, Joseph has had a significant impact. Prior to Sunday’s performance, he had forced fumbles in back-to-back games.
Joseph is the second Lions player to earn Player of the Week honors this season, following receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in Week 2. Joseph is the first Lions defender to win the award since Walker, from last year’s season finale.
Joseph ended up exiting the Packers game early in the fourth quarter after a nasty collision with teammate Jeff Okudah. The rookie is currently in concussion protocol, but the team is optimistic about his chances of playing this week against Chicago.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers