Offensive lineman named conference player of week for first time in 10 years
The only problem with Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith being named NFC offensive player of the week is that he probably shouldn’t have been singled out. The entire Cowboys line, after a truly dominant performance in a 30-23 win at Seattle, should have sliced up the award five ways. The line was that good in beating the defending Super Bowl champs.
Otherwise, it’s tremendous that a Cowboys lineman rightfully got the nod after DeMarco Murray rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown against the top-ranked rushing defense in the NFL. It was the first time in 10 years that a lineman was named offensive player of the week from either conference. Kansas City Chiefs guard Brian Waters was named AFC offensive player of the week after Kansas City got a 56-10 win over Atlanta on Oct. 24, 2004 with eight rushing touchdowns. Waters was the first lineman to get the AFC’s award since its inception in 1984. So, yeah, linemen don’t get a whole lot of credit.
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Obviously in the past 10 years there have likely been a few times in which an offensive lineman was the best player in the league in a week’s worth of games, but the Cowboys’ line might be breaking out of the shadows to get some mainstream credit. The Cowboys are built around a talented, physical offensive line (NFL Films’ Greg Cosell put it in perspective here on Tuesday – seriously, check out in that post the holes Murray had to run through) and Smith, the ninth overall pick of the 2011 draft, is probably the most notable of the group. Murray is getting early buzz as an NFL MVP candidate, but it would be more fitting to pitch the Cowboys’ offensive line for the award. It’s been fantastic so far, as the team has started 5-1.
Offensive linemen don’t get a ton of credit. It’s impossible to ignore that the Cowboys’ incredible start begins with the big guys up front blocking for Murray and protecting quarterback. Smith’s award could have been split five ways, but that he got the recognition for a job well done on Sunday is pretty cool.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
