On Wed, Oct 14, Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week following his two-INT performance in a Week 5 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Murphy’s two second-half interceptions helped protect the Vikings’ lead over the Saints and he also had three tackles along with two passes defensed. With the award, Murphy earned his second career Defensive Player of the Week nod, with the first one coming after a multi-interception game in Week 3 of the 2021 season when he was on the Arizona Cardinals.
Murphy joins fellow Vikings teammates in Will Reichard, Myles Price and Isaiah Rodgers in winning weekly awards so far in this NFL season. The three other players won the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award in Weeks 2-4, as Rodgers won it with his blocked field goal in the fourth quarter of the 9-3 win over the Chicago Bears, Price won it with his punt return touchdown in the 23-16 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Reichard won his award by accounting for all the points scored by Minnesota in the 15-10 win over the Miami Dolphins.
The strength of the Brian Flores-coordinated defense so far this season can be attributed to all three units working cohesively. The secondary for the Vikings is only allowing 195.4 yards per game so far and they have helped hold down opposing offense on third down conversions, with a successful conversion rate of only 22% against them. With only five touchdowns scored by opposing offenses in five games, the Minnesota defense is reaching a height rarely seen by modern NFL defensive units and that will be put to the test in their post-bye week schedule. But the eighth-year cornerback in Murphy is a huge contributor to a strong secondary in a defense that has the potential to lift this Vikings team to a place where they have not gone in a half-century. The defensive player of the week award is a confirmation of the potential greatness Murphy and his fellow defensive teammates can attain further down the road.
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