Once again Jay Cutler is up for the Fed Ex Air Player of the Week and finally for the first time Ryan Clady gets the respect he deserves by being nominated for the Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week. As Bronco fans it is our duty to vote in hopes to grant them one of these prestigious awards. Cutler won last week’s Fed Ex Air Player of the Week so lets help him make it back to back and also his third time this year.

I’m sure many of you have noticed that that Denver rookies have won this award in Week 1, 10, 11, and 13. If Clady wins it this week then that will mean 4 Bronco rookies have won this weekly award 5 times. None of the other 31 teams in the NFL have posted different winning rookie players for this award and Denver has even posted winners on both sides of the field. Clady is up against a group of tough nominees, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie returned an interception 99 yards to the house and everyone knows how volitile the group of running backs on the list are. As my esteemed Bronco Talk colleague Ian Henson pointed out Rod Woodson criticized the voting fans for their choice of Peyton Hillis. Its time to let Rod know that last week wasn’t a fluke.

So get out there Denver fans and show everyone that our 2008 draft class is the real deal! Click here to vote for JC! Click here to vote #78! Press release after the jump.

   

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BRONCOS T RYAN CLADY,
CARDINALS CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE,
TITANS RB CHRIS JOHNSON, TEXANS RB STEVE SLATON
& PANTHERS RB JONATHAN STEWART CANDIDATES FOR
 DIET PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF WEEK HONORS
 
Fans To Vote For Winner On NFL.com and Via Sprint Wireless Service
 
Tackle RYAN CLADY of the Denver Broncos, cornerback DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE of the Arizona Cardinals, running back CHRIS JOHNSON of the Tennessee Titans, running back STEVE SLATON of the Houston Texans and running back JONATHAN STEWART of the Carolina Panthers, are the finalists for DIET PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK honors for games played on December 4 – 8, the NFL announced today. 
 
Fans can vote for one of these five players on NFL.com/rookies beginning Tuesday at 8am ET and ending on Friday at noon ET to determine the DIET PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK.  The DIET PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK will be announced Friday evening on NFL.com/rookies.
 
In addition, for the fourth year, NFL fans may cast their votes for the DIET PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK using phones with Sprint wireless service – an opportunity available only to Sprint customers.  This fast, convenient voting method involves texting the word PEPSI to short code 7777.  Sprint customers will then receive an interactive text message that links fans to the ballot with the five finalists each week.  Data and text messaging rates may apply.
 
After the regular season, five players will be nominated for Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year honors.  Fans can vote for the winner on NFL.com/rookies throughout the month of January.  The winner will be announced at a press conference at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay.
 
A closer look at the finalists:
 
Denver’s RYAN CLADY led a Broncos’ offensive line that allowed QB Jay Cutler to pass for 286 yards and two touchdowns, prevented Kansas City from recording a sack and allowed Denver to total 139 rushing yards in the Broncos’ 24 -17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
 
A FEW OTHER NOTES ON CLADY:
* – The rookie from Boise State University was part of a Broncos offensive line that did not give up a sack for the third consecutive game, a streak that ties for the longest in franchise history, and helped Denver post its AFC-best sixth 400+yard game this season.
* – For the year, Clady has been credited with allowing only half a sack (at N.E., 10/20) while starting all 13 games at left tackle—According to Stats Inc., Clady is one of three tackles in the NFL (only rookie) to start all 13 games and not allow a full sack.
* – He has been whistled for just three penalties this year (2 false start, 1 holding) despite playing every offensive snap.
* – Clady has helped Denver post a 1.6 sack percentage per pass play (8-501) that leads the NFL and projects to be the second-best single-season total in NFL history. The Broncos also are tied for the NFL lead in fewest sacks allowed (8) this year and are on pace to allow a franchise record-low 10 sacks for the season.
 
Arizona’s DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE made five tackles and had two defensed passes including an interception returned 99 yards for a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 34 – 10 win over the St. Louis Rams.
 
Tennessee’s CHRIS JOHNSON rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, averaging 7.2 yards per carry, in the Titans’ 28 – 9 win against the Cleveland Browns. Johnson added four receptions for 30 yards.
 
Houston’s STEVE SLATON posted 120 rushing yards on 26 carries and 40 yards over three receptions in the Texans’ 24 – 21 win over the Green Bay Packers.
 
Carolina’s JONATHAN STEWART rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries in the Panthers’ 38 – 23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.
 
 
 
This is Pepsi’s seventh year as the official soft drink sponsor of the NFL and the fourth year that Diet Pepsi will present the NFL Rookie of the Week and NFL Rookie of the Year awards.

 
 
 

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BRONCOS QB JAY CUTLER, 49ERS QB SHAUN HILL & TEXANS QB MATT SCHAUB; TITANS RB CHRIS JOHNSON, EAGLES RB BRIAN WESTBROOK & PANTHERS RB DE ANGELO WILLIAMS CANDIDATES FOR
 FEDEX AIR & GROUND® NFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK HONORS
 
Fans To Vote For Winners On NFL.com
FedEx To Deliver Funding For Safe Kids Organizations On Behalf of Winning Players In Their Teams’ Markets
 
 
Quarterbacks JAY CUTLER of the Denver Broncos, SHAUN HILL of the San Francisco 49ers and MATT SCHAUB of the Houston Texans are the finalists for the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week honors for games played on December 4 – 8, while running backs CHRIS JOHNSON of the Tennessee Titans, BRIAN WESTBROOK of the Philadelphia Eagles and DE ANGELO WILLIAMS of the Carolina Panthers are the finalists for the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week honors, the NFL announced today.
 
Fans can vote for one player in each category on NFL.com/FedEx from 9 a.m. EST on Tuesday through 11 a.m. EST on Friday to determine the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week.  The winners will be announced Friday evening on NFL.com. 
 
Fans will be voting for more than their favorite player. As part of the Air & Ground program for the first time, FedEx is teaming up with Safe Kids USA – a national non-profit organization that works to prevent accidental injury among children – to deliver safer kids by making weekly $1,000 donations in the winning players’ names.  The funding directly benefits local Safe Kids coalitions in that team’s city, to fund pedestrian safety improvements throughout the year. This year, FedEx celebrates its fifth year of the program and will surpass the $1 million mark in funding to create safer communities for children.
 
New this season, fans can tune into the “FedEx Air & Ground Lowdown” posted only on NFL.com/FedEx starting Wednesday mornings.  The show examines the nominees in the Air & Ground categories through exclusive video highlights and expert analysis.  NFL Network’s MARSHALL FAULK and TERRELL DAVIS host the weekly five-minute show. 
 
A closer look at the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week finalists:
 
Denver’s JAY CUTLER completed 32 of 40 passing attempts for 286 yards and two touchdowns in the Broncos’ 24-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
 
A FEW OTHER NOTES ON CUTLER:
* – He registered his fourth game-winning drive in the fourth quarter this year with a 12-play, 95-yard touchdown drive with the score tied at 17 early in the final period. The drive was the longest by the Broncos this year and ended with his 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
* – Cutler’s 80.0 completion percentage was a career high and the highest by a Bronco in four seasons—It also represented the second-best mark by an NFL passer for the week.
* – His 32 completions led the NFL for the week while his 286 yards ranked second in the AFC (4th in the NFL) for the week.
 
A closer look at the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week finalists:
 
·         Tennessee’s CHRIS JOHNSON rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, averaging 7.2 yards per carry, in the Titans’ 28 – 9 win against the Cleveland Browns.
 
·         Philadelphia’s BRIAN WESTBROOK rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries as the Eagles defeated division rival New York Giants 20-14.
 
·         Carolina’s DE ANGELO WILLIAMS rushed for 186 yards over 19 carries and scored two touchdowns in the Panthers’ 38 – 23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.
 
FedEx, the premier global provider of transportation, e-commerce and supply-chain management services, is the Official Delivery Service Sponsor of the NFL, Super Bowl and Pro Bowl. Through the weekly FedEx Air & Ground Awards, FedEx recognizes those NFL players who represent the same speed, precision and teamwork that their customers have come to expect from the full range of FedEx air, ground, freight and international shipping services, delivering safer kids in the process. With thousands of trucks out on the roads each day, FedEx is committed to improving pedestrian safety for children, by funding education programs and environmental improvements, from signage and crosswalks to pedestrian walkways near schools and playgrounds.