Full Cupboard

The cupboard is full of candidates for ProUte of Week 17, which is even more impressive with all three Smith boys being rested! Sealver Siliga was a brute, racking up 5 tackles, 4 assists, a sack, and a forced fumble! That's bigger than Star Lotulelei's tackle, assist, and sack. Brice McCain had 5 tackles, 2 PDefs, and an interception. Eric Weddle had 9 tackles, 5 assists, and ran for a first down on a fake punt. Matt Asiata had a breakout game, rushing for 115 yards on 14 carries, an average of 8.2 ypc, with a long of 39 yards (and a fumble lost). Zane Beadles was a key member of the highest-scoring offense in NFL history.

How to choose one award-winning performance, then? Context. Siliga's play is remarkable for a practice squad journeyman, but New England didn't have much to lose against Buffalo. The Patriots are the second seed in the AFC regardless. The Panthers are the second seed in the NFC, and Star's sack was one of a team-record 9 against Atlanta. Houston had nothing left to play for, but they went down fighting, as McCain's game against Tennessee can attest. He has a knack for picking off Titans' passes! Asiata played well in a win, but Minnesota's coach was fired anyway. Beadles had a big year, but was it a big week for him?

And then there's Weddle, who bulled his team's way into the playoffs. When Mike McCoy decided to fake a punt from his own 28 in overtime, he put the ball in Weddle's hands. Can that really be considered a gamble? Weddle got it done, and San Diego got the help they needed to land a wildcard spot after defeating Kansas City's backups. Weddle got the victory, so Weddle gets the trophy.