Buffalo Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
This is Rousseau's second AFC Defensive Player of the Week award - he also won it in week five of the 2021 season. Rousseau becomes the fourth Buffalo defensive lineman to earn the honor multiple times, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Smith (eight-time winner), Aaron Schobel (two) and Mario Williams (two).
In the 34-28 victory over the Cardinals, Rousseau filled up the stat sheet, recording an AFC-best 3.0 sacks, a forced fumble, and six total tackles.
He became the first Bills player to record 3.0 sacks in a season opener since Ben Williams did in the 1983 season.
Rousseau has captured the attention of his teammates and coaches with his performance, bringing a strong preseason and training camp into the regular season.
"Big time day. Big time day," head coach Sean McDermott said after the game. "I love that he carried over to the game what he had shown in training camp and in the last couple of weeks in practice. That's big. When you can take how you do things from practice and do it in the game, that's a mindset, right? And so, I think that's all also growth and maturation in and of itself."
"Greg's been a guy that's gotten better every single day throughout training camp, throughout this offseason and, Week 1 coming out and doing that and changing the game, that's Greg," LB Terrel Bernard said.
Rousseau's strip sack of Cardinals QB Kyler Murray in the third quarter proved to be pivotal, as the Bills were able to take their first lead of the game 24-17 after trailing by 14 points in the second quarter.
"I mean, it's a blessing," Rousseau said after Sunday's game. "I'm just happy to be out there with the guys that I'm out there with. That's what it's all about, you know what I'm saying. One day, it might be me. The next second, it's somebody else making the play, so just feeding off each other's energy. It's just a blessing. It's a blessing to be out there. Just grateful. Grateful for the opportunity."
