ORCHARD PARK, NY – Defensive end Mario Williams has been named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, the National Football League announced on Thursday.
In his ninth NFL season, this is Williams' first player of the month award. Williams is the first Buffalo Bills defender to win this award since linebacker Sam Cowart in November of 2000.
DE MARIO WILLIAMS, BUFFALO BILLS
• For the month, Williams has totaled an AFC-best 6.5 sacks.
• Williams is tied for fourth in the NFL with 12.0 sacks this season and has produced double-digit sacks in each of his three seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
• Williams produced 3.5 sacks at Miami in Week 11 for the best single-game output by an AFC defender in November.
• In Week 12, Williams totaled 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in the Bills 38-3 victory over the New York Jets.
• Williams anchors a Bills defense that ranks first in the NFL in sacks with 48 and third down percentage at 33.3. Defense also ranks first in the AFC allowing 18.1 points per game.
• Williams led Buffalo's defense as the unit allowed a total of 13 points in the last two weeks of the month – two wins against the NY Jets (38-3)and the Cleveland Browns (26-10).
• Williams' play helped the Bills win the final two games of the month and head into December with seven wins for the first time since the 2000 season.
• In his ninth season from North Carolina State, this is Williams' first career player of the month award.
• He is the first Bills player to win Defensive Player of the Month since linebacker Sam Cowart in November 2000.
