New England Patriots QB ROHAN DAVEY, Rhein Fire S ABDUAL HOWARD and WR JERMAINE LEWIS of the Houston Texans are the NFL Europe League Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the second week of the season (April 10), the league announced today.
Davey led the Berlin Thunder to the first 2-0 start in team history with a 28-17 victory over the host Amsterdam Admirals on Saturday. Completing 12 of 18 passes, the quarterback threw for 164 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions to post a 132.6 passer rating.
A member of the Super Bowl XXXVIII-champion Patriots, Davey is the top-ranked quarterback in NFL Europe this season with a passer rating of 110.2.
Both of Davey's touchdown passes were caught by German WR JÖRG HECKENBACH, the NFLEL National Player of the Week. Heckenbach, who spent the summer of 2003 in training camp with the Green Bay Packers, scored on receptions of 52 and 43 yards.
"I have complete confidence in all my receivers," said Davey. "Jörg came into my reads on both occasions, made great plays and took them to the end zone. Since we came to NFL Europe, he has really impressed me. When a guy works that hard, you try to get him the football."
Howard earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance during Rhein's 31-3 defeat of the visiting Scottish Claymores on Saturday. The second-year free-agent safety from Florida State intercepted a pass in the third quarter and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown.
Howard added three tackles, one pass defensed and one forced fumble on the afternoon.
Lewis, the Special Teams Player of the Week, blocked a punt and recovered the loose ball in the end zone during the Frankfurt Galaxy's 20-10 victory on the road against the Cologne Centurions.
The play by the Texans wide receiver gave the Galaxy a 14-3 lead early in the fourth quarter. He also had one special teams tackle, as Frankfurt improved to 2-0.
