NFL 2008 RSS
NFL 2008 Rookies of the Month, October 2008
OFFENSE: QB MATT RYAN, ATLANTA FALCONS
A first-round pick (No. 3 overall) from Boston College, Ryan started all three games in the month for the
Atlanta Falcons and led the team to a 2-1 record.
He completed 61 of 100 passes (61.0 percent) for 772 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions for an
89.3 passer rating.
Matt Ryan opened the month by passing for two touchdowns and posting a 94.1 passer rating as he
led Atlanta to a 27-24 victory at Green Bay.
The next week, the young quarterback completed 73.3 percent of his passes (22 of 30) for a career-best 301
yards along with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 116.1 passer rating. Ryan guided a comeback with 11
seconds remaining to set up the game-winning field goal in the Atlanta Falcons 22-20 win over the Chicago Bears.
The rookie finished the month by passing for 277 yards and tying a career-high with two touchdowns against
Philadelphia.
Ryan is the first Falcons player to earn Rookie of the Month honors. He is the second Atlanta player to be
honored by the league this year joining running back MICHAEL TURNER, who was named the NFC Offensive Player of
the Week in Weeks 1 and 3.
DEFENSE: LB JEROD MAYO, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Jerod Mayo, a first-round selection (No. 10 overall) from Tennessee, led the Patriots with 24 tackles in the
month as the Patriots posted a 3-1 (.750) record in October.
The first linebacker selected by the Patriots in
the first-round in the NFL Draft under head coach BILL BELICHICK (2000-present), Mayo has started all seven
games at inside linebacker this season.
The rookie leads the team with 55 tackles and has also added one fumble recovery. Mayo posted his best
performance of the month in his first appearance on Monday Night Football against Denver (10/20), registering
11 tackles.
Mayo is the first Patriots player to earn Rookie of the Month honors since wide receiver DEION BRANCH
(Offense) in September of 2002, and he is the first New England player to win Defensive Rookie of the Month
since the league started the award in 1996.
NFC 2008 Players of the Month, October 2008
OFFENSE: RB CLINTON PORTIS, WASHINGTON REDSKINS
During the month of October, Clinton Portis rushed for an NFL-best 575 yards, averaging 143.8 yards per
game. His 575 rushing yards were 251 more than any other player in October and he helped the Redskins post
a 3-1 record in the month.
Clinton Portis rushed for at least 120 yards in all four contests and extended his streak to five
consecutive 120-yard games, the second time he has accomplished the feat in his career. Portis and Pro
Football Hall of Famer O.J. SIMPSON are the only players in NFL history to rush for at least 120 yards in
five consecutive games twice in their careers.
During the month, Portis rushed for four touchdowns and finished with an NFL-best 616 scrimmage yards
(154.0 yards per game). For the season, Clinton Portis leads the NFL with 944 rushing yards.
In his seventh season from Miami, this is Clinton Portis' first career Player of the Month Award. He joins
EARNEST BYNER (December 1990) and TERRY ALLEN (October 1996) as the only running backs in club history to be
honored. This is the second award of the year for Portis, who was named the NFC Offensive Player of Week 5.
DEFENSE: LB JON BEASON, CAROLINA PANTHERS
Jon Beason helped the Panthers post a 3-1 record in October by leading the defense with 37 tackles and two
interceptions.
In NFL 2008 Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Beason recorded six tackles and an interception as the
Panthers shut out the Chiefs in a 34-0 victory.
The next week against Tampa Bay, Beason had a game-high 15 tackles.
In NFL 2008 Week 7, the linebacker out of Miami recorded eight tackles in the Carolina Panthers 30-7
win over the division-rival New Orleans Saints.
And in the Ocotber’s final game, Beason notched eight tackles and an interception, which he returned 44
yards in the Panthers’ 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
In his second year from Miami, this is Jon Beason’s first career Player of the Month Award. He is the first
Carolina Panther to be honored on defense since defensive end JULIUS PEPPERS in October 2006. Beason joins SAM MILLS (November 1995 and November 1996) as the only linebackers in franchise history to win the award.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K JOSH BROWN, ST. LOUIS RAMS
Josh Brown converted nine of 10 field-goal attempts and all six PATs in October as the Saint Louis Rams
posted a 2-1 record.
Brown scored 33 points and averaged 11.0 points per game, the most during the month among NFL kickers. His
nine field goals tied for the most in October.
In NFL 2008 Week 6 against the Washington Redskins, Brown converted all four field-goal
attempts, including the game-winner from 49 yards out as time expired to give the Rams their first victory
of the season.
Josh Brown kicked two field goals in NFL 2008 Week 7 versus the Dallas Cowboys and was a perfect
three-for-three the next weekend at New England.
He scored at least 10 points in all three games during the month.
In his sixth season, this is Josh Brown’s first career Player of the Month Award. He is the first Rams
player to be honored on special teams since JEFF WILKINS in 2003 (December).
AFC 2008 Players of the Month, October 2008
OFFENSE: WR ANDRE JOHNSON, HOUSTON TEXANS
Andre Johnson, the NFL 2008 season leader in receptions (56) and receiving yards (772), finished October
with 41 receptions for 593 yards (14.5 average) and two touchdowns as Houston posted a 3-1 (.750) record for
the month.
Johnson’s 41 receptions were the second most in NFL history in the month of October (ERIC MOULDS, 42 in 2000).
In the month, he joined LANCE ALWORTH (1968) and HAROLD JACKSON (1971-72) as the only players in NFL history to
record at least 130 receiving yards in four consecutive games. Johnson averaged 148.3 receiving yards per game in
October and has 10 or more receptions in three consecutive games, which tied the league record last week for most
consecutive games with 10 or more receptions.
In his sixth season from Miami, this is Johnson’s first career Player of the Month Award. He is the first Texans player to win Offensive Player of the Month in franchise history.
DEFENSE: LB JOEY PORTER, MIAMI DOLPHINS
The vocal and emotional leader of the Miami Dolphins defense, Joey Porter recorded 14 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two
forced fumbles (one resulted in a safety) and one fumble recovery in October as Miami posted a 2-2 record (.500).
Joey Porter’s 5.5 sacks led the NFL for the month, and his 10.5 sacks for the season are tops through
NFL 2008 Week 8.
The 10th-year linebacker has two sacks in each of the past two games and has at least a half sack in all
four games in October.
In his second season in Miami, Joey Porter has tied his career-high of 10.5 sacks (2000 and 2005 with
Pittsburgh Steelers) and needs a half sack to surpass the feat.
In his 10th year from Colorado State, this is Joey Porter’s second Player of the Month Award. He previously
won the award with the Steelers in 2000 (October). He is the first Miami player to win the award since
defensive end JASON TAYLOR in 2006 (November).
SPECIAL TEAMS: K STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Stephen Gostkowski has made 9 of 10 field goals (90.0 percent) in the month of October and has totaled 38
points to lead the New England Patriots in scoring.
In NFL 2008, Stephen Gostkowski has made 16 of 17 field goals (94.1 percent), including a perfect 10-for-10
from under 40 yards.
In 2 games this month (at San Francisco on 10/5; against St. Louis on 10/26), Gostkowski made all three
field goal attempts as the Patriots won both games by fewer than 10 points.
The Mississippi native has made
23 of his past 24 field goal attempts dating back to last season. His career field goal accuracy rate of
85.1 percent (57 of 67) is the best in New England Patriots history.
In his third year from Memphis, this is Stephen Gostkowski’s first Player of the Month Award. Gostkowski
joins ADAM VINATIERI as the only two Patriot kickers to win Special Teams Player of the Month.
NFL 2008 NFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
September
QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints CB Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers P Sav Rocca, Philadelphia Eagles
October
RB Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins LB Jon Beason, Carolina Panthers K Josh Brown, St. Louis Rams
NFL 2008 AFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
September
QB Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos DT Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee Titans RB-KR Darren Sproles, San Diego Chargers
October
WR Andre Johnson, Houston Texans LB Joey Porter, Miami Dolphins K Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots
NFL 2008 NFL ROOKIES OF THE MONTH
September
RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans (East Carolina) S Chris Horton, Washington Resdkins (UCLA)
October
QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (Boston College) LB Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots (Tennessee)
SHARE
RELATED: NFL 2008 Players of the Month
NFL Football 2008: Players of the Month September, NFL Rookies of the Month (September, 2008)
NFL 2008: Quarterbacks Drew Brees & Jay Cutler named NFL Offensive Players of the Month for September 2008
Quarterback DREW BREES of the New Orleans Saints, cornerback CHARLES WOODSON of the Green Bay Packers and punter SAV ROCCA of the Philadelphia Eagles are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for September 2008.
Quarterback JAY CUTLER of the Denver Broncos, defensive tackle ALBERT HAYNESWORTH of the Tennessee Titans, and
kick returner-running back DARREN SPROLES of the San Diego Chargers are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special
Teams Players of the Month for September 2008.
Running back CHRIS JOHNSON of the Tennessee Titans and safety CHRIS HORTON of the Washington Redskins are the NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Month for September 2008.
| 
