Two Alabama Alumni Named AFC Players of the Month
Two former Alabama football stars have been named players of the month in the NFL's AFC. Derrick Henry, running back for the Tennessee Titans took home the offensive honor, while Quinnen Williams, defensive lineman for the New York Jets, earned the defensive distinction.
Both players are off to great starts this season and are bringing their teams along with them.
The Titans entered the season with a lot of uncertainty surrounding whether or not they could replicate last year's rushing and defensive dominance and get back to the playoffs. Following Henry's lead, the answer appears to be a resounding "yes, they can."
Henry has the Titans off to a 5-3 start, enough for a comfortable hold on first place in the AFC South. In the month, Henry has carried the ball 112 times for 677 yards and five touchdowns. He also continued his tradition of rushing for over 200 yards against the Houston Texans.
Williams and his Jets are off to a start that almost no one saw coming. They currently sit at 5-3, second place in the AFC East, and in control of the first wild card in the conference.
Williams himself has been in the face of quarterbacks and on top of running backs every chance he has gotten this season. In October, he logged 4.5 sacks and 23 tackles while leading the Jets to a 4-1 record for the month after starting off 1-2.