Olivier Vernon named AFC Special Teams Player of Week

Dolphins rookie defensive end Olivier Vernon, who scored a touchdown off a blocked punt and blocked a field goal in Sunday’s 30-9 victory over the New York Jets, was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Wednesday.

The award is the first won by a Dolphin this season and marks the first time a rookie has won since 2008, when placekicker Dan Carpenter won for his performance against Buffalo on Dec. 7, 2008. Carpenter kicked three field goals _ from 50, 35 and 27 yards _ that accounted for the margin of victory in that 16-7 win.

Vernon is one of only four non-kickers to win the award. The others were punt returners Nate Jacquet in 1992 and Wes Welker in 2009, and kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. in 2008, who had two returns of 100 and 101 yards for touchdowns in another win over the Jets.

A third-round pick out of the University of Miami, Vernon was in the right place at the right time after Jimmy Wilson blocked a Robert Malone punt, grabbing the ball just as he was headed into the end zone to give Miami a 10-0 lead.

Then, just before the half, Vernon broke through the line to get a hand on Jets’ kicker Nick Folk’s 35-yard attempt that would have cut the Dolphins’ halftime lead to 20-3.

Vernon has two tackles on special teams and a forced fumble this season to go with the blocked field goal. On defense, he ranks third on the team with 2.5 sacks and has also been credited with 10 tackles, three passes defensed, one tackle for loss and three quarterback hits.


(palmbeachpost.com)