Quarterback Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets is the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for games played on Sept. 27-28, the NFL announced Friday.
Sanchez completed 17 of 30 for 171 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets' 24-17 win over Tennessee, becoming the first rookie quarterback to start and win his team's first three games of a season in the past 40 years.
Sanchez was selected from among five finalists through fan votes on NFL.com/rookies. The other finalists were quarterback Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions, wide receiver Percy Harvin of the Minnesota Vikings, and running backs Knowshon Moreno of the Denver Broncos and Donald Brown of the Indianapolis Colts.
After the regular season, five players will be nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year honors. Fans can vote for the winner on NFL.com/rookies throughout the month of January. The winner will be announced at a press conference at Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida.
This is Pepsi's eighth year as the official soft drink sponsor of the NFL and the fifth year that Pepsi will present the NFL Rookie of the Week and NFL Rookie of the Year awards.
Sanchez completed 17 of 30 for 171 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets' 24-17 win over Tennessee, becoming the first rookie quarterback to start and win his team's first three games of a season in the past 40 years.
Stafford led the Lions to their first victory since the 2007 season. He completed 21 of 36 for 241 yards and one touchdown in Detroit's 19-14 win over Washington.
Harvin made four catches for 51 yards and had a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Minnesota's 27-24 win over San Francisco.
Moreno had 21 carries for 90 yards and one touchdown in Denver's 23-3 rout of division rival Oakland.
Brown picked up 112 total yards from scrimmage in the Colts' 31-10 victory Sunday night at Arizona. Brown had 40 rushing yards and a 72-yard reception.
