After intercepting a pass, recovering a fumble and preventing a third-down completion, Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday.
McKinney capped a superb first five games with the Packers with a dominant performance in a 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. His two takeaways were turned into two touchdowns, clearly the pivotal moments of a come-from-behind victory.
With an interception in each of the first five games of the season, McKinney became the fourth player since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger with a takeaway in each of his team’s first five games of a season.
“I wouldn’t have thought you was crazy at all,” McKinney said after the game. “I went into the season, I’m on a mission and that mission doesn’t end until we played our last game. Everything that I didn’t get before, that’s what I’m coming for.”
Intercepting the likes of Will Levis and Anthony Richardson is one thing. Intercepting a future Hall of Famer like Matthew Stafford is quite another.
“(Shoot), I saw his eyes (and) I was able to get a really good break on it,” he said. “He looked me off a couple times throughout the game. It was difficult. It was probably the most looked-off I’ve been this year. So, it was difficult but I know if I trust it, my craft and my instincts, I was going to able to get one.”
In the process, he equaled Irv Comp’s 81-year-old record for longest interception streak in Packers history.
“I’m just trying to make plays wherever I can make plays at,” he said. “I don’t go into games thinking like, ‘All right, let me try to get a pick.’ I’m just continuing to trust in my path and the work that I put into this game and it’s paying off.”
This is McKinney’s second Player of the Week Award. In a game while with the Giants against the Raiders in 2021, McKinney had two interceptions, including a go-ahead pick-six, and seven tackles.
This is the Packers’ first Defensive Player of the Week Award since 2021, when Rasul Douglas recorded the game-saving interception against the Cardinals. Just a few weeks earlier, Douglas was on their practice squad.
“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” coach Matt LaFleur said after the game. “The guy just has a knack for the football and he’s got great ball skills, he’s very instinctive and smart to allow him to anticipate, to make plays, and then he generally makes the play. I think he’s been obviously a very key pickup for us in free agency.”
McKinney played his college ball at Alabama. So did Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who won this week’s AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
The Packers had seven interceptions all last season. McKinney already has five. Here are the NFL team interception leaders:
1. Vikings 11.
2. Packers, 9.
3. Bears, Steelers and Saints 6.
4, McKinney, Bills and Broncos, 5.
McKinney leads the NFL with five interceptions. Detroit’s Kerby Joseph is second with three and no other player has more than two.
McKinney is fourth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds at DraftKings Sportsbook.