By Tim Graham
Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller began Sunday's game
as the backup, and finished the game with enough yards to be named this week's
FedEx NFL Ground Player of the Week.
With captain Fred Jackson sidelined by a knee injury, Spiller ran for a career-high 169 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries. He scored on a 56-yard touchdown run and set up another touchdown with a 49-yard gain. Spiller also had two catches for 25 yards.
Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III won the FedEx NFL Air Player of the Week. He completed 19 of his 26 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns for a 139.9 passer rating in his NFL debut.
The awards are determined by a fan vote conducted at NFL.com.
Spiller beat out San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore and New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley. Griffin finished ahead of Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys and Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons.
Spiller was the only Week One candidate whose team didn't win.
FedEx will make a $2,000 donation in Spiller's name to Junior Achievement of Western New York and an equal donation in Griffin's name to the Washington D.C. chapter.
