With the first week of the NFL season coming to a conclusion with the Chargers 27-0 thumping of the Raiders last night, I give you my NFL Players of the Week:

For the record, the players of the week could have put up large numbers in their respective games, but what I’m really looking for are the guys that seemed to go above and beyond helping their squad win.

So stat guy, take your numbers and go sit in the corner – we’ll call you when we need you.

AFC Offensive Player of the Week: Chad Pennington, QB NY Jets
Chances are pretty good that I won’t be mentioning Pennington or another NY Jet here a lot during the season, so let me give credit where it’s due. This is a guy who is coming off of two shoulder surgeries within an eight-month span and he goes on to throw for 319 yards and two touchdowns against a very underrated Tennessee defense (remember, it’s the Titans offense that is atrocious). Pennington hooked up with receiver Laveranues Coles eight times for 153 yards and finished with a QB rating of 123.2, which (where is my stat guy?) was the best QB rating in week one. The result: A 23-16 victory and a 1-0 start for the Jets.

AFC Defensive Player of the Week: Justin Smith, DE Cincinnati Bengals
With all due respect to San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman, who absolutely obliterated the Oakland Raiders last night, Smith was a force to deal with all Sunday afternoon in Kansas City. He finished with three sacks, five tackles and a forced fumble (which re-covered himself) in the Bengals 23-10 victory over the Chiefs. Much like Pennington, a lot of people feel that Smith has something to prove this year. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2001 draft, but really has yet to deliver on the promise he flashed as a rookie. If Smith can give the Bengals this type of effort all season, Cincinnati’s defense probably won’t have to lead the league in interceptions again just to get themselves off the field.

NFC Offensive Player of the Week: Donte’ Stallworth, WR Philadelphia Eagles
Boy did the Eagles need a guy like this. Donovan McNabb only needed eight passes to hook up with Stallworth for a 42 yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of Philly’s 24-10 win over the Texans. Stallworth finished with six receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown and for a moment, he made everybody in Philadelphia forget about the man whose name we do not speak of. His production might not last for an entire season, but for one week Stallworth was dominant and showed why he was a former number one selection. Mark Simoneau and a forth-round pick for this guy? Sorry New Orleans, that was a stretch.

NFC Defensive Player of the Week: John Abraham, DE Atlanta Falcons
Abraham must have attended a real estate seminar before his game against the Panthers, because he took up land in Carolina’s backfield all day long. Even without fellow Pro Bowler Patrick Kerney on the other side for most of the afternoon, Abraham was a one-man wrecking crew in the Falcons 20-6 victory. He finished with two sacks, two forced fumbles, five tackles and made Jake Delhomme carry on a five minute tirade on the sidelines in the third quarter because he had no time to throw. Although he suffered a groin injury on the final defensive series of the game, Abraham is going to be a force to deal with for left tackles all season.

Stat guy wants me to list these guys too:

Offense
Kurt Warner, QB Cardinals – 23/37, 301 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, 114.8 QB rating
Donovan McNabb, QB Eagles – 24/35, 314 yards, 3 TDs, 1INT, 113.3 QB rating
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB Chargers – 31 carries for 131 yards, 4.2 AVG, 1 TD
Warrick Dunn, RB Falcons – 29 carries for 132 yards, 4.6 AVG
Laveranues Coles, WR NY Jets – Eight receptions for 153 yards
Larry Fitzgerald, WR Cardinals – Nine receptions for 133 yards

Defense
Shawne Merriman, LB Chargers – Three sacks, six tackles
Brian Young, DE Saints – Three sacks, four tackles
DeMeco Ryans, LB Texans – 12 tackles
London Fletcher, LB Bills – Nine tackles, one fumble recovery for a TD
Keith Bullock, LB Titans – Nine tackles, one forced fumble
Andre Dyson, CB Jets – Two interceptions, five tackles