Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers
The Panthers scratched the Giants from the NFC playoff picture with a 41–9 blowout in East Rutherford. Stewart demolished the Big Blue Wrecking Crew defense, with 28 carries for 206 yards, one touchdown and another 52-yard run to the one-yard-line to set up a Brad Hoover score. The second-year back out of Oregon nearly doubled his previous single-game rushing performance (130 yards), while topping the 1,000-yard mark for the first time. Despite being sharing carries with Pro Bowler DeAngelo Williams, Stewart has 205 carries for 1,008 yards (4.9 ypc) and nine trips to the end zone this season.

Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
New England clinched its sixth AFC East division title in seven years with a 35–7 victory over Jacksonville. Putting on a passing clinic, Brady completed 23-of-26 passes for 267 yards, four scoring strikes and zero turnovers. Three of Brady’s touchdown passes went to Randy Moss, while Pro Bowl pass-catcher Wes Welker had 13 grabs for 138 yards on the day — giving him a career-high 122 receptions this season. The Patriots took a 35–0 lead over the Jaguars early in the fourth quarter, rolled up 464 yards of total offense and improved to 6–0 all-time (including playoffs) against Jacksonville.

LaMarr Woodley, LB, Steelers
The Steel Curtain defense knocked out the Ravens during a 23–20 TKO in an AFC North division heavyweight fight. Woodley was especially tough, recording sacks of Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco on both third and fourth down — forcing a fumble and turnover on downs with 2:27 remaining — during the Ravens’ final drive of the fourth quarter. Woodley now has 9.5 sacks in his last seven games and 11.5 sacks this season, while the reigning Super Bowl champion Steelers are still alive in the playoff picture.