Griffin Named NFC Defensive P.O.W.

Last month the Vikings promoted rookie Cedric Griffin to the starting lineup. Tuesday that move was rewarded as Griffin was picked as NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Vikings rookie Cedric Griffin did a lot of good things Sunday, enough to earn NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Griffin, who didn’t enter the starting lineup full-time until a couple of weeks ago, had three tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the Vikings' 30-20 win over the Lions.

He becomes the first Vikings secondary player to win the NFC POW honor since Brian Williams in 2003.

WEDNESDAY NOTES
* While Vikings fans may not think there is a big rivalry between the Vikings and Jets, don’t believe it. As organizations, there is little love lost. Antoine Winfield was wined and dined and everything but signed with the Jets when he became a free agent in 2004. In fact, he was at the Jets facility ready to sign a contract, but there was a delay in the paperwork. Mike Tice got a hold of Winfield and his wife inside the Jets facility, convinced him to come to visit the Vikings, set up a private plane to pick him up and the rest was history. Think the Jets forgot about it? In 2005, the Jets moved ahead of the Vikings in the second round of the draft to take kicker Mike Nugent, who they knew the Vikings wanted. In the 2006 draft, convinced the Vikings wanted QB Kellen Clemens, the Jets moved into position to snatch him up. For teams that don’t play often, the Vikings and Jets have a history of their own.
* The Jets are 6-1 all-time vs. the Vikings and the Vikes haven't won against them since 1975.
* Vikings assistant coach Joe Woods was officially charged with two counts of DUI Tuesday.
* In a surprise to virtually nobody, the Dolphins place Daunte Culpepper on injured reserve Tuesday. He hasn’t played since early October after suffering a setback from the knee injury that turned out to be the end of his Vikings career.
* As expected, Lions RB Kevin Jones was placed on injured reserve after injuring his foot on a goal-line run Sunday.
* Former Vikings linebacker Chris Claiborne was cut by the Giants Tuesday.
* It must have been a bad day for former Vikings linebackers, since the Dolphins gave Keith Newman his pink slip Tuesday.