Atlanta Falcons' Thomas DeCoud named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

October 21, 12:22 PMAtlanta Falcons ExaminerDaniel Cox

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Thomas DeCoud, AP Photo/Dave Martin

First-year starter Thomas DeCoud had the game of his short professional career at safety Sunday night for the Atlanta Falcons.

DeCoud's five tackles were fifth best on the team and he added two passes defensed, but his two interceptions helped change the game for Atlanta and won him the award.

The interceptions were the first two of his career and marked the first time a Falcons player had a multiple-interception game since DeAngelo Hall's two pick game against Tampa Bay on September 17, 2006.

DeCoud's performance helped lead an Atlanta defensive performance that kept Chicago out of the end zone in key moments of the game. The 24-year-old safety's first interception came at the Atlanta nine-yard line, after the Bears drove down the field, using almost seven minutes of the game clock.

"It feels great," DeCoud said following Sunday's win. "It feels great to keep a team like that out of the end zone. They had a lot of good drives with good field position, and they got the ball on our side of the field, so it felt really good to keep them out of the end zone."

DeCoud becomes the first Atlanta Falcons player to win the Defensive Player of the Week award since 2006, when defensive end John Abraham and safety Lawyer Milloy each one it once. In total, 23 Falcons have won the award.

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