OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Matt Flynn / QB / Green Bay Packers

With Aaron Rodgers sitting out of what was essentially a meaningless Week 17 game for the Packers, backup QB Matt Flynn made the most of his second career start. Flynn set franchise records for passing yards (480) and passing touchdowns (six) in Green Bay's 45-41 win over the Lions. "Just think of all of the great quarterbacks that have come through here," Flynn said. "It's very humbling." He completed 31-of-44 passes, throwing TDs of seven, 80, 36, 58, 35 and four yards, outdueling Lions QB Matthew Stafford, who threw for 520 yards and five TDs. Flynn also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but he had a response for every Detroit score, including an 80-yard drive that culminated in the game-winning TD pass to TE Jermichael Finley with 1:10 left in the game.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jared Allen / DE / Minnesota Vikings

Allen entered Sunday's game against the Bears needing four sacks to tie Michael Strahan's single-season record. Despite a great effort, he came up just short in his pursuit of NFL history. Allen recorded 3½ sacks in the Vikings' loss to the Bears, giving him a league-high 22 on the season. He did, however, set a franchise record for sacks in a season in front of his home crowd Sunday. "Yeah, it's like being runner-up at the prom. The crown just doesn't mean as much," said Allen, who was named a starter in the Pro Bowl last week. "It's an honor and a privilege to have the Vikings' single-season record, to be in the same breath as Chris Doleman and Alan Page and those guys. This organization has a history of dominant defensive linemen. To be at the top of that is a true honor."

SPECIAL-TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Dan Carpenter / PK / Miami Dolphins

The Jets needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive Sunday, but Miami denied them that opportunity, and Carpenter accounted for 13 of the Dolphins' points in their 19-17 win. He made four field goals, and they weren't chip shots. Carpenter made all four of his attempts, connecting from 44, 58, 40 and 44 yards. His last two field goals came in the fourth quarter, when the Dolphins built a nine-point lead before the Jets scored late to pull within two. The 58-yarder was the second-longest of his career and tied Pete Stoyanovich for the third-longest in franchise history. Carpenter, who has made three of the four longest field goals in team history, also showed off his powerful leg on kickoffs — three of his five resulted in touchbacks and limited opportunities for Jets KR Joe McKnight to make a play.