Anthony Spencer has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for week 17, by the NFL.
The third-year linebacker recorded five tackles, two quarterback hurries and two sacks of Donovan McNabb, including a strip-sack, in last week's NFC East-deciding showdown in Arlington.
At times this season, Spencer was openly frustrated with his performance. To be sure, so were many fans.
After replacing Dallas mainstay Greg Ellis, who departed for Oakland this off-season, Spencer didn't record a sack until week 12, a Thanksgiving Day game against Ellis's Raiders, in which he recorded two.
Some time between then and now, it seems Spencer has 'arrived,' so to speak. He's recorded four sacks and 15 tackles over the Cowboys' current three-game win streak and was utterly dominant in last week's NFC East title game, going against the likes of Philadelphia's Winston Justice.
In a recent interview with The Sporting News, Spencer said his rise was merely a matter of getting comfortable as an NFL starter.
"I'm just getting more comfortable," Spencer said. "Last year, I didn't really rush at all — I was getting off the field on third downs. The more I rush, the more comfortable I get."
