FRISCO -- Cowboys rookie Leighton Vander Esch kept getting congratulated Wednesday but he wasn't sure why. Then the linebacker checked his phone, he said, where he had a message from his agent telling him he'd been selected NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
The honor resulted from a standout effort in the win over Philadelphia, when he grabbed his first career interception in the first quarter and made a game-saving tackle for a loss, snagging the Eagles running back by the shoe, late in the fourth quarter. He's officially credited with 13 tackles for the game, though the Dallas coaching staff scored him with 19 - a franchise rookie record.