Peter King's Defensive Players of the Week

Brandon Meriweather, S, New England. This is the kind of breakout game that can launch a player's career. Six tackles -- three of them behind the line of scrimmage -- plus one sack, two passes defensed and the most important forced fumble of his two-year career. With 1:56 left in the fourth quarter, he leaped over the line to sack Seneca Wallace, forcing the fumble that essentially ended the game. With injuries already battering the defense, and Vince Wilfork, Tedy Bruschi and James Sanders leaving the game with more of them, young guys like Meriweather have to come through for this team to make it to January.

Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore. When will he slow down? 2014? The more I watch the Ravens, the more I marvel at his staying power -- and not just the staying power to hang around. He's excelling the same way he was in the Ravens' Super Bowl year, and he's leading the same way too -- at 33, in his 13th season. In the 24-10 beatdown of the Redskins (it could have been much worse), Lewis had 13 tackles (three for loss), two quarterback hits and a 13-yard sack.

(cnnsi.com)