Buccaneers: Andrew Adams snubbed of NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors

The NFL snubbed Buccaneers safety Andrew Adams of a weekly NFC Award after a three-interception performance.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Andrew Adams was robbed of NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after his three-interception performance in Week 13.

The NFL announced winners of the Week 13 Player of the Week awards, and somehow the league decided to honor Seattle Seahawks linebacker, Bobby Wagner, not Adams.

There is no doubt that Wagner had a phenomenal game against the San Francisco 49ers last week, but it pales in comparison to Adams’ historic day.

Wagner took advantage of an awful San Francisco team. He put together a solid stat line: 12 total tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a pick-six.

However, the game was never in doubt. The Seahawks were going to win on Sunday with, or without Wagner. The same cannot be said for Adams.

Adams picked off former MVP candidate Cam Newton in a rivalry game that both teams needed to win. With the Panthers in the middle of the playoff hunt, Adams spoiled their chance of obtaining sole possession of a Wild Card spot.

Adams stalled two fourth-quarter drives and picked up the slack as the Bucs offense sat stuck in the mud.

Without Adams, Tampa Bay falls to a division rival and their season comes to a screeching halt. If that doesn’t deserve national recognition, what does?

Handing the award to Wagner is another case of ignoring a smaller market. It may seem arbitrary to fan bases that have had the success of the Seahawks but in Tampa Bay, things like this matter.

Most NFL fans, well, most Buccaneers fans may not have known who Adams was before Sunday. The NFL handed it over to the established name and called it a day.

The argument for Adams could likely garner more attention. Awarding an unknown safety from a team like the Bucs should have been the obvious path to take. It creates intrigue for an award handing out in a random week late in the season.