League honors Palmer, Thurman for September

By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

The Bengals’ early team success has contributed to a pair of major individual league awards for September.

Quarterback Carson Palmer was named this morning as AFC Offensive Player of the Month, and linebacker Odell Thurman was announced as NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month.

Palmer was 69-for-97 passing 786 yards, eight touchdowns and just two interceptions. His 114.0 passer rating is second in the NFL.

“It’s definitely an honor,” Palmer said this afternoon, “but you want awards at the end of the year. It’s a great honor for this team. It says something about this team.”

Palmer said the run game and defense accumulating 16 takeaways have contributed to the success of the pass game.

Thurman leads the Bengals with 26 tackles as the middle linebacker. He has 14 solo tackles, one interception, one pass broken up and one forced fumble in three games.

“Rookie of the month is a great accomplishment, but I’m trying to win it next month and the month after,” Thurman said.

Drafted in the second round, Thurman said he should have been picked in the first round but doesn’t have the traditional chip on his shoulder.

“That’s behind me,” said Thurman, who thanked his defensive linemen and fellow rookie and former Georgia teammate David Pollack for their help.
E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com