Not bad for a cat that was on the street early in the season.
Erik Walden was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his play against the Chicago Bears.
Walden had 12 tackles and two sacks against the Bears.
Strangely, Walden is a guy who was released by the Miami Dolphins in early October after missing a special teams assignment that led to a blocked punt. The Packers picked him up on Oct. 27.
Walden didn’t make his first start until week 15, when he began filling in for an ailing Frank Zombo.
In his three-team, three-year NFL career, Walden never made a start prior to that, which has to make him the most unlikely winner of a player of the week award, this season.
He may not even continue to start if Zombo returns, this week.
You have to credit outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene for turning Walden into a player in such a short time and defensive coordinator Dom Capers for putting him in a position to make plays.
Walden joins Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson, Aaron Rodgers, Tim Masthay and Mason Crosby among Packers who have won a player of the week award, this season.