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Kam Chancellor came back just in time, and his timeliness has been rewarded.

The Seahawks safety was named NFC defensive player of the week, for his role in last week’s short-week road win iover the Patriots.

Chancellor’s coverage of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski helped foil New England’s last-ditch attempt to win, but he made plays throughout the night. He also forced a fumble which led to a touchdown, and while illegal, his hit on quarterback Tom Brady earlier in the game seemed to have an impact as well.

For a guy who had missed the previous four weeks with a groin injury, it was even more impressive.

It’s Chancellor’s third player of the week award, and among his teammates, only cornerback Richard Sherman (four) has more.