49ers P Andy Lee named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

San Francisco 49ers punter Andy Lee is the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, according to Randall Liu of the NFL. Field position was key in the low-scoring victory, and Lee was able to pin the Seahawks deep and limit return specialist Leon Washington.

Lee punted five times against Seattle, averaging 45.6 yards per punt. The best number was his net punting average, which was 44.6. The Seahawks rely heavily on their return game to put their struggling offense in advantageous positions. Lee and the 49ers coverage team were not letting that happen.

The net punting performance was actually just Lee's third-best of the season. He averaged 48.7 against the Vikings and 49.3 against the Giants. However, those numbers came in losses

The win on Thursday was crucial for the 49ers, as it allowed them to move into first place in the NFC West. They face another division foe, the Arizona Cardinals, on Sunday.