Raiders rookie named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

ALAMEDA, Calif.—Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has been recognized by the league for his four-sack performance against the Bengals on Sunday.

The rookie fourth-round pick was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday. Crosby had five tackles, including three for a loss, four sacks and a forced fumble as he wreaked havoc on the Cincinnati backfield in a 17-10 win.

“It’s just a start,” Crosby said Wednesday after practice at the team facility. “It’s awesome to get awards and all that stuff, but we’re in the midst of trying to make the playoffs. That’s what’s important right now and we’re just going to stay focused.”

The former Eastern Michigan standout is just the fourth rookie in league history to record four sacks in a game and the first to accomplish the feat since Brian Orakpo in 2009. It was tied for the most sacks for any player in a game this season and tied the Raiders’ franchise mark.

Crosby was pivotal to the win with three sacks in the fourth quarter, which is tied for the second-most sacks by a player in the final quarter since at least 1991.

He is the only player in the NFL to record three sacks in the fourth quarter of a game this season.

“Happy for his reward and happy for his success,” coach Jon Gruden said. “Hopefully that continues.”

Crosby now has 6.5 sacks this season, third among rookies behind just Josh Allen of Jacksonville and Nick Bosa of San Francisco.

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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.