ALAMEDA –- The Raiders have dominated the Rookie of the Week award. The team’s first two draft picks, more specifically.
Receiver Amari Cooper won for the third time, the NFL announced on Friday, after recording seven catches for 115 yards in a victory over the Tennessee Titans.
The award is given based upon a fan vote, and Raider Nation is stuffing the ballot box. Amari Cooper has won thrice, and defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. won it a few weeks back.
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Cooper’s standout performance came a week after his worst performance thus far, when he had two drops and one catch for four yards against the Detroit Lions.
“We clearly went into that game saying we’re going to make sure, from a coaching standpoint, we get him more involved,” head coach Jack Del Rio said of Cooper, who was targeted 12 times. “We got him involved right away and provided opportunities for him to do his thing. I thought he did a great job with those opportunities. He’s a good football player. He’s going to have a lot of really good days like that.”
Cooper wasn’t the only Raider to win an award from a fan vote. Quarterback Derek Carr was named the league’s clutch performer of the week for the second time, honoring his fourth-quarter comeback drive cemented with a 12-yard touchdown pass to receiver Seth Roberts.
NOTE: Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack was not fined for a personal foul against the Titans, where he uncharacteristically dove on the pile late and drove his fist and arm into an opponents back.
