Oakland Raiders' Derek Carr and Amari Cooper lead team of the week

Image: Derek Carr and Amari Cooper feature in week eight's NFL team of the week

Top performances from two of Oakland Raiders' stars lead week eight's all-star team. There are also spaces for two rookies, and a third week at the top for a record-breaking tight end.

Quarterback - Derek Carr

Oakland are 5-0 on the road this season, and Derek Carr's performances have a lot to do with that. The third year QB set a new franchise record with 513 passing yards as the Raiders beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 in overtime, despite conceding 200 yards worth of penalties.  

The win was Oakland's sixth and keeps them atop the AFC West, level with reigning Super Bowl champions Denver Broncos, whom they face this weekend, as the last of our NFL triple header on Sky Sports 2, live from 5:30pm.

Highlights of the Oakland Raiders overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week eight of the NFL

Running back - Jordan Howard

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The rookie fifth-round pick established himself as Chicago's first-choice runner with 153 yards on the ground, complemented by another 49 receiving as the Bears defeated NFC North rivals Minnesota Vikings. 

Howard led the offence from their first drive, running 69 yards to set up the opening field goal. The performance is made all the more impressive coming against the NFL's number one-ranked defence. 

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Image: Jordan Howard is the first of two rookies in the team of the week, notching 202 yards and a touchdown

Wide receiver - Amari Cooper

Drafted in the same class as Carr, the wideout is third in receiving yards this year behind only A.J Green and Julio Jones. Cooper recorded his fourth game of more than 120 yards this season, and his total of 173 on Sunday was the best of his career to date.

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A name less familiar is Andrew Hawkins, the veteran wide receiver who scored two touchdowns in the Cleveland Browns' 31-28 loss to the New York Jets.

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Hawkins, a finalist on the 2009 reality show '4th and long' where players attempted to win a training camp spot with the Dallas Cowboys, had the first multi-score game of his career from just five receptions totalling 31 yards.

Tight end - Rob Gronkowski

Gronkowski added his third touchdown in as many weeks, breaking the Patriots scoring record with his 69th as New England beat the Buffalo Bills 45-19.

It is a phenomenal achievement for the tight end. The previous record of 68, set by Stanley Morgan, stood for 27 years and took 180 games. Gronkowski has managed it in just 86 appearances.

Image: Since his return to the starting line up in week five, Rob Gronkowski has averaged 118 yards a game

Tyler Eifert looks to have made a full recovery after an ankle injury sustained at last year's Pro Bowl kept him out of the first six weeks of the season. Eifert scored a touchdown and ran for 102 yards as the Cincinnati Bengals tied with Washington Redskins at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

Kicker - Wil Lutz

The rookie kicker had the best game of his career so far, converting four field goals and an extra point in the New Orleans Saints 25-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. 

Lutz went undrafted and was signed with less than a week before the season opener. Though he struggled early in the season, a second quarter 53 yard attempt, followed by a high pressure 41 yard kick rewarded the faith shown in him by Saints management. 

Image: Wil Lutz had a career game, making all four of his field goals

Defence - Carolina Panthers

The Panthers recorded eight sacks on Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer as they snapped a four-game losing streak to beat Arizona 30-20.

Image: Star Lotulelei led the Carolina Panthers defence with three sacks as well as three tackles for loss

Star Lotulelei had three of those sacks, as Thomas Davis returned a fumble recovery to open the scoring and Kony Ealy recorded the only interception of the game. 

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