Austin, Rodgers-Cromartie, Baker earn NFC weekly honors

Sports Network | October 14, 2009

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin, Arizona Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Carolina Panthers punter Jason Baker have been named the NFC Players of the Week for Week 5 of the NFL season.

Austin received his first NFL start this past Sunday due to an injury to Cowboys wideout Roy Williams and set a franchise record with 250 receiving yards on 10 catches with two touchdowns. His 60-yard score in overtime provided Dallas a 26-20 win at Kansas City.

The fourth-year pro out of Monmouth became the first player in NFL history to record an overtime TD in his first start while his yardage was the most ever by a player making his first start. Austin surpassed Hall of Fame receiver Bob Hayes' previous team mark for yards set in 1966, earning his first career Offensive POW award.

Playing with a cast on his right hand due to a broken finger, Rodgers- Cromartie scored the game-winning touchdown on a 49-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter to give Arizona a 28-21 win over Houston.

With the Texans driving and 2 1/2 minutes to play, the Tennessee State product picked off Texans quarterback Matt Schaub and took it back for the score to break a tie score. It was the longest game-winning interception-return TD in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter since 2004.

Rodgers-Cromartie finished the game with three tackles and two passes defensed, garnering his first career Defensive POW honor.

Baker took Special Teams honors for posting a gross average of 44.8 yards per punt and a net average of 44.0 yards on four punts, including two inside the 20-yard-line. His punt in the fourth quarter helped set up the Panthers' game- winning score in a 20-17 final over Washington as Carolina recovered a fumble at the Redskins' 12 and scored two plays later for the win. This is Baker's first career POW award.