Josh Uche named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after three-sack game vs. Cardinals

BOSTON -- Josh Uche was a defensive menace for the Patriots on Monday night, racking up three sacks in the team's win over the Arizona Cardinals. On Wednesday, the linebacker was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the desert.

Monday night was Uche's second three-sack game of the season, and it upped his total to 10 sacks on the season. It's a new career-high for the 24-year-old, who entered his third NFL season with just four sacks to his name. All 10 of his sacks this season have come in the last six games.

It's been quite a stretch for Uche, who has turned himself into a wrecking ball for the New England pass rush. He has five sacks over the last two games alone, with a two-sack effort against the Bills on Dec. 1. He also had three sacks in a Week 9 win over the Colts, and is one of only three Patriots players with multiple three-sack games in the same season, joining Andre Tippett (1985 and 1987) and Mike Vrabel (2007) to accomplish the feat.

Uche's Week 14 award is the fourth time this season that a Patriots player has brought home a weekly honor. Fellow pass rusher Matthew Judon was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after his 2-sack performance in a win over Detroit in Week 5. Kicker Nick Folk was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after New England's Week 8 win over the Jets, and defensive back Marcus Jones was awarded AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his game-winning punt return against the Jets in Week 11.

Uche will look to add to his sack total Sunday afternoon when the Patriots visit the Las Vegas Raiders.