MINNESOTA – The Dallas Cowboys bet on the long term and won this Sunday in Minnesota, without their starting quarterback, Dak Prescott.
It was not the cleanest game, nor the best executed, but it was one of the best team players for the Cowboys, in which they had to help with great plays and offensive individual performances to their substitute quarterback Cooper Rush, who started his first game in the NFL.
Rush exceeded expectations and showed why the Cowboys surprised many by deciding to leave him as a direct replacement for Prescott at the end of the preseason.
Executed well, more than average. After being on the bench since 2017, he showed that he knows the system perfectly and of course he showed rust.
But he made the plays when they were needed for the Cowboys to add their sixth straight victory and reassert themselves as one of the best teams in the National Conference and the entire NFL.
“I think he was good during the game,” Prescott said of Rush’s performance. “There was not a moment when I think he was too nervous or excited. That’s what ‘Coop’ is. He has a very quiet character and always like that, never too high or too low. He showed himself tonight.”
“That way he was able to stay steady and balanced, overcome some bad plays and go out to make big plays and win the game we needed in the fourth quarter.”
Rush closed his night with a perfect touchdown pass to Amari Cooper, who also made a spectacular reception in the end zone to turn a game, in which the Vikings were already winning when not even four minutes had been played.
He passed for 325 yards between eight different receivers, with two touchdowns and an interception, which was part of some inaccuracies he showed and others that he was fortunate to have the ball “bounced off his side”, like another Cooper catch on that last one. fourth, which first hit the hands of two Minnesota defenders and instead of turning into a ball delivery, he went first and 10 to extend the series.
“I’m very happy for Coop,” Zeke Elliott said. “He’s been here a good time. He left a bit last year, but seeing him play well, seeing him come out and win the game the way he did, with a winning series at the end, reflects the benefits of the work that he has put in. every day”.
Elliott was another good reason the Cowboys won this Sunday. His 50 yards are far from reflecting his work on the field, which included a reception with one minute left for a 15-yard gain, of which at least seven were personal effort, two plays before the winning touchdown.
“They sent a triple design play, looking for a pass to the end zone,” Elliott explained. “They had good coverage, they had everyone behind. Coop threw the pass to me and I ran with everything to achieve the first and 10. You had to win, instead and go for a field goal.”
The defense did its part. He stopped an explosive Minnesota offense at 278 total yards and 16 points. More importantly, he only accepted a first and 10 in 13 rival attempts.
Linebacker Micah Parsons was a good part of the reason. He was all over the place, including lining up as inside linebacker, outside linebacker and defensive end.
He had 11 tackles of which 10 were direct for a defense that consistently pressured quarterback Kirck Cousins.
“We have some dogs on defense,” said Cooper (122 yards), who like CeeDee Lamb (112) surpassed 100 yards per reception. “They are playing very aggressive. Micah is all over the place, trying to win and that makes the job easier for us (offense).”
Now the Cowboys (6-1) can celebrate in peace, knowing Prescott has at least another week to rehab his right calf pull, before hosting the Broncos (4-4) next Sunday.
Better yet, if Prescott is still at risk for a major injury, Cooper’s confidence level will rise exponentially after the game he featured this week.
“I was getting ready to play this week,” Prescott said. “I’m a guy who goes from day to day, moment to moment, and right now, I’m going to celebrate this win with the guys and worry about coming back from tomorrow.”
