Cowboys: Cooper Rush makes history….again
The sky seemed to be falling for the Dallas Cowboys when quarterback Dak Prescott went down. However, games in the NFL are won and lost on the field and not on the stat sheet, and Cowboys' backup signal-caller Cooper Rush is proving that so far in 2022. Rush put his name into the record books […]
The sky seemed to be falling for the Dallas Cowboys when quarterback Dak Prescott went down. However, games in the NFL are won and lost on the field and not on the stat sheet, and Cowboys' backup signal-caller Cooper Rush is proving that so far in 2022.
Rush put his name into the record books last week as he became the first undrafted quarterback since Kurt warner in 1999 to win his first three starts and throw for over 750 yards. Well, Rush is now all alone in one category as he is the only quarterback in Cowboys' history to win his first four starts after beating the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
The former undrafted free agent hasn't dazzled on the stat sheet with just under 62% of his passes completed and 224 yards per game. What Rush has done is protect the football as he hasn't committed one turnover in his three starts, and the Cowboys as a whole only have one during that time (Dalton Schultz fumble).
While his stats haven't impressed, Rush has stepped up in a few key moments. Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, Rush drove the Cowboys down the field to set up Brett Maher's game-winning field goal. He repeated his stellar play in the clutch a week later against the New York Giants as he led an 11-play drive that included a crucial fourth down conversion to CeeDee Lamb before finding him for a touchdown several plays later, giving the Cowboys the lead for good late in the fourth quarter.
The goal of any backup quarterback is to keep to team serviceable until the starter returns. Rush has not only done that with a 3-0 record this season but he has the Cowboys just one game behind the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East, something that seemed far-fetched when Prescott injured his thumb.
Prescott will likely return this Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams or in Week 6 against the Eagles. Either way, Rush has been a godsend for the Cowboys and he's helped keep their hopes of making consecutive playoff appearances a strong possibility.
Feature image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
