Cowboys: Dak Prescott's promise to Brandin Cooks should terrify the NFL
Entering Week 10, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks was one of the most discussed topics among fans and media. Why wasn't the speedy veteran getting more looks? Was it the scheme? Was it the receiver himself? Or was it Dak Prescott's fault? None of it mattered during the Cowboys' 49-17 win as Cooks caught […]
Entering Week 10, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks was one of the most discussed topics among fans and media.
Why wasn't the speedy veteran getting more looks? Was it the scheme? Was it the receiver himself? Or was it Dak Prescott's fault?
None of it mattered during the Cowboys' 49-17 win as Cooks caught nine passes for 173 yards and one touchdown. He worked the short, intermediate, and deep parts of the field while doing it, too. Prescott getting him 10 targets on Sunday wasn't a coincidence but the first payment of a promise that should yield Cooks more dividends.
"We'll find you more, that's what I told him, that was part of the conversation," Prescott told reporters postgame. "We'll find you more touches."
However, the Cowboys quarterback understands all that depends on what the defense does, as well. Sure, somebody like CeeDee Lamb, who's staking a claim in the debate for best wide receiver in the NFL, is going to get looks regardless of defenses' game plans. But Prescott seems to be aware that Cooks will need to be patient for games like Sunday's.
"He'll have more of them, I promise you, it might not be an every week thing, who knows," Prescott said. "But he will have more of these games."
That promise to Cooks and to Cowboys fans should be enough to strike fear in future opponents. NFL defenses already have enough to worry about when it comes to CeeDee. A game like this one just proves this offense isn't as easy to stop just by doubling 88.
You gotta worry about Cooks' speed, too, something that was in question after eight relatively unproductive games. On Sunday, the Cowboys seemed to have cracked the code to finally feature him as a true WR2.
And going even further than that, second-year tight end Jake Ferguson is looking like a true match-up problem in the making. Michael Gallup has struggled this season but caught a 41-yard bomb from Prescott, too.
Since the bye week, this offense is willing to air it out and it's quickly evolving into a scary unit. Now it's about sustaining its success.
