Cooper Rush sets the record straight about Cowboys' final stretch of the season following win vs Bucs with simple message
No one is saying it's a good enough consolation prize for Dallas Cowboys fans but you can't deny Mike McCarthy's team showed fight on Sunday night when they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-24 in dramatic fashion. Even Bucs star wide receiver Mike Evans said it, "They deserved to win today [because] they played like they […]
No one is saying it's a good enough consolation prize for Dallas Cowboys fans but you can't deny Mike McCarthy's team showed fight on Sunday night when they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-24 in dramatic fashion.
Even Bucs star wide receiver Mike Evans said it, "They deserved to win today [because] they played like they were trying to clinch playoffs and we didn't."
The intensity shown by the Cowboys was particularly special because not only were they not trying to clinch a trip to the postseason but they were mathematically eliminated from contention hours before the game. What's worse, they've been close to eliminated for weeks now.
So where does the motivation come from and more importantly, where will they get it for their final two games of the season? Cooper Rush had a simple answer to the situation when he was asked: "What is there to play for?"
"Everything, this is your life," Rush told reporters postgame. "This is ball, this is what you get paid to do. I don't think people need much more motivation."
It's a simple quote but an important one for fans to digest. Specially when a large portion of Cowboys Nation would rather see them lose for the sake of better draft positioning. Players don't tank, neither do coaches. When answering the question, Rush let a small laugh go because from his point of view, the notion of not having something to play for isn't even a thought. Expect the Cowboys to keep that attitude going despite elimination being a certainty for them.
The performance has earned Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy some praise around the NFL world. While his future remains a question mark moving forward, no one will question the fight his team showed. According to Rush, that's the culture he's set in Dallas.
"I think the guys in the locker room that we have, I don't think it takes much," Rush said about the Cowboys' attitude. "That's just who we are. Mike (McCarthy) has created that culture over the years. We’ve had a lot of wins and a lot of players with a lot of wins in that locker room over the last three seasons. So we know what it's about, we know who we are as competitors, and when you're playing football, you're competing to win."
CeeDee Lamb sends postgame message that shows what a great teammate he is for the Dallas Cowboys
Great stuff from No. 88.
