Dallas dominated the Philadelphia Eagles early on Sunday everywhere but the scoreboard. Cowboys flubs let the Eagles back in the game, tying the score in the fourth quarter.
Amari Cooper responded, putting the Cowboys up with a 28-yard touchdown catch. The Eagles answered to re-tie the tilt, so Cooper did it again, this time dashing for a 75-yard score. Philly once again tied the game, forcing overtime. So, Cooper ended the tilt on a juggling catch that was batted into the air by Eagles corner Rasul Douglas and dashing to the end zone for the game-sealing touchdown in the Cowboys' 29-23 win.
"He is an incredible player," Prescott said of Cooper, via the Dallas Morning News. "I knew he was good. I knew he was going to get separation and get open and make great catches.
"But when you just see the run after catch and breaking tackles, and being that great of a player. As I said, I'm just thankful we got that trade."
On a day that Dak struggled with turnovers -- despite throwing for a career-high 455 yards -- and Ezekiel Elliot was quieted in the second half (41 yards rushing in the second half and overtime), it was Cooper who sparked the Cowboys.
Prescott has good reason to be thankful Cooper is on his team. The Cowboys QB has more passing yards (1,714) and TDs (9) in six games with Cooper than in seven games without him (1,417 yards, 8 TD) this season.
Dak Prescott With and Without Amari Cooper:
Without: 3-4 W-L; 62.1 completion percentage; 202.4 passing YPG; 8-4 TD-INT ratio; 87.4 passer rating.
With: 5-1 W-L; 74.1 completion percentage; 285.7 passing YPG; 9-3 TD-INT ratio; 105.7 passer rating.
Since Cooper's arrival, Prescott hasn't been forced to throw the ball into as many tight windows.
Dak Prescott by Target Separation:
Without Cooper: 2.9 average target separation; 23.3 tight window throw percent
With Cooper: 3.7 average target separation; 14.2 tight window throw percent
OAK: 31 targets, 22 receptions, 280 receiving yards, 1 rec TD
DAL: 53 targets, 40 receptions, 642 receiving yards, 6 rec TD
The 24-year-old receiver generated 473 receiving yards and five receiving TDs in his last three games, becoming the first player with 450-plus receiving yards and five-plus receiving TDs in a three-game span since Odell Beckham in Weeks 15-17 of 2014 (476 yards, 6 TD).
On Sunday, Cooper recorded his second game this season with 180-plus receiving yards and 2-plus receiving TDs. He is only the eighth player in the Super Bowl era with at least two such games in a single season, and the first since Chad Johnson in 2006.
"I feel like that's who I am,'' Cooper said. "I feel like I can make those plays to help my team win.
"You know I did it in college a lot, in Oakland I did it sometimes. But my whole goal is just to be more consistent and to be able to provide that type of play for my team every week."
