The Dallas Cowboys may be out of playoff contention, but they are having fun on offense with Cooper Rush doing his part to keep things rolling.
Having a 4-1 record in their last five games, which could easily have been 5-0, the Cowboys are finishing the season with a flurry and with Cooper Rush at QB, Jalen Tolbert is in a groove.
Having had a good start to the season as Tolbert looked to have finally found his feet at the NFL level, he had a down patch where he was barely sighted.
But he has caught two touchdowns in his last two games, taking his total to six for the season, and after the 26-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tolbert says the offense under Rush has a togetherness to it.
“I think each week we go out there, find ways to get better find ways to pass the ball around get touches to everybody,” Tolbert said. “So we out there having fun, playing for each other, playing for our brothers, and it’s paying off for us.”
Dallas is having this relative success without star quarterback Dak Prescott after his season-ending hamstring injury suffered in a Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Rush has as usual stepped up and done well enough, going 4-3 and leading the Cowboys to four wins in the last five games.
But as everyone knows, Rush is set to hit NFL free agency this offseason … and the speculation is already brewing about the specifics of such a move.
Rush is being rumored as a potential replacement for Sam Darnold in Minnesota, assuming the Vikings move on from him, elevate injured first-round rookie pick J.J. McCarthy from Michigan in the No. 1 slot, and need a mentor at No. 2.
It’s Bleacher Report that sees Rush as a fit there. … one of many suggestions that Rush, 31, will be coveted.
The Cowboys have decisions to make on Rush and on fellow backup quarterback Trey Lance, as both are about to be free agents.
We will say this about Rush, who re-upped in Dallas two years ago for $2.5 million per season: He is smart enough to recognize a good thing when he’s got it … and that he is very much a “system fit” here.
And for now? He’s working to “fit” in guys like Tolbert – for whom this season has been a sneaky solid one, and looking at his stats, it is eyebrow-raising.
Among fellow Cowboys, Tolbert is second in yards (482), third in targets (42), and is joint-leader with CeeDee Lamb in touchdowns (six). That is a decent season for a player who is looked at as a third receiver.
It has been steady progress for Tolbert in Mike McCarthy’s offense over the past two seasons, and with the regular season coming to an end, he will want to finish with a bang.
Which is made easier when you’re playing in a “fun” offense. … led by a backup QB who is about to find out just how much he’s valued.
