Amari Cooper Addition Has Saved the Season for the Cowboys

The Cowboys have gone 5-1 since the Pro Bowl receiver arrived in Dallas.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper (19) catches a touchdown pass during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles on December 9, 2018 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Texas. Dallas defeats Philadelphia 29-23 in overtime.(Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper (19) catches a touchdown pass during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles on December 9, 2018 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Texas. Dallas defeats Philadelphia 29-23 in overtime.(Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It turns out Jerry Jones was right and everyone else was wrong.

The Cowboys owner was widely mocked after trading a first-round draft pick for Amari Cooper, but Jones is the one laughing now as the Cowboys have gone 5-1 since the Pro Bowl receiver arrived in Dallas.

Now sitting at 8-5 atop the NFC East, the Cowboys have totally reversed the course of their season and appear headed for a playoff berth for the first time since 2016.

Cooper — who had 217 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday’s 29-23 overtime win over the Eagles — is the main reason why as he has made it impossible for opponents to stack the box against Ezekiel Elliot and focus on stopping the Dallas running game.

He’s also alleviated the pressure on secondary pass-catchers like Michael Gallup, Allen Hurns, and Cole Beasley and allowed them to return to the roles that suit them best.

“[Cooper] is an incredible player,” quarterback Dak Prescott told 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.”

Cooper and the Cowboys will look to continue their winning ways in Indianapolis on Sunday against Andrew Luck and the Colts.

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