Cook’s catch gets Pack out of tough patch

ARLINGTON, Texas — Sometimes a player is too proud to admit it, but Jared Cook was not one of those players Sunday night after he made the most important catch of his career.

Yes, he felt personally vindicated after his brilliant 36-yard reception led to Mason Crosby’s gamewinning field goal as time expired in the Packers’ riveting 34-31 NFC divisional playoff win over the Cowboys.

“Absolutely, no question,’’ Cook said. “This is the best I’ve ever felt in my whole career. I’m looking forward to keeping this thing going.’’

The veteran tight end was always viewed as something of an underachiever during his four seasons with the Titans and three with the Rams. He came to the Packers this season and running routes for Aaron Rodgers has turned Cook, 29, into a vital weapon as the Packers sit one game away from the Super Bowl.

“I came here to ball with some of the best guys in the league,’’ Cook said. “I’m having fun doing that.’’

Cook caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers early in the third quarter to put the Packers ahead 28-13, but the game tightened up and more heroics were needed.

With 12 seconds remaining and the game tied at 31, the Packers looked as if they would head into overtime, facing third-and-20 from their own 32-yard line. Rodgers rolled to his left and made an outrageous throw, but without an equally skillful catch, the play would have been a dud.

“Aaron called a play — I just worked with him,’’ Cook said.

Did he ever. Cook barely beat safety Byron Jones and lunged on the left sideline to secure the ball but his body was heading out of bounds. He dragged both toes on the green turf and went to both knees, scraping down inbounds before tumbling out of bounds. The play survived a replay investigation and resulted in a 36-yard gain.

“It was the original route,’’ Cook said. “I just knew I had to beat the underneath coverage to get on the other side of him. Aaron did a heckuva job, rolling out his left and throwing back across his body to keep the ball inbounds, it was just a heckuva throw by him and a heckuva play by him.’’

The way Rodgers was uncoiling to make the throw, it almost looked as if he was revving up to uncork a Hail Mary — just as he did last week to stun the Giants. Were the Cowboys lulled into thinking Rodgers was going to unfurl a pass into the end zone?

“Maybe, you never know,’’ Cook said. “They were back deep like we were. You just never know.’’