Cooper’s 3rd TD wins for Dallas
ARLINGTON, Texas — Amari Cooper’s impact on Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott has been dramatic.
The new No. 1 receiver for the Cowboys shook up the NFC East race, too.
Prescott threw his third touchdown pass to Cooper on the first possession of overtime, and the Cowboys took a big step toward the division title with a 29-23 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday.
On third down, Philadelphia cornerback Rasul Douglas tipped the pass into the air by getting inside the slant route, and Cooper grabbed the football and had a clear path to the end zone from the Eagles’ 7 for the 15-yard score.
“I knew I had the slant route there, but I knew he would sit on it,” Cooper said. “I tried to sell the fade. It didn’t really work, but I just stayed with the ball and there you have it.”
“I feel for Rasul because the last play, the ball comes out quick. He plays it exactly how he’s supposed to,” Philadelphia safety Malcolm Jenkins said.
By winning the third overtime game in the past four seasons at A&T Stadium between these division rivals, the Cowboys (8-5) won their fifth straight game and took a twogame lead over the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles (6-7) and Washington in the division with three games left.
Carson Wentz threw for three touchdowns, including two tying scores in the fourth quarter. He didn’t get a chance in overtime because Prescott engineered a 13-play, 75-yard drive.
Prescott overcame two interceptions and a lost fumble to set career highs in completions (42), attempts (54) and yards passing (455).
“Helpless feeling,” Wentz said. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in the defense. They were making plays today. We just didn’t do enough early offensively and that cost us.”
Dallas, which can clinch the NFC East title with a win at Indianapolis on Sunday, finished with 576 yards, the most since gaining 578 against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973.
Cooper finished with a career-high 217 yards receiving in his second game in the past three with at least 180 yards and two scores. All three of Cooper’s touchdowns — the others were from 75 and 28 yards — came in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Acquired from the Raiders for a 2019 first-round draft pick seven games into the season, Cooper leads the NFL with 642 yards receiving since Week 9, his first game with the Cowboys. He had nine catches for 190 yards after halftime.