Full transparency, I wanted Cooper Rush out of here this preseason. Said it so here. He looked lifeless and weak-armed, and it instilled no confidence in me at all. I wanted a fresh Will Grier for a change of scenery and a more dynamic option.
I was wrong.
Let us finally accept the truth. Cooper Rush is very much a legitimate backup quarterback in the NFL. He's cool and calm, and he gives you a chance to win. And that's all you can expect from a backup quarterback in the end, isn't it?
Rush is one of those weird NFL players who only looks good in actual games. He's the last guy to get your attention in practice or a preseason game, but when the lights come on, he's not overwhelmed or hurried or scared of the moment. He manages the game just fine.
Cliche warning alert….he's a "gamer."
Certainly, there's nothing amazing about his performances, but it is clear the rest of the players trust him to do his part as a backup. He knows the offense very well, and gets the ball out quickly so receivers can do something with it when they catch it.
Twice now he's engineered drives to win a game against a good team. Yes, the defense was good in both of those games, as they've been early in this season. But that only matters if Rush does his part, which he has.
Some are saying that the league will get the book on him, but that's not really pertinent here. He doesn't have a "game" per se to prepare for. He just takes what's given and delivers the ball where it needs to be on time most of the time. He's moving the team pretty well, especially when it matters most.
The Cowboys have a real chance to be 3-1 in two weeks if they keep their minds and focus about them and support Rush.
