‘Cooper Clutch’ as QB Rush stays perfect for Cowboys
FRISCO, Texas — Cooper Rush shrugs at what he calls “QB win stats,” seeming to skip the logic that it’s the most important measure of a quarterback.
Winning is all Rush has done for the Dallas Cowboys in four games as an injury replacement for Dak Prescott, including three times this season after Prescott fractured his right thumb.
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The first of the 2022 victories came in Week 2 against defending AFC champion Cincinnati. Now Rush is set for his fifth career start Sunday at the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams (2-2). No biggie. Just another chance to pad his “QB win stats,” and join four other undrafted quarterbacks who started their careers 5-0, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner.
“I’ve kind of said it all along,” All-Pro right guard Zack Martin said. “He stays like this all the time. I think that confidence is still building in him, and he’s done a great job.”
To Rush’s point, though, the Cowboys haven’t been winning with offense. In fact, last year’s No. 1 scoring offense is tied for the fewest touchdowns in the NFL through four weeks with six. There are six teams in that group, and Dallas (3-1) is the only one with a winning record. Defense is the primary reason, but that hasn’t stopped teammates from calling their replacement QB “Cooper Clutch.”
“It’s Cooper being Cooper,” said receiver CeeDee Lamb, who has a touchdown catch each of the past two weeks. “Just for him to get this opportunity and shine a little light on him, that’s huge for him.”
Rush never has been big on the spotlight, whether now or as the unheralded Central Michigan player who won the backup job in Dallas before the Cowboys decided to replace him going into 2020.
In his first start at Minnesota last season, Rush tried to remind himself it was just “playing ball,” as he had while throwing for nearly 13,000 yards with 90 touchdowns in a pro-style offense with the Chippewas.
Rush was saying the same things early this season after Prescott was injured in a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay and the Cowboys feared they might be without their star QB until November.



