Cooper Rush led Cowboys to a pair of 4-1 stretches in 3 years. Which is more impressive?

Playing against the Philadelphia Eagles hasn’t generated many happy memories for Cooper Rush.

When the Dallas Cowboys’ backup quarterback got his first extended run filling in for an injured Dak Prescott in 2022, Rush went 4-0 before suffering a loss to the Eagles in his final start before Prescott returned. This year, when Prescott’s season ended Nov. 3 in Atlanta, Rush was handed the keys to the offense again.

His first start came Nov. 10 at home against the Eagles. Rush threw for 45 yards — not in a single series or any one quarter, but in the entire game. The Cowboys failed to score a touchdown and lost 34-6.

Considering how Rush is playing now, that game against the Eagles feels like a distant memory.

After that game against Philadelphia, the Cowboys lost handedly to the Houston Texans. Since then, Rush has led the Cowboys to a 4-1 record in the last five games. His 292-yard performance in the win Sunday over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — he completed a pass to eight targets and pushed the ball down the field — was arguably his best game of the season, and one of the best of his career.

Cooper Rush completed passes of at least 21 yards to four receivers against Tampa Bay. (Tim Heitman / Imagn Images)

On a team that has a franchise quarterback, it’s rare for the backup to get an extended run. It’s rarer for the backup to get an extended run twice in three years. For that backup to lead his team to 4-1 marks during both five-game stretches is remarkable.

“I would say he’s as even-keeled as an individual, especially a quarterback, that I’ve had the opportunity to work with,” head coach Mike McCarthy said prior to Rush’s first start this season. “Cerebral. Smart. He gives you the flexibility to continue to play (a similar offense). I think that’s what you want in all your quarterbacks. You don’t want to get to a spot where you have to change a bunch of things offensively because (of) who’s behind center.”

Even though the extended stints are only two years apart, the difference in circumstances amplifies the impressiveness of what Rush has been able to do. In 2022, Kellen Moore directed the Cowboys’ offense. This year, it’s McCarthy’s offense, after the head coach took things over in 2023. Rush found success in both systems.

He helped guide the Cowboys to wins over respectable competition in 2022 and this season.

Of his four wins in 2022: One was against the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, another was over a Cincinnati Bengals team that reached the AFC Championship Game that season and a third came against the New York Giants, who were the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs.

The wins haven’t been as impressive this year but beating a Washington Commanders team that appears destined for the postseason on the road was a quality win. Before the Cowboys upset the Bucs on Sunday, Tampa Bay had won four consecutive games and was in the driver’s seat to win the NFC South. The Bucs still remain in the mix for the division and spot in this year’s playoffs.

When asked about which 4-1 stretch was more impressive, it was a clean sweep among McCarthy, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer (a Dallas coaching analyst in 2022) and Rush.

“Personally, I think I’m a better player now,” Rush said. “Doing some things better. In 2022, our defense was very stout. I mean, our defense right now is getting turnovers and things like that, too, so it’s very similar that way. Defense getting turnovers and us not turning it over is leading to victories.”

“Being around him every day, talking to him every day, being with him on the field, seeing his calmness, his influence on the rest of the guys, it does not go unnoticed,” Schottenheimer said. “What he’s been asked to do and some of the things he’s been tasked to do, a little shorthanded at times, is remarkable.”

Comparisons rarely are apples to apples, and there are differences in both scenarios. But one commonality is how much help Rush is getting from the running game and a stellar defense, two things commonly described as any quarterback’s best friends.

During Rush’s five starts in 2022, the Cowboys boasted a total defensive EPA of 34.32, which ranked fifth in the NFL during that span. The defense forced six turnovers in those five games, which tied for 12th in the league, and had a plus-2 turnover margin, which tied for ninth. Despite only having a 100-yard rusher once, the team averaged 128.4 yards rushing per game, which was 13th in the league.

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In the past five games, the Cowboys’ defensive EPA has been 16.35, which is good for eighth during that time. In these five games, no team has forced more turnovers than the Cowboys’ 12 and they rank second only to the Kansas City Chiefs in turnover margin at plus-8. Rico Dowdle has had three 100-yard performances and the Cowboys have averaged 122.2 yards rushing per game.

In 2022, Rush jumped in early in the season in Week 2 and rolled off four consecutive wins before the loss to the Eagles. This year, Rush inherited a 3-5 team from Prescott, had the stinker against the Eagles in his first start and a 24-point home loss to the Texans in his second start before bouncing back and going 4-1 in his next five games.

“That part is definitely something to be proud of,” Rush said of his 4-1 stretch this year coming after some adversity. “You’re in the midst of a losing streak, to turn it around like that, as a team, both sides of the ball picked it up. Look back on that and be proud of that.”

The other thing that gives this year the edge is that the 2022 Cowboys were simply a much better football team. In fact, there’s a legitimate case to be made that the 2022 squad was the best team of McCarthy’s five years in Dallas. This year’s team would be in the bottom two. Through the eight games that Prescott was the starter, the Cowboys’ defensive EPA was -42.34, which was 30th in the league, they averaged 82 rushing yards per game (31st), the defense forced six turnovers and the team had an overall turnover margin of minus-7, both 27th during that time.

Clearly, the defense got better — Micah Parsons returned — and the running game found a groove but the 2022 squad was still better. That’s what makes Rush’s work in these past five games even more impressive.

The late-season turnaround — albeit too late for 2024 — has been encouraging but winning Sunday would be monumental for the Cowboys. It would eliminate their top division rival from contention for the No. 1 seed. For Rush, it would get him past a team that has been a personal sore spot, even when things have otherwise been good.

(Top photo of Rush: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)