The Dallas Cowboys secured a 34-26 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, November 24, with quarterback Cooper Rush leading the charge in place of injured starter Dak Prescott. After starting the season 0-2, Rush finally notched his first win, and it was arguably his best performance so far.
Rush completed 24 of 32 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, putting up solid numbers that helped lift the team. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb also made an impact, hauling in 10 receptions for 67 yards. His efforts included drawing a double-team that left tight end Luke Schoonmaker wide open for a critical fourth-quarter touchdown that extended Dallas’ lead.
When asked about Rush’s performance, Lamb offered a reserved compliment.
CeeDee Lamb’s Thoughts on Cooper Rush’s Game
Lamb described Rush’s outing as “pretty good,” though he later expanded on his remarks with more praise.
“Obviously, I feel like we could’ve scored a lot more, but his two touchdowns are definitely a confidence booster within the next few games that we have coming up,” Lamb added.
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was more enthusiastic in his assessment of Rush.
“I thought Cooper did a great job managing the game,” McCarthy said. “I thought the run game teed up some completions for him. I thought he was very decisive. Clearly, it was his best game so far this year.”
For his part, Rush was thrilled to finally get a win.
“You’ve just got to get that ball rolling,” he told reporters. “That’s what we talked about, that was the message all week: get one. Full team effort today, as everyone saw. It was awesome.”
NFL Experts Weigh In on the Cowboys’ Win
The Cowboys’ victory is making waves across the NFL.
In a piece for Bleacher Report on November 24, NFL analyst Timothy Rapp called the outcome a “wild upset,” writing that the Cowboys “can brush aside any talk of tanking for now. You just never know what twists and turns an NFL Sunday will provide.”
Sports Illustrated’s Randy Gurzi also had praise for Rush, noting, “He wasn’t perfect but for the first time this season, Cooper Rush looked like the QB who won four games in 2022. He finished 24-of-32 for 247 yards with two touchdowns and no picks. He had several clutch passes, including two third-down conversions that were nullified by penalties.” Gurzi summed up Rush’s effort by calling him a “winner.”
On the Cowboys’ official website, Kurt Daniels described the game as a rollercoaster for the team’s special teams unit.
“To say this was an up and down game for the Cowboys’ special teams would be an understatement,” Daniels wrote. “A blocked field goal, a blocked punt and a missed field goal had Dallas in a precarious position in the first
