Excessive Reactions in Week 8 of AFC: Top Teams Continue with 1st Grade Music Chairs
Mackenzie Salmon is ‘overreacting’ to the biggest stories in the AFC from the 8th week campaign in the NFL.
Sport seriously, USA TODAY
MINNEAPOLIS – The Cowboys have won twice.
The first victory came before the start when Dallas has declared quarterback Dak Prescott inactive and successfully avoided the failure of their franchise quarterback.
Then came a more impressive, less-anticipated win: reserve Cooper Rush created a 20-16 escape from US Bank Stadium in his first career start in five professional seasons.
Rush was inconsistent but ultimately impressive as he made 24 of 40 assists for 324 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He scored his first career throw with a spectacular 73-yard shot against wide receiver Cedrick Wilson. Rush’s second, the game’s winner, came in the final minute of the game when he connected to electricity with his target with a common name, Amari Cooper, to fade his back in the corner of the end zone.
A huge base of Cowboys fans sitting behind this eastern end area erupted in cheering. Rush’s family celebrated in the stands, their relatives raising the Cowboys to 6-1 and a sixth straight win.
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In defense, Cowboys rookie Micah Parsons set the tone. Parsons came into the game disappointed with his last appearance and came out with 11 team fights, including a big four for loss and sack.
In attack, Wilson was exceptional – he caught a 73-yard touchdown and completed a 35-yard pass in consecutive runs.
But Cooper-to-Cooper’s second game in the Cowboys ’last offensive run perhaps best summed up the game.
At 2:46 to the end, Rush threw an admirable but not exactly accurate pass. The ball slipped out of the receiver’s outstretched arms and bounced off Viking corner defender Harrison Hand. But Hand did not provide this and Cooper was not finished. He swung the ball, secured it and ran for 33 yards and walked towards the touch that won the game.
“That means everything,” Rush said in a side interview after the game.
The Cowboys often swung their chances, be it with an early touch that Cousins allowed Thielen, or a crazy penalty in the fourth quarter. But in the end, Dallas secured a big win on Halloween and sent a message: this team, full of talent, should scare the NFL.
Follow USA TODAY athlete Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.