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Ron Jenkins / Associated Press
There is some truth to the Dallas Cowboys that needs to be recognized, and it will cause a lot of pain to people. So sit down, take a deep breath and get ready.
This truth is this: Jerry Jones was right.
Have you just lost your appetite for turkey leftovers?
He was right to swap a first-round player against wide receiver Amari Cooper. He was right to think that this kind of capital project was worth it. He was right to see what Cooper would do on the offensive: to stretch it, make it more explosive, make things easier for Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.
Jones still believes he's right (and often he does not do it). But on that? He was dead.
Cooper scored two long touchdowns in the Thanksgiving Day 31-23 win at the AT & T Cowboys Stadium, putting his team at the top of the standings to win the NFC East.
Cooper was dazzling and sometimes breathtaking. His first score came on a 40-yard slope during which he seemed faster than ever in Oakland. That's 17-13.
His second was even more impressive. He caught a short pass and left for a 90-yard gust, surpassing all of Washington's high school. It was the longest take of his career and the longest pass of Prescott's career.
Ron Jenkins / Associated Press
The most impressive part of this game was speed. As noted by next-generation statistics (via ESPN Stats & Info), Cooper reaches 20.82 mph, the fastest Cowboys ball carrier since 2016.
Of course, after the match, Jones made a victory lap. He explained how former Raiders coach Jack Del Rio had told him that Cooper was worth exchanging.
"Jack Del Rio said before we went on the market, he said:" Watch the Kansas City movie a year ago, "said Jones, a member of ProFootballTalk. "We just said to the devil, we will not do anything, but will throw the ball in. Look at this, and it will show you how Amari is. [game today] kind of reminded me a bit of that [Del Rio] tried to say.
"I'm proud of him, he works hard, he's so conscientious and I'm so proud to have him."
In this Chiefs game, Cooper had 11 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns.
"I do not want to prove that the Raiders are wrong," said Cooper. "I just want to prove that the Cowboys are right, they traded for me, and I'm going to be a good player for them."
Cooper has never been known for this type of speed in Oakland. Maybe that's because his quarterback was not as good as Prescott, or maybe because the Raiders are rebuilding and exchanging all their players. Whatever the reason, we see a totally different Cooper.
What it provides, it is the symbiosis. Prescott has another weapon, Elliott has time to breathe and Cooper has a unique coverage thanks to the quarterback's attention. That match was a perfect example: Elliott had 143 yards and a touchdown, Prescott had 289 yards, a high in the season, and Cooper had 180 yards on eight assists.
Which brings us back to Jones.
Maybe Jones just got lucky. And maybe the choice of the first round for Cooper is still too much. Maybe, but Jones took a chance that Cooper could add a spark and propel Dallas into the playoffs. He is likely to be right, as the Cowboys are 6-5 and tied with Washington for the division title. Despite the split of the clashes against Washington, Dallas is technically in first place, since he holds the next decisive match (record within the division).
Danny Karnik / Associated Press
Jones has been deceived in many things, namely keeping his coach Jason Garrett far too long. Garrett is great for applauding but not much else.
On Cooper, though, Jones may have understood well.
It is true that NFC East is a terrible division. The giants are eagles are nearly dead. Washington is stuck with Colt McCoy at quarterback for the rest of the season.
It is possible, if not likely, that Dallas will play in the playoffs, he would lose his first game. The Cowboys would probably be the worst team in the playoffs.
But they would be in the playoffs, and that's what Jones wanted when he traded against Cooper.
It's hard for some to admit that Jones is right on something, especially since it would have no problem telling you.
Cooper, however, he was right. Very true.
Try not to vomit.
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