Cooper Rush seems to be getting more comfortable with each game. Do you think he and the Cowboys should start opening up the offense more, like with more downfield throws? Or is it best to keep things as is, more reserved? – Bobby Wilson/Dallas, TX
Nick: I think with anything, the more repetitions the quarterback gets, the more comfortable he's going to be. I do think Cooper Rush throws a good deep ball and that can be something that is used more and more. I just think gone are the days where that's a 50-50 ball. It seems like it's a 40-40 ball and a 20 percent chance for P.I. I don't have the exact stats on that, but it just feels that way. There seems to be a greater than 50 percent chance to get the ball down the field, whether it's a catch or penalty. So, I would like to see that more. With that, you have to get the play blocked a little longer for the guys to get down the field. But also, the running game plays a factor, too. If the Cowboys can run the ball like they have the last two games, we will see more of the play-action and the chance to throw it deep.
Kurt: I agree that Rush has been getting better every week, but I don't think it's time to open up the floodgates. Before his injury, Dak Prescott got the ball out in 2.5 seconds or less on 65 percent of his pass attempts, and he was averaging 5.6 completed air yards per completion, which is how far the ball traveled in the air before being caught. Of his 185 pass completions, 78 percent were nine yards or less. By comparison, Rush has been getting the ball out in 2.5 seconds or less on 79 percent of his attempts while averaging 4.1 completed air yards per completion. Among his 112 completions, 84 percent have been nine yards or less. And that doesn't include the eight drops he's been dealt in that range (Prescott has four). So obviously the Cowboys are relying on more of a short passing game with Rush, and here's why – he's got a 1.1 interception percentage that is tied for the third lowest in the NFL. So I doubt we see any changes in the offensive game plan. Rush will take his deep shots now and then, but his primary goals are to 1) take care of the ball, and 2) get the ball in his playmaker's hands and let them go to work.
