Brandin Breakout, Tony's Turn? How Much More Do Cowboys Need from Cooks and Pollard?

Brandin Breakout, Tony's Turn? How Much More Do Cowboys Need from Cooks and Pollard?

It was hard to keep track of all that went well for the Dallas Cowboys in their 49-17 throttling of the lowly New York Giants in Week 10, but perhaps the most encouraging development in Sunday's game was a season-best performance from receiver Brandin Cooks. 

Fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb garnered quite a bit of headlines after the victory, declaring himself "a top receiver in the game" after becoming the first receiver in NFL history with three consecutive games of 10+ catches and 150+ receiving yards. 

But despite Lamb posting 151 receiving yards Sunday, it was Cooks who was the leading receiver for Dallas Sunday, finishing with 173 receiving yards. 

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"Hitting on all cylinders,'' which is where Dallas coach Mike McCarthy says his offense is right now, features Cooks' involvement, of course.

But "all cylinders'' should also mean more Tony Pollard success. Can the Cowboys unveil both speedsters together this Sunday at Arizona?

First to Cooks ... At the outset of the season, a nine-catch, 173-yard performance wouldn't have been especially surprising coming from Cooks. After all, it was the six 1,000+ receiving yard seasons on Cooks' resume that made him an intriguing trade candidate this past offseason as the Cowboys tried to find a 1B receiver to pair with Lamb. 

Receiver Brandin Cooks turned in the best performance of his season Sunday for the Dallas Cowboys.  / USA Today

But Lamb entered Sunday's game with just 17 catches for 165 yards in his first seven games with the Cowboys. Across those seven games, he hadn't topped four catches or 49 receiving yards once. In a 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles the prior week, Cooks laid an egg, recording just a solo catch for seven yards. He looked the part of one of the offseason's biggest busts. 

But now? Said Cooks this week: “The ball came my way, and I just wanted to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that I had ... This one's sweet.''

What's Next for 'The Archer' in Cowboys 'Texas Coast Offense'?

One performance against a Giants team that may not win a game the rest of the season doesn't change the narrative on Cooks' season just yet. But it's an encouraging sign nonetheless, and one the Cowboys hope he can carry in two winnable upcoming games against the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders. If the Cowboys have aspirations of getting back into the races for the NFC East and top seed in the NFC overall, they need to win those two games before a difficult five-game stretch that features matchups with the Seattle Seahawks, Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions. 

They could also use more Pollard, and with coach Mike McCarthy saying this week that "TP'' remains the No. 1 back even as Rico Dowdle has come on, maybe a breakout game is coming.

Said Pollard, who hasn't scored a TD since Week 1 against the Giants (when he had a pair of them): "There has definitely been frustration on my part. But I have to remind myself to be patient."

'Violent!' Could Cowboys Move to 'RB by Committee'?

Sunday's win -- which also saw fellow receiver Michael Gallup catch two passes for 70 yards and a touchdown -- was a reminder of how scary Dallas' passing attack can be when Lamb isn't the only receiver producing. If the version of Cooks that the Cowboys got in Week 10 makes a few more appearances this season, the Cowboys have a chance to make an extended postseason run. And if Pollard "re-explodes'' onto the scene?

"Hitting on all cylinders'' might move to a new Cowboys level.