How Will Cowboys Beat Chiefs, Raiders Without Amari Cooper?

Dallas faces two teams with winning records in five days without its veteran receiver.

They survived the loss of offensive lineman Zack Martin in September with solid play from Connor McGovern.

They upset the Minnesota Vikings on Halloween without MVP candidate Dak Prescott behind a game-winning drive orchestrated by backup quarterback Cooper Rush. 

They beat the Atlanta Falcons last week without Greg Zuerlein thanks to perfect fill-in kicking by Lirim Hajrullahu.

Now the Dallas Cowboys face their next personnel challenge of 2021: Playing two winning teams - the Chiefs and Raiders - in five days without leading receiver Amari Cooper. The veteran, reliable target was placed on the COVID list Friday afternoon and will miss Sunday's showdown in Kansas City and, it seems, the game against Las Vegas on Thanksgiving.

Multiple reports suggest Cooper tested positive for COVID-19 and is unvaccinated. That means a 10-day quarantine period and will knock h

Cooper has been the Cowboys' most trusted receiver since arriving via trade in 2018. This season he has 44 catches for 583 and five touchdowns, barely trailing speedy teammate CeeDee Lamb in each category. Still, on a crucial 3rd-and-7, Cooper remains quarterback Dak Prescott's most comfortable connection.

So how will coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore adjust the Cowboys' league-leading offense on such short notice?

Depth.

Lamb will obviously get even more targets. And last week's return of Michael Gallup from a seven-week injury absence comes at a perfect time. But the Cowboys have the luxury of several options to help fill Cooper's void.

First and foremost, Cedrick Wilson - who could start for every team in the NFC East - will get more snaps and likely more passes thrown his way in the midst of his career-best year with 19 catches, 280 yards and three touchdowns. No. 5 receiver Noah Brown also has 100 yards receiving this season.

If the Cowboys want to get creative, they have the reliable tight end in Dalton Schultz and a breakaway back in the screen game named Tony Pollard.

The loss of Cooper is a significant. But as the Cowboys have already proven, their depth could turn what looks like a mountain into merely a molehill.