Cowboys Week 2 studs and duds: Cooper Rush remains undefeated

The Dallas Cowboys’ hopes were at an all-time low following their loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. Not only did they get defeated in every phase of the game, but they lost Dak Prescott for roughly two months.

Those hopes shot back up as soon as they took the field against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 as they were attacking from the start. An opening-drive touchdown set the tone, and America’s Team ended up winning 20-17 on a last-second Brett Maher kick.

Here, we look at who stood out in the surprising win.

Cowboys Week 2 studs and duds in win vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Stud: Noah Brown, WR

Much has been asked of Noah Brown thus far and he’s been up to the task. Against the Bengals, he started out hot, making a clutch 17-yard reception on fourth-and-two. The ball was slightly behind him but Brown adjusted and made the play to extend the drive.

He was then repaid for his work as Cooper Rush found him again later in the drive, this time for a touchdown. The nine-yard score was the first of his career and set him up for a day to remember. He kept delivering throughout the game, hauling in five receptions for 91 yards, including a huge 12-yarder on the final drive, helping to set up the winning kick.

Dud: Kellen Moore, Offensive Coordinator

Kellen Moore was much better in Week 2 than he was in Week 1, but that doesn’t mean he was without fault. After taking a 17-3 lead into the half due to the offense taking chances downfield, Moore got conservative with his play calling.

He also made the win harder than it needed to be. After Rush hit CeeDee Lamb for a 24-yard gain late in the fourth, he called an ill-advised pitch to Ezekiel Elliott that lost them four yards. Again, he was better than their last game but there are still some areas to clean up. For starters, he needs to make better adjustments at halftime.