3 Cowboys role players whose stock is soaring after win vs Titans
By Jerry Trotta
1. TY Hilton, WR
The first three catches of Hilton’s Cowboys career picked up first downs. Talk about making an instant impact in a limited role. On Christmas Eve vs the Eagles, Hilton was on the receiving end of 52-yard bomb from Dak Prescott on 3rd and 30 in the fourth quarter that kept Dallas afloat before they pulled out the win.
By early in the second quarter vs Tennessee, Hilton converted two more third downs. The efficiency will regress to the mean at some point, but those grabs mean Hilton produced a first down on each of his first four targets. One of those came via a drawn illegal contact with Dallas trailing against Philly.
We don’t have to tell you it takes time for new Cowboys receivers to earn their stars. Just ask CeeDee Lamb, who’s faced his fair share of criticism over his first three years. Hilton, however, has made that task look easy. He moved the sticks yet again on a 3rd and 5 in the third quarter with Dallas clinging to a 17-13 lead.
That’s the value of adding a veteran with Hilton’s experience. With sticky hands and plenty of speed to burn at age 33, the four-time Pro Bowler is going to be such a clutch outlet for Prescott in high-leverage situations. With more reps together, their chemistry will cause more headaches for defenses come playoff time.
