Joe Robbins | Getty Images
INDIANAPOLIS – It’s not often you see mid-season trades totally change things for an NFL team.
But the Dallas Cowboys have certainly reaped some immediate returns from trading for Amari Cooper.
Since Cooper was acquired in late October, for a first-round draft pick, the Cowboys have won 5 of their last 6 games, with all of those wins coming in one-score contests.
Cooper has been a terror for Dallas, piling up 642 receiving yards, the most in the NFL since Week 9.
Not only has Cooper seen his individual numbers skyrocket, the entire Cowboys offense has felt the benefit of having a true No. 1 receiver.
Dak Prescott has found a rhythm that was missing in the early part of the 2018 season.
All-Pro runner Ezekiel Elliott leads the NFL in rushing (1,262 yards) and no player has carried the ball more than him this season (268 attempts). Elliott is also Dallas’ leading receiver with 65 catches this season.
Defensively, the Cowboys employ a very similar system to the Colts.
There’s no question the Cowboys benefit from some tremendous talent in the front 7 of their defense, which is a major reason why they are 4th in total defense, and rank in the top 10 against the run, and pass.
With a 2-game lead in the NFC East, and homefield not likely past the opening round of the playoffs, the Cowboys have far less at stake on Sunday afternoon than the Colts.
Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was in Dallas from 2011-17 as their linebackers coach.
2018 Record: 8-5, 1st place in the NFC East.
Head Coach: Jason Garrett, head coach (9th season as an NFL head coach, 75-58 overall in regular season, 1-2 in the postseason).
2018 NFL Rankings: Offense – Overall, 21st (374.0); Rushing, 6th (140.8); Passing, 25th (233.3). Defense – Overall, 4th (313.4); Rushing, 3rd (86.8); Passing, 8th (226.5).
2018 Leading Quarterback: Dak Prescott (285-of-418 comp., 3,131 yards, 68.2 pct., 17 TDs, 7 INTs, 96.7 rating).
2018 Leading Running Back: Ezekiel Elliott (268 carries, 1,262 yards, 6 TDs).
2018 Leading Receiver: Ezekiel Elliott (65 receptions, 502 yards, 3 TDs).
2018 Leading Sacker: Demarcus Lawrence (8.5).
2018 Turnover Breakdown: Plus/Minus 0 (18th in the NFL).
2018 NFL Draft Results: With the 19th overall selection in 2018, the Cowboys took Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, who is garnering some Defensive Rookie of the Year chatter. In the second round, the Cowboys bolstered their offensive line with the selection of Texas’ Connor Williams, who is expected to start on Sunday for All-Pro Zack Martin. Colorado State wide receiver Michael Gallup was the choice in Round Three. In the 4th round, the Cowboys had two selections and used them on Kansas defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Stanford tight end Dalton Schultz.
2017 Review: A 6-game suspension for Ezekiel Elliott dominated the main storyline for the 2017 Cowboys. With Zeke playing the first 8 games of the season, the Cowboys went 5-3. But Elliott’s denied appeal eventually led to him missing Weeks 10-15, and Dallas went 3-3 in that stretch. With no margin for error in the competitive NFC last season, the Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs in losing a home contest with the Seahawks in Week 16. Despite a 9-7 record, the Cowboys missed the playoffs.
Last time in Playoffs: 2016 season. Lost to the Green Bay Packers, 34-31, in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs.
Last time in Super Bowl: 1995 season. Beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17, in Super Bowl XXX.
Super Bowl Championships: Five. 1971 season (VI), 1977 season (XII), 1992 season (XXVII), 1993 (XXVIII), 1995 (XXX).
2017 Pro Bowl Selections: TE-Jason Witten, OT-Tyron Smith, OG-Zack Martin, C-Travis Frederick, DE-DeMarcus Lawrence.
