Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks is going into Week 7 knowing what is at stake for the team.
The receiver is coming off his most active week with the Cowboys, as he had seven receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown against the Chargers last week.
That touchdown was his first with the Cowboys and the 50th receiving score of his career overall.
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PRESCOTT TO COOKS. @DallasCowboys take the lead
📺: #DALvsLAC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/cKH8Z3jhNB pic.twitter.com/VdX89XRFkG— NFL (@NFL) October 17, 2023
The Cowboys Reset Before Sunday’s Game Against the Rams
The team is coming off of its bye week, which Cooks described as a reset before building off the momentum the team generated against the Chargers.
Now, the team is all-in on their Week 8 matchup against the Rams at AT&T Stadium. In fact, the Cowboys have four of their next six games at home.
MORE: Dallas Cowboys Depth Chart
The veteran receiver knows the importance of defending the home turf, saying, “If you want to be successful in this league, you gotta be able to protect your home field.”
Cooks said ultimately, the team is taking things one week at a time.
The Weight of Wearing the Star
It has been 218 days since the Cowboys traded for Cooks from the Texans, making it his fourth stop in his career off of a trade — tied for the most in NFL history.
During his career, Cooks has been with the Saints, Patriots, Rams, and Texans before his arrival with the Cowboys.
However, Cooks said he can see the difference between Dallas and the other teams when the Cowboys win or lose.
“I definitely notice from an outside standpoint, definitely a lot more emphasis when you win or when you lose here. But as I try to do everywhere I’ve been is tune out the noise, and that’s what I try to tell the guys around me,” said Cooks.
The 30-year-old said coaches like Sean Payton and Bill Belichick emphasized tuning out the noise early on, which he picked up quickly.
He has remained even-keeled by staying off social media and not putting himself in situations to see any negative or positive feedback from the outside.
But Cooks is no stranger to the weight the star on his helmet holds, adding all of it “comes with it when you’re the most valuable franchise in the world. That comes with the territory.”
Brandin Cooks Speaks Highly of Dak Prescott
Since Cooks’ arrival in March, his teammates have spoken highly of his work ethic and impact on and off the field.
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Dak Prescott was one of the first to credit Cooks but reiterated it after the Monday Night Football broadcast. Prescott stated, “The guy has been everything we asked for from the moment he came in during the spring as a true leader and as a hell of a player on the field.”
Cooks spoke highly of his quarterback, saying he has been most impressed with Prescott’s resilience, which was on full display after the team lost to the 49ers in Week 5 and racked up a win against the Chargers the following week.
“I think it’s the ability to bounce back from a not-so-good day. I think his leadership to be able to do that for the whole team, I think it’s huge, especially when it’s coming from your quarterback and the leader of your team,” said Cooks.
All eyes will be on Prescott and Cooks to see if they can replicate the production they had in Week 6.