Did Amari Cooper write the book on … Amari Cooper? Cowboys WR explains 'truth in every joke'
FRISCO, Texas — Amari Cooper has heard the trope long enough to play along.
Sure, the Cowboys receiver will tell you, he has a book on route-running and releases. The chapters are numbered one to 100. Chapters vary between breaking down the importance of speed and plethora of double moves. Chapter 53, for example, details a second-level release. For releases one through 10, Cooper will lead with his right foot, quarterback Dak Prescott says.
“We’ll be watching tape and he’ll be like, ‘Oh, dang, you see that, Dak? That was release 13. That was release AC-50.’ Or release 53. … He has some reasoning behind the numbers.”
The story is elaborate and consistent enough across the Cowboys locker room to sound believable. Besides, Cooper says when questioned by cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, why shouldn’t he remember his route numbers? After all, he wrote this book. Awuzie sighs.
“There’s truth in every joke,” the defensive back says wisely.
Cooper separates fact from fiction.
“The reason I came up with [the idea of my book] is because I noticed everywhere I’ve been in high school, college, NFL, guys who play with me would tell me, ‘What’s that?’ or ‘How’d you do that? How’d you create that separation on that route?’” Cooper said Thursday from his locker at the Star. “I’d just notice them like trying to emulate the same moves and I was like, ‘You went into my book for that.’”
Cooper’s book has become an increasing must-read since the Cowboys dealt their 2019 first-round draft selection to Oakland last October. In less than a year, he has applied it to become the first Cowboys receiver to post multiple 200-yard receiving games. In 14 regular-season games and two playoff contests, Cooper has amassed a monstrous 1,408 yards and 12 touchdowns on 98 receptions.
He capitalized on man coverage from Dolphins Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard in Week 3 to post 88 yards and two scores. Against Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander last Sunday, he racked up 226 yards and another touchdown. Cooper wasn’t satisfied with his production in the 34-24 loss, instead pointing to an interception that brushed his hands in the first quarter.
But he understands that people marvel at his separation. Often, he has the answers.
“Most corners are similar in terms of how you can beat them,” Cooper said. “There’s only a select few that you have to actually go to the back of the book on.”
Cooper has faced defenses that have successfully limited him. In Week 4, Saints Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore helped contain Cooper to five catches for 48 yards in Dallas’ 12-10 loss. Against the Colts last December, Cooper was held to four balls for 32 yards in a 23-0 shutout loss. But more often, against talented defenders who closely shadow his moves across a whole game, Cooper simply goes to the “glossary,” he says half-jokingly.
“I haven’t met a corner I had to write a new chapter on,” Cooper adds.
With a talented Cowboys offense, he may not need to much this year.
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No one in Dallas doubts Cooper has elevated an offense that leads the league with 452.8 yards per game and ranks fourth with 312 yards by air. But the single coverage Cooper has seen lately is largely thanks to the weapons that line up beside him. League rushing titleholder Ezekiel Elliott is a constant threat that can compel defenses to load the box to defend the run. Eleven-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten returned from retirement to catch a touchdown in each of the Cowboys’ first two games. Longtime Packers slot man Randall Cobb has proven a smart and mostly dependable underneath threat. And second-year receiver Michael Gallup, taking huge strides in the offseason, currently leads the league averaging 113 receiving yards per game this season.
“You key on one guy? The other guy’s going to hurt you,” Prescott says of throwing to two of the league’s top-three leaders in receiving yards per game. “And we haven’t even got it going with Cobb and Witt and those other guys inside of that. It helps. It’s dangerous.
“Trust me, it’s fun to have.”
The Cowboys view defenders’ choice against No. 19 as a catch-22: Does a coordinator let Cooper burn his defensive back? Or will a secondary double-cover Cooper at the risk of Witten, Cobb and Gallup making them pay? All of this, of course, while facing Dallas’ usually-strong offensive line and Elliott. When defenders pick their poison and single-cover Cooper, Prescott is ready to strike.
“It’s man to man, are you kidding me?” Prescott says. “They haven’t learned yet? We’re going to attack him.”
Prescott, Cooper and teammates agree that their productive days don’t mean much when they lose. They traversed 563 offensive yards with a late comeback attempt against Green Bay but “it’s not a good feeling,” Prescott emphasized, returning to the locker room having thrown three interceptions. “The only thing that’s really on my mind,” added 226-yard Cooper, “is the dropped ball and the turnover it created.”
It’s that approach, and that unwritten rule in Cooper’s book, that Prescott insists will make the difference as fans keep reading.
“I read where y’all asked him about [his stats] and he said, ‘Sure, great but it didn’t exceed my expectations,’” Prescott said. “I mean, that says it all to me right there. The numbers are great, right? But his expectations for himself, for this offense, for us is the reason we’re going to grow, reason we’re going to keep getting better, we’re never going to be complacent.
“He’s a hungry guy. He’s quiet at times. But when it comes to being a competitor, there’s not many like him.”
Follow Paste BN Sports' Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.
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