After a no-show from the wide receivers last week, CeeDee Lamb and others looked much better this week, including the player who many doubted coming into the season, Noah Brown.
Catching all five of his targets for 91 yards and a touchdown in the 20-17 win over the Bengals, Brown is currently leading the Cowboys in receiving yards through two weeks. I am sure not many expected that to be the case. Brown got rolling early with a 9-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, the lone TD pass from Cooper Rush.
I am one of many who doubted Brown could step in for a guy like Amari Cooper and be productive for this football team. In two games, Brown has a combined 159 yards on 14 targets, suitable for almost 80 yards per to start the year. “It feels extremely satisfying,” Brown said after the upset yesterday.
Brown made arguably the most critical play of the game on the final drive, the clutch 12-yard reception that was tipped at the line of scrimmage, which helped set up Brett Maher for the game-winning 50-yard kick.
You could see the connection between Brown and Rush from the start. Both of them have been together since the beginning. Both signed in 2017; they have been getting to work together yearly. The lack of playing time was the problem I think many had when the Cowboys re-signed him for just over $1M while letting two of the top three targets go this off-season.
I was highly impressed by the coaching staff’s trust in Rush and Brown. The early fourth-and-two 17-yard reception was slightly behind him, and Brown could adjust and make the catch, extending the drive. This trust will only continue to build; the offense could have had another touchdown and put the game away if the fumble by Dalton Schultz did not occur.
Brown is doing precisely what he needs to do, stepping up being the WR2; I thought Jalen Tolbert would be the one in this situation, and he has not even dressed in the first two games! The more good news is right on the doorstep. Michael Gallup looks on track to return this week on the road against the Giants. Brown off to the start that he is will hopefully allow the Cowboys to ease him back on a snap count and not feel like they need him immediately.
If Brown had flopped and not impressed on Sunday, Gallup might have been forced back quicker and put into a more significant role than he would have liked next week. Brown should have a chance to build on his early success next week. The giants gave up 82 rushing yards to Derrick Henry in week one and 102 to Christian McCaffery last week. Dallas should be able to run the ball effectively enough, with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard opening up the likes of Lamb, Brown, and Gallup if he is active.