Cooper Rush leads Dallas Cowboys to win in final minute, lessening sting of Dak Prescott loss, season-opening defeat

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Cooper Rush isn't one to show his emotions publicly, and he wasn't about to break character after the Dallas Cowboys quarterback led a final-minute drive that ended in a game-winning 50-yard touchdown.

Rush said that winning an NFL game is enjoyable.

Rush made his second career start, completing 19 of 31 passes for 235 yards and a first-quarter touchdown pass to Noah Brown.

Rush completed 25 of 40 passes for 325 yards with two touchdown passes, including the game winner to Amari Cooper with 51 seconds to play to beat the Vikings.

Rush said you just want to do your job.

Rush became the fifth quarterback in the last 50 years to lead a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime of his first two career starts. Is that the other ones? Houston's T.J. Yates, Seattle's Jon Kitna, Minnesota's Wade Wilson, and Chicago's Virgil Carter all played in the same year.

Rush made his first start last year and the Cowboys were 6-1 at that time. The offense did not get inside the 30-yard line in the loss to the Bucs. When it was learned that he had a fractured thumb, it made it worse.

Jerry Jones knew how important the win was for the Cowboys.

Jones said that the loss was disappointing. It's not enough to point to the reasons why. To come out here and beat a really fine young quarterback and beat a team that played in the Super Bowl just a few months ago is a big tonic for the disappointment we had. We all know how difficult these games are, but the main thing is thanks to Cooper Rush. The principle he kept was a workmanlike one. That is what he has done. He's improved. He knew the offense and did a great job executing it.

After directing touchdown drives on the first two possessions, the Rush-led offense had just 159 yards on the next seven drives, but with 57 seconds left in regulation and the score tied, the Cowboys answered.

Rush does not remember what he said before the drive.

It was most likely 'Let's go'. We're here. We do it because of this. Rush said this is their time. It's a good group with tons of leaders all over the place. Everyone doesn't need to get excited. They are familiar with their jobs. You just go play ball.

Rush did not complete a pass on the final drive. He started the drive with an 8-yard completion to Lamb, followed by a diving 12-yard reception by Brown. The Cowboys caught a 10-yarder from Lamb.

The Cowboys were able to align themselves in time for Rush's spike, unlike in last year's wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, when they couldn't.

Rush said that it was a big deal for them. You don't want to let that happen. It would be great to get that first win. It was the defense that kept us in the game tonight.

Jones said that a loss would not have changed the Cowboys' plan.

Jones said that it would not be an issue of being concerned about reinjuring the thumb when Prescott has strength. "It will be an issue of his ability to hold the ball, and you know, he's beat every time I've looked at it." He has a chance to do it, but we did not put him on IR. We didn't put him on IR so he could work during these weeks. He could definitely be involved in everything. Had we put him there, he wouldn't have been able to do that. I would hope that he would be available, but Rush's performance today takes a lot of the angst out of that.