Hobbled Amari Cooper 'Approaching It' Like He Plans to Play in Cowboys Vs. Eagles Showdown
FRISCO - We know that Amari Cooper prides himself on playing through injuries, and doing so at a stellar level. So maybe it's his mindset talking, not his body, when he said on Thursday that despite his injured quad, he hopes to practice on Friday and to play for his Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in the home showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I don’t look at it like, ‘Oh, I’m going to rest this week and then have the bye week so I can have two weeks to get ready for whatever game is after that,’” said Cooper, aware of the coming break in the Cowboys NFL schedule. “I always approach game week like I’m going to play.”
How much of that is reality? Cooper has been bothered all year by an assortment of injuries - heel, ankle and now quad - but not until last week's lost at the New York Jets did he truly succumb. On the first series, the quad flared up in such a way that he decided he'd actually be hurting his team by trying to limp around on it in the game.
In the end, Cooper played just three snaps last week against the Jets before pulling himself.
The Cowboys’ Oct. 27 bye week is right around the corner, and much-needed for him and others. But he insisted that will not impact his decision. ... and he's insisting - despite every indication that I've gotten from here inside The Star that he needs time off - that he will try to participate in practice on Friday as a test toward participating on Sunday in a crucial game pitting two 3-3 NFC East rivals, playing for first place in the division.
"This week is better than last week,'' he said. "I am preparing like I am going to play. ... I plan on practicing tomorrow and see what I can do."
