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Report: Cowboys Used Trey Lance, Cooper Rush to Prepare for Tua Tagovailoa's Skillset

Jack MurrayDecember 24, 2023

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 10: Trey Lance #15 and Cooper Rush #10 of the Dallas Cowboys look on against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on September 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys relied on the quarterback depth on the roster to prepare for Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that the Dolphins have had both Cooper Rush and Trey Lance imitate Tagovailoa in practice this week in order to give the defense the best look at his dual-threat ability.

FOX Sports: NFL @NFLonFOX

How did the Cowboys go about planning to face Tua Tagovailoa this week? <a href="https://twitter.com/JayGlazer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JayGlazer</a> on their unique approach 🗣️ <a href="https://t.co/axC4agepKf">pic.twitter.com/axC4agepKf</a>

"They used two quarterbacks to play Tua in practice this week," Glazer said. "He gets the ball out faster than any quarterback in the league...they used Cooper Rush for those plays. They used Trey Lance for the plays that he extends plays and used his legs to keep plays going. They used two guys just to help prepare for Tua."

The Dolphins' offense has been explosive this season and Tagovailoa's talent is a key reason why. He has thrown for 3,921 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions through 14 games thus far in 2023 and has helped lead the Dolphins to a 10-4 start.

With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle as receiving threats along with Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane in the backfield, Tagovailoa has a wide assortment of weapons that makes the Dolphins' offense a nightmare for opposing defenses.

The Dallas defense has been elite all season but have struggled against some strong offenses on the road, including the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. Fixing this issue by season's end and securing the best playoff path is what the Cowboys need to do to make a deep playoff run, and utilizing the quarterback depth in the room to simulate Tagovailoa's skill set is surely a good strategy ahead of a vital matchup.