Cooper Rush Stuns NFL Fans Again: How the Cowboys’ Backup QB Is Shaping the 2025 Season

Baltimore — The Baltimore Ravens will hand the offensive reins to veteran quarterback Cooper Rush this afternoon against the Houston Texans as former MVP Lamar Jackson nurses a hamstring injury suffered in Week 4. Rush, signed in March after four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, spent the week absorbing input from Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Monken while running first-team reps in practice. The Ravens coaching staff has praised the 31-year-old signal-caller for his “calm command of the huddle” and ability to process quickly at the line of scrimmage, traits head coach John Harbaugh believes will keep the offense on schedule against Houston’s blitz-heavy front. Rush entered Week 5 with a 9-5 career record as a starter, throwing 27 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, most of that résumé built during Dak Prescott’s absences in Dallas. Game plan shift Expect Baltimore to lean on a downhill rushing attack featuring Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell to ease Rush’s burden. Houston ranks sixth-best in yards allowed per pass attempt, but the Texans have surrendered 131 rushing yards per game, creating a clear pathway for play-action concepts that suit Rush’s timing-based style. Look for Monken to feature quick outs to Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews early, then take calculated deep shots to Rashod Bateman once the secondary creeps up. Fantasy football impact Fantasy managers scrambling after Jackson’s injury should view Rush as a high-floor, low-ceiling streamer in superflex formats only. Pro Football Network projects the veteran for 215 passing yards, 1–2 touchdowns, and minimal rushing production—numbers that place him outside the top-15 quarterbacks for Week 5. The real beneficiary could be Henry, who could flirt with 25 touches, while Andrews’ red-zone target share historically rises with pocket passers. Why Baltimore chose Rush General manager Eric DeCosta prioritized an experienced No. 2 this offseason after Tyler Huntley departed in free agency. While Rush’s mobility doesn’t mirror Jackson’s, coaches valued his film-study habits and knack for ball security, evidenced by just four interceptions over 327 attempts last year. Dallas reportedly offered a one-year extension, but Rush chose Baltimore for the chance to learn from Jackson and compete for postseason snaps. His familiarity with spread concepts dating back to Central Michigan eased his transition into Monken’s shotgun-heavy scheme. What’s at stake At 3-1, the Ravens are tied atop the AFC North with the Bengals. A victory over CJ Stroud’s 2-2 Texans would preserve playoff positioning and buy Jackson extra recovery time heading into Baltimore’s Week 6 trip to Cleveland. A loss, however, could tighten a division race already complicated by Pittsburgh’s resurgent defense. Keys to watch today • Third-down efficiency: Rush converted 44.8 % of third downs with Dallas last season, seventh-best among qualifiers. • Turnover margin: Houston owns a plus-4 differential; Rush must avoid the strip-sacks that plagued him in two of his five 2024 starts. • Red-zone play-calling: Expect heavy two-tight-end sets featuring Andrews and Isaiah Likely to exploit Houston’s linebackers. Bottom line Cooper Rush doesn’t need to replicate Lamar Jackson’s highlight reel; he just needs to distribute the ball, protect it, and let Baltimore’s defense and ground game dictate tempo. If he can do that, the Ravens have every reason to believe the Lamar-less stretch will be a short, survivable detour on their road to January football.