Amari Cooper taking shots at Kellen Moore?

Amari Cooper was asked on 96.7 the ticket if Ceedee Lamb is ready to take on the role of the Number 1 WR. Cooper’s response was somewhat standard besides one thing. He mentioned that Lamb would have a great season if he got the opportunity and if Kellen Moore decided to feature him. Cooper saying this says a lot to me and, in some ways, confirms what prompted Amari to have a down season in 2021. 

The subtle jab Cooper threw at Kellen Moore isn’t one that I felt was unwarranted or untrue. For whatever reason, Cooper last year wasn’t featured in the Cowboys’ offense nearly as much and stats back that up. Cooper saw 76 targets in 9 games in 2018, 119 targets in 16 games in 2019, 130 targets in 16 games in 2020, and 104 targets in 15 games in 2021. Watching Amari last year, I didn’t see a player playing at a lower level than he had been playing in previous years; I just saw someone simply not getting the attention he had gotten in prior years. 

The target distribution was odd, especially after week 1, where Amari had 17 targets and then hit double digits in targets twice more the rest of the year. He averaged a measly 5.8 targets game weeks 2-17. That number wouldn’t even be top 40 in the NFL, and it would be 3rd on his team. Targeting someone labeled as your number 1 target in a pass-happy offense a shade under six times a game is extremely low. In the three games that Amari was targeted 10+ times, he averaged 115.3 YPG on 9.3 catches. Amari had no issue creating separation, and when he was targeted, naturally, he put up the numbers you expect someone you are paying $20 million a year.

A way to point to Amari’s overall impact and importance to the offense was the difference he made for Dak while on the field. Dak’s passer rating with Amari on the field was an outstanding 108; with Amari off the field, it plummeted to 83.1. Nothing on film or anything Amari can control pointed to him being a less able WR in 2021 than in previous years. The only difference was he wasn’t utilized nearly as much as he had been. 

Amari wasn’t the only guy I and other Cowboys fans clamored to get the ball more. Tony Pollard had an issue getting touches throughout the season. Amari’s lowkey shots to Kellen Moore highlight one of the young coordinator’s biggest problems. With abundant talent, someone branded as an offensive mastermind should figure out how to incorporate all of his weapons into the offense. He didn’t do that with Amari last year, which prompted Jerry to be upset with his lack of production. Which subsequently got Amari traded. 

I’ve said for months now that this season is crucial for Kellen Moore. The Cowboys lost some talent on the outside this offseason, which could help Moore simplify the offense. But if he’s not able to maximize the offense, there will be a lot of questions about Moore’s ability to be a head coach in the league, which seemed like a certainty just a year ago.