CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Cooper Rush has had his fair share of ups and downs since taking over as the Cowboys starter, but there were a lot more ups in Dallas’ 30-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Rush completed 18 of his 29 pass attempts for 214 yards and a career-high three touchdowns to three different Cowboy receivers.

“I was happy about that one,” Rush said. “I had fumble stuff in my mind still, so I was happy at least to have something I could hold on to with that one.”

CeeDee Lamb and Rush were in sync for a majority of the game, as Lamb caught nine passes for 116 and Dallas’ opening touchdown on a throw he had to adjust back to, still finding a way to come down with it.

“He’s unbelievable. A couple of throws today he just takes for 20 yards,” Rush said. “Just elite level instincts that a lot of guys don’t have at that level, just pretty easy to throw to, got to get him the ball.”

Apart from a couple of throws he’d like back, the only negative from Rush’s performance was yet another self-inflicted fumble on an option play toward the end of the first half. Carolina took full advantage of it, with Bryce Young throwing an 83-yard touchdown to Jalen Coker with less than a minute to go in the second quarter to make it a three-point game.

“That was a frustrating one, obviously. I think in the first half we were moving the ball, doing whatever we wanted to do,” Rush said. “So to end the first half that way, tried not to let that one ruin my day. That one’s on me. I’ve got to figure that one out.”

Rush has now led the Cowboys to a 3-1 record in their last four games and is an even 3-3 since taking over for Dak Prescott as the starter. He was in a similar position in 2022, and feels that he’s playing some of his best football yet.

“I think I’m a better player than I was in 2022, for sure,” Rush said. “Some fundamentals have cleaned up. I’ve been around a long time, but getting starts matters. And you do learn every game, so that’s important.”

And just because Rush is playing better doesn’t mean there aren’t still things to clean up, but the Cowboys will certainly take some positive momentum after an injury-filled short week heading into Sunday Night Football against the Buccaneers in Arlington next week.

“I thought his two touchdown throws were huge,” Mike McCarthy said of Rush’s passes to Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks. “Love his poise. He commands the huddle, keeps us in a really good place.”