Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks played a pivotal role in the Rams' NFC Championship Game victory over the New Orleans Saints this past Sunday, catching seven passes for 107 yards.
However, one of Cooks' most important contributions may have been a catch that he didn't make.
In overtime with the score tied at 23, the Rams had a 3rd-and-7 from the Saints' 39-yard-line. Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay called a screen pass to Cooks, which Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore identified.
As Jared Goff threw the pass to Cooks four yards behind the line of scrimmage, Cooks noticed Lattimore closing in on him to make what would have been a tackle for a four-yard loss.
Cooks intentionally dropped the pass, setting up Greg Zuerlein to make a playoff-record 57-yard field goal to send the Rams to the Super Bowl.
“Brandin Cooks, talk about a smart football player,” McVay told reporters, according to Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com. “Having the presence when I give him a terrible play call on the third down to drop it, knowing that it would have been a terrible play where he intentionally drops it.”
Cooks then explained his decision:
“I think it's one of those things where you see what happened, one of the D-ends and Marshon, the way that they played it, being able to be in the backfield before I technically really was able to catch the ball and get upfield,” Cooks explained. “I think it was more important to save those yards, not that Greg (Zuerlein) needs them, but rather play it safe than sorry.”
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