Brandin Cooks is treating Sunday’s game as just another game. However, it’s likely he knows the game is far more important than just another game on the schedule.
Cooks and the Los Angeles Rams face the New Orleans Saints in the NFC championship game, with the winner advancing to play in the Super Bowl. The Rams’ wide receiver is also a year removed the same run as a member of the New England Patriots.
“I’ve been back there twice now,” Cooks said this week. “At the end of the day, it happens to be another game. I don’t make it bigger than it is.”
Cooks was traded to the New England Patriots before the beginning of the 2017 season and the Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl, but Cooks sustained a concussion and left the game after a helmet-to-helmet hit by Philadelphia safety Malcolm Jenkins in the second quarter. Cooks didn’t return.
Cooks was hoping for another trip to the Super Bowl when he was traded to the Rams in March, but didn’t allow himself to think too far ahead during the season and he’s not going to now, even though he’s one victory away from going to Atlanta.
“When I got here, I knew we had something special, but (I didn’t) get ahead of myself,” Cooks said. “Just build throughout the weeks and if we have that opportunity, then we’re blessed.”
Cooks has had a productive first season with the Rams, catching 80 passes for a career-high 1,204 yards and five touchdowns. While he gets the chance to defeat New Orleans – the team that originally drafted him – and advance to a second consecutive Super Bowl, Cooks said he’s not going to get over-hyped for the game.
“I think when you do that, you start to lose focus,” Cooks said. “Take it one snap at a time, and go out there and just have fun.”
PATRIOTS: New England fielded its entire 53-man roster and practice squad Thursday.
SEAHAWKS: Seattle is giving quarterback Paxton Lynch another chance.
Lynch, a former first-round pick, is in the mix as a potential backup for Russell Wilson. Lynch was cut by Denver before the 2018 season but wasn’t signed in 2018 after being released.
49ERS: San Francisco hired Joe Woods as its defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator.
Woods’ addition to Coach Kyle Shanahan’s staff fills a void created when Jeff Hafley left after three years as defensive backs coach to take a job at Ohio State.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.