Wide receiver Amari Cooper will see familiar faces across the line of scrimmage when the Dallas Cowboys play the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round.
The matchups on the field will provide a taste of AFC West nostalgia whenever Rams cornerbacks Aqib Talib or Marcus Peters lock up against Cooper.
The trio knows each other well, given Cooper's roots with the Oakland Raiders, Talib's time with the Denver Broncos and Peters' stint with the Kansas City Chiefs. And Cooper points out his knowledge of the two cornerbacks provide an opportunity to share information with teammates.
"I've played against those guys twice a year, both of them, I know them in and out," Cooper said, via the Cowboys' website. "I know how they play, and I'm able to tell my teammates, the quarterback their tendencies."
Cooper entered the league in 2015, and played the Broncos six times during Talib's tenure in Denver. The wide receiver, however, didn't enjoy much success against the Broncos' then-vaunted "No Fly Zone," which Talib helped anchor with cornerback Chris Harris before Talib joined the Rams in 2018. In six meetings against the Broncos, Cooper totaled 17 catches for 160 and two touchdowns, averaging 26.6 yards receiving per outing.
Conversely, Cooper enjoyed more success in six games against the Chiefs during Peters' run in Kansas City, totaling 32 catches for 457 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 14.2 yards per catch.
Whether it's Talib or Peters who will draw primary coverage on Cooper when the reunion takes place Saturday remains unclear.
"He's got the total package," Talib told reporters, via the Rams' official website. "They're getting the ball in his hands more. A lot more quick passes, a lot more catch-and-run type situations. They're doing a good job getting the ball in his hands."
Since joining the Cowboys via trade in late October, Cooper helped energize Dallas' passing game with 53 catches for 725 yards and six touchdowns in nine games. He finished the season with 1,005 yards receiving split between the Cowboys and Raiders to give him his third career 1,000-yard season in four seasons.
