ARLINGTON -- Ezekiel Elliott's status is secure. He remains the driving force behind the Cowboys success.

Dak Prescott is the steady hand, a player more resilient than spectacular. A "tough SOB'' is what head coach Jason Garrett called his quarterback in the aftermath of Sunday's victory.

But Dallas wouldn't own the NFL's longest active winning streak at five games, the Cowboys wouldn't be one victory away from locking down an NFC East title and the accompanying playoff berth if it weren't for Amari Cooper.

The transformation this team has undergone since Cooper's arrival is dramatic. This offense isn't nearly as explosive as the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City or New Orleans, but it rises to the occasion. A 29-23 overtime win over Philadelphia was the most emphatic example yet.

Cooper finished with 10 catches for 217 yards. All three of his touchdowns came in the game's final 15:51, including the 15-yarder that bounced off cornerback Rasul Douglas for the final score in overtime.

"I've seen this guy play for a long time,'' Prescott said, harkening back to their days in the Southeastern Conference. "Playing against him in college, I knew just how great he was.

"I was almost astonished we were able to get that trade. I thought if we were getting a trade like that, what's wrong?''

Nothing's wrong, unless you count yourself as part of a growing legion of critics who want to question Oakland's personnel acumen.

It's too early to declare long-term victory in this trade for Dallas. Let's see what type of production the Raiders get from the first-round pick the Cowboys sent Oakland's way.

But in just six games Cooper has assuaged any initial fears that this deal would blow up in the organization's face like those for Joey Galloway and Roy Williams before him.

"I didn't know we were going to get all that, honestly,'' said Elliott, who rushed for 113 yards and caught 12 passes for 79 more yards Sunday. "But when I finally saw him in person, when I saw him catch the ball, I saw him run around and run after the catch, that's when I really realized he's truly special.

"You guys saw that today. He took over that game at the end when we needed him. I'm glad to have that guy on the same side as me."

Sunday marked Cooper's second 100-yard game with Prescott. That's only one less than Dez Bryant had in 29 regular-season games with the Cowboys quarterback.

Not everything Cooper does should be viewed as referendum on Bryant's value to the franchise before he was released earlier this year. But since Prescott endured harsh criticism in some quarters for an inability to build any sort of rapport with Bryant, it's instructive.

Prescott connected with Cooper seven times for 167 yards and three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and overtime. Bryant never had more than 116 yards in a regular-season game with Prescott at quarterback and never scored more than two touchdowns.

Bryant failed to reach 100 yards in his final 23 regular-season games in a Cowboys uniform.

"He's a hell of a football player,'' Garrett said of Cooper. "He's made a huge impact on our team since we've gotten him.

"He's just a damn good football player, and we're lucky to have him.''

Cooper's 28-yard touchdown reception staked the Cowboys to a 16-9 lead with 7:46 left in the fourth. After the Eagles came back to tie the score, Cooper was upset that the Philadelphia secondary was sitting on the Cowboys' stop routes.

"I was like this is ridiculous,'' Cooper said. "So when I broke the huddle I was kind of mad and I was like 'Dak, come on.'''

Prescott's response?

"Just run it, bro,'' he said.

Cooper did. He was in the end zone 75 yards later.

"I guess he thought about it again and he kind of signaled a go route and I was elated when he did that,'' Cooper said. "I took off, caught the ball and scored.''

The defending Super Bowl champions came back to send the game into overtime. But Cooper beat the Eagles on a slant route -- again -- for the decisive score.

"I feel like that's who I am,'' Cooper said. "I feel like I can make those plays to help my team win.

"You know I did it in college a lot, in Oakland I did it sometimes. But my whole goal is just to be more consistent and to be able to provide that type of play for my team every week.''

The Cowboys have no complaints so far.

"He is an incredible player,'' said Prescott, who threw for a career high 455 yards. "I knew he was good. I knew he was going to get separation and get open and make great catches.

"But when you just see the run after catch and breaking tackles, and being that great of a player.

"As I said, I'm just thankful we got that trade.''

Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers at 9:35 a.m. Monday.