Rank'Em
Rank’Em: Finding Gallup’s 10 Best Plays of 2020
We've ranked Michael Gallup's 10 best plays from the 2020 season.
10. Week 1 vs. LAR – It's weird to put a non-play on a best-of list, but this was easily one of Gallup's most memorable moments to date. In a last-chance drive to tie or win the game, Dak Prescott found him down the left sideline for 47 yards. The play would have moved the Cowboys to the Rams' 19-yard line with 30 seconds to play, if not for an offensive pass interference flag – the result of a remarkable sell job by Jalen Ramsey. The flag derailed the drive, and the Rams held on to win. But it was a dubious penalty that won't soon be forgotten by Cowboy fans.
9. Week 15 vs. SF – Gallup got red hot in the final three weeks of the season, and that started with this nifty touchdown catch against the 49ers. DeMarcus Lawrence set the offense up on the opposing 24-yard line with a strip-sack of Nick Mullens. From there, it took Andy Dalton five plays to hit pay dirt, punctuated by a simple pitch and catch to Gallup off of play action.
8. Week 3 vs. SEA – It's easy to forget how electric Gallup was in that early loss to Seattle. Early in the fourth quarter, he broke free from his coverage on a nine route and Dak Prescott hit him perfectly for an easy score. The score cut Seattle's deficit to just two points, but the Cowboys weren't able to pick up the two-point conversion.
7. Week 16 vs. PHI – 55-yard catch, 2Q
The vast majority of Gallup's big plays have come down the field, but he showed off his wheels with this YAC effort against the Eagles. It was a fairly simple wide receiver screen, but once Gallup picked up a key block he was off to the races for 55 yards.
6. Week 13 vs. BAL – 13-yard TD, 2Q
Believe it or not, this acrobatic catch actually gave Dallas a 10-7 lead. Andy Dalton faked the handoff to Tony Pollard and found Gallup in the middle of the end zone, as he out-leapt his coverage for the score. Baltimore would go on to outscore the Cowboys, 31-7, from this point.
5. Week 16 vs. PHI – Having fallen behind, 14-3, early on in the game, Gallup helped spark the Cowboys' comeback with a nifty catch and run. His first touchdown of the day went for 21 yards, and he picked up a solid chunk of that after the catch, dodging several defenders on his way into the end zone.
4. Week 16 vs. PHI – A positively Dez Bryant-like play, Gallup skied over his coverage on a back shoulder ball for his second touchdown of the day. The score put the Cowboys up, 20-17, showing off Gallup's ability with the ball in the air.
3. Week 6 vs. NYG – Credit to Andy Dalton for throwing good passes, but the Cowboys' game-winning drive to beat the Giants was all Gallup. This 19-yard gain moved Dallas into New York territory, and one snap later Dalton would look to Gallup again to set up a game-winning field goal.
2. Week 2 vs. ATL – Gallup only caught two balls in this game, but one of them swung the outcome in a major way. Trailing, 39-30, with 2:13 to play, Dak Prescott lofted a ball down the left sideline for Gallup, who leapt over his coverage and fell down just inside the sideline for a 38-yard gain. Prescott would score three snaps later to cut the score to 39-37, setting the stage for the famous Watermelon Kick.
1. Week 6 vs. NYG – The most heroic play of Gallup's career to date, and a great example of his high-point ability. The 38-yard gain set Greg Zuerlein up for a walkoff field goal.
