Brandin Cooks wanted to make an impact in his first game back.

Cooks, who hadn’t played in more than two months, was back on the field on Thanksgiving Day for the first time since Week 4. When he returned, the wide receiver achieved his goal of making a difference for the Dallas Cowboys. Cooks caught just three passes for 16 yards in the Cowboys’ 27-20 win over the New York Giants, but two of the catches had a big impact on the game.

The former Oregon State Beavers star caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cooper Rush, the offense’s first touchdown of the game.

The catch was one of the few passes Cooks ever caught from Rush. The last time Cooks was on the field, Dak Prescott was the quarterback throwing passes. Prescott had season-ending hamstring surgery in November and when Cooks returned after missing seven straight games with a knee infection, he needed to develop chemistry with Rush.

“I just think it’s a question of trust with (Cooper Rush), trusting that I can do it and persevere under him,” Cooks told dallascowboys.com.

Cooks made an even bigger and more impressive catch as the Cowboys held a 27-20 lead late in the game.

Facing a third-and-2 from their own 38 penalty with two minutes to play, Rush fired a pass to the Cooks near the right sideline. Cooks made a diving catch just behind the line for the first down, allowing the Cowboys to run out the clock and seal the game.

“Wow. What a catch,” Fox Sports analyst Tom Brady said on the telecast. “A plus point from one of my favorite players.”

Cooks said he appreciated the trust head coach Mike McCarthy gave him to call the play and Rush to make the throw.

“I think it’s great to trust myself in a situation like this,” Cooks told dallascowboys.com. “Coop trusts me and Coach trusts me to make decisions.”

Confidence and chemistry could grow as the Cowboys (5-7) try to keep their playoff hopes alive in the final five games of the season. Cooks, who will be a free agent after the season, hopes to continue to be a presence.