Here’s the Rico Gathers play everyone is going to talk about all week and why it might not matter

It’s becoming a tradition of sorts. Rico Gathers has to have a moment every so often that captivates the world. This is our life now.

The Cowboys tight end exploded onto the national level a year ago when the Cowboys traveled to Los Angeles for the first week of the preseason. The big reason for this was Rico’s play on the field. That’s obvious, right?

Welcome to the 2018 preseason, and welcome to the first big-time Rico Gathers play from it. On Saturday night against the Cincinnati Bengals we saw Rico absolutely “Moss” a member of the visiting team. In all honesty, it was incredible.

This is the thing with Rico Gathers, though. Like a solar eclipse, we get something spectacular ever so rarely, but we need eclipses on a regular basis. We need consistency.

These seems to be words that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones might agree with. He commented about Rico on Saturday night, but he didn’t exactly make it sound like the tight end was set to be on the team’s final roster. In fact, he noted that if Rico makes it on the roster you’re left wondering who’s spot he ultimately took.

“At a point, and I’m not so sure that we’re at that point, if he can be consistent on a personal basis then I’ll give him the time he needs to make those kinds of plays,” Jones said. “We talk about redzone plays and being a weapon in the redzone, he’s certainly that.

”He’s making those [highlight catches] because of his obvious talent and physical advantage, size, leaping-ability, strength, hands, all that. He blocks well when he’s blocking the right man. ... He’s got enough there, but the angst comes when you’re sitting there looking at the guy that’s not on the roster because you kept him on the roster.”

There are two preseason games left, and Rico is likely to get a lot of work in the final one. While that statement in and of itself might describe his chances to make the 53-man roster more accurately than anything, they do also literally provide him with an opportunity to do more things like this, to do them consistently.

So here it is, BTB, the latest Rico Gathers eclipse. It’s not going away any time soon.