Rams vs. Dallas Cowboys: Who has the edge?
The Rams seem to have gotten their act together, but is is too late for a successful playoff push? The Cowboys, division leaders or not, seem to be falling apart. So who has the edge for Sunday's game in Texas?
RAMS (8-5) vs. COWBOYS (6-7)
When: 1:25 p.m. Sunday
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Line: Rams by 1 1/2
TV/radio: Channel 11; 710-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish)
RAMS OFFENSE vs. COWBOYS DEFENSE
Jared Goff took advantage of time to pass in the Rams’ wins over Arizona and Seattle, and the conditions could be in place for more of the same against Dallas. The Cowboys’ pass rush is mediocre, Todd Gurley should be able to run the ball against them, and Tyler Higbee might be the next tight end to thrive against them. The Rams are 6-1 when Goff is sacked one or two times, 2-4 when it’s three or more. EDGE: Rams
RAMS DEFENSE vs. COWBOYS OFFENSE
Dallas, with the league’s top offense, couldn’t overcome top-10 defenses the past three weeks. That bodes well for the Rams, who have the eighth-ranked defense. The job is to contain quarterback Dak Prescott, receiver Amari Cooper and running back Ezekiel Elliott. Can the Rams (fourth in yards per pass allowed, four in sacks) neutralize the Cowboys (fourth in yards per pass, first in sack prevention)? EDGE: Cowboys
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Cowboys’ special teams were ranked last in the NFL by FootballOutsiders.com in this, the week they released kicker Brett Maher and signed Kai Forbath (UCLA). The Rams’ special-teams issue looks small by comparison: They might be on their third punt returner after Nsimba Webster hurt a hip in the win over Seattle, his first game replacing JoJo Natson (hamstring). Cooper Kupp could field punts, perhaps with instructions to signal for fair catches. EDGE: Rams
COACHING
Two straight dominant wins indicate Sean McVay has figured out what was holding back the Rams, while four losses in five games suggest Jason Garrett is still puzzling over why the Cowboys can’t put it together despite all of their talent and advantages in many statistical categories. EDGE: Rams
INTANGIBLES
The Rams feel like a can-do team these days, although what they’re doing might be too little too late to qualify for the playoffs. The Cowboys must feel like a can’t-do team, even if a sub-.500 record could win the NFC East. It can’t help Dallas to have speculation swirling about its coach’s future. EDGE: Rams
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Jalen Ramsey vs. Amari Cooper. The Rams’ shutdown cornerback vs. the NFL’s No. 5 receiver by yards (1,054). Ramsey said this week he thinks Cooper might be underrated, serious praise since Ramsey is blunt in his assessments of his opponents. Dallas also has a 900-yard receiver in Michael Gallup, so it’s a challenge for both Ramsey and Troy Hill, who’s opening eyes with his play this season.
PREDICTION: Rams 27, Cowboys 24
It’s hard to know what to make of Dallas, which might be why the Las Vegas point spread on this game bounced wildly from Cowboys by 3 on Monday to Rams by 1 1/2 by Thursday without major injuries on either side. Based on their rankings in key statistical categories, and the star quality of their roster, the Cowboys have potential that might yet be discovered. But for purposes of stating a reasonable expectation for the game, we’ll compare recent scoreboard results, and those point to the Rams.