Rams-Cowboys Preview Capsule
LA RAMS (8-5) at DALLAS (6-7)
Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox
OPENING LINE - Cowboys by 2ˆ½
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Rams 9-4; Cowboys 7-6
SERIES RECORD - Tied 17-17
LAST MEETING - Rams beat Cowboys 30-22, divisional playoff, Jan. 12
LAST WEEK - Rams beat Seahawks 28-12; Cowboys lost to Bears 31-24
AP PRO32 RANKING - Rams No. 10, Cowboys No. 15
RAMS OFFENSE - OVERALL (8), RUSH (21), PASS (6).
RAMS DEFENSE - OVERALL (8), RUSH (12), PASS (10).
COWBOYS OFFENSE - OVERALL (1), RUSH (10), PASS (1).
COWBOYS DEFENSE - OVERALL (9), RUSH (19), PASS (7).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Rams have won five of seven to move one game behind Minnesota (9-4) for second NFC wild-card spot. '¦ Rams have 30 sacks during that seven-game surge, including 11 in last two games against elusive QBs Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson. LA moved up to fourth in NFL with 43 sacks this year, already surpassing last season's total. '¦ Rams are 19-5 away from Coliseum in regular season under Sean McVay, including 5-2 this year. '¦ RB Todd Gurley still hasn't had 100-yard rushing game this season, but excelled last week against Seahawks. With next rushing TD, he will tie Eric Dickerson and Stephen Jackson for second most in franchise history with 56. '¦ WR Cooper Kupp needs 10 yards for first career 1,000-yard season. '¦ Rams have NFL-best 296 points off defensive takeaways since McVay, coordinator Wade Phillips took over in 2017. '¦ RT Rob Havenstein could be healthy enough to return after missing four games with knee injury. Rams' reconfigured offensive line was inconsistent last month, but has played better in recent weeks. ... DT Aaron Donald has 11 sacks, is only player with at least eight sacks each of past six seasons. ... Cowboys tied for NFC East lead with Philadelphia despite second three-game losing streak of season. Dallas has never made playoffs with multiple losing streaks of at least three games. ... Cowboys have 4,000-yard passer (Dak Prescott), 1,000-yard rusher (Ezekiel Elliott) and 1,000-yard receiver (Amari Cooper) in same season for first time in franchise history. ... Tony Romo is only other Dallas QB to pass for at least 4,000 yards and did it four times. Prescott needs 2 yards passing to join Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Ryan Tannehill as QBs to reach 15,000 yards in first four seasons. ... Cowboys are fourth in plays of at least 20 yards with 64, while Rams lead NFL allowing just 31. ... TE Jason Witten needs 97 yards receiving to become 19th NFL player to reach 13,000 career yards. ... Fantasy tip: Gurley has 333 yards from scrimmage in two career meetings with Cowboys.
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