By Alex Al-Kazzaz
It didn't take long for the Dallas Cowboys to take control. On the Rams' opening drive, the defense forced a strip-sack that DeMarcus Lawrence returned to the house to give Dallas the lead. Soon after, the Cowboys managed to block a punt and return to the 20-yard line to provide the offense with tremendous field position, only for the Cowboys' offense to settle for three points. It was going to be a long day for the defending Super Bowl Champions as well as the Cowboys.
The final score was 22-10. Dallas improved to 4-1 while Los Angeles has dropped to 2-3. Matthew Stafford & company are on a two-game losing streak now. Cooper Rush is now 5-0 as a starting quarterback.
It's absolutely no exaggeration to say that it was the defense that won the game for the Cowboys. In addition, it's no exaggeration to say that the Cowboys sputtered several times, forcing the defense to bail them out at every turn. However, Tony Pollard's 57-yard touchdown run provided some much-needed breathing room, considering the Rams had scored on the previous drive courtesy of a 75-yard touchdown by Cooper Kupp that gave LA the lead. An 0-2 finish in the red zone for Dallas is bad.
The Cowboys' passing game finished with a total of 76 yards! For Dallas, that's frustrating, but for Los Angeles? That's HUMILIATING considering how they lost the game and also due to the fact that they finished with 285 yards through the air! In addition, both CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup each had one crucial drop in this game. The Rams' running game finished with 38 yards and the interesting part is that LA came into this game with one of the league's worse rushing offenses while Dallas came in with one of the league's worse rushing defenses. Guess who won?
As average as the offense was and as questionable and frustrating the offensive play-calling was, there's one thing to give the Cowboys credit for; NO TURNOVERS COMMITTED.
Three turnovers, five sacks, including two that were strip-sacks, and six tackles for a loss. Those stats can't go unnoticed. However, what also can't go unnoticed is Trevon Diggs getting torched TWICE for a combined over 120 yards! In Diggs' case, he's not going to be perfect every week, but that's something he can't allow to happen next week in Philadelphia.
Micah Parsons getting two sacks including the game-winning strip sack was incredible. He did suffer an apparent groin injury, but he was able to stay in the game. The late interception by Malik Hooker denied the Rams the opportunity to score a late touchdown which very likely was LA's last shot. The Cowboys' defense came up clutch, so to say that they indeed won the game is justifiably solidified. Furthermore, giving up only ten points in back-to-back weeks speaks for itself. Not to mention that the defense has YET to allow 20 points in a game.
Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn deserves major credit for how the defense played in this game and how they've played so far this season. Based on how great the defense was against LA, shall we say that Quinn directed a high action-thriller in Hollywood? In that case, who gets the Oscar for the best player? Parsons? Lawrence? The defense needs to keep it up!
Head Coach Mike McCarthy deserves credit for coaching well against the Rams. Honestly, he deserves credit for how the team has emerged in the past four weeks after the disastrous opener against Tampa Bay. Quite frankly, nobody expected a 4-0 run with Rush under center. Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore gets partial credit too despite the questionable conservative play-calling. The entire team gets their fair share of credit as it's about working, training, and winning as a team. In other words, it's about teamwork!
The Cowboys take on the 5-0 Philadelphia Eagles next week on the road. Dallas is looking to pull off another upset before returning home to face Detroit and Chicago to close out the month of October.