Micah Parsons Strip Sack, Sam Williams Fumble Recovery Seals Cowboys 22-10 Win vs. Rams: Live Game Log
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys travel west to SoFi Stadium to meet the Los Angeles Rams in a game that could have NFC playoff implications.
But both teams have to get there first. ... and the Cowboys need to get there healthy.
That will not likely happen, we're told, for newcomer veteran Jason Peters, who late this week here at The Star sustained a chest injury that could sideline him for three weeks. Peters, a recent signing and a nine-time Pro Bowler, has become a "rotational starter'' in Dallas' O-line.
He will be listed optimistically as “doubtful” this week.
On the flip side of that, receiver CeeDee Lamb popped up on the injury report this week as Dallas is monitoring a groin issue that is not thought to be serious.
Overall, the Cowboys are playing well as quarterback Cooper Rush is filling in for the injured Dak Prescott, posting three consecutive victories in relief of the $140 million starting QB. But make no mistake, it's the defense that's mostly responsible for the Cowboys' modest winning streak.
The Dallas defense currently ranks as the No. 3 scoring defense, the No. 5 pass defense, and the No. 7 ranked defense overall.
Cowboys second-year linebacker and reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Micah Parsons hasn't had a sack in two games, but a depleted Rams offensive line could remedy that after allowing seven sacks of ailing quarterback Matthew Stafford on Monday night.
Parsons has at least two sacks in five of his 20 career games played.
via ESPN
Stafford is dealing with an elbow injury dating back to the offseason, and his performance on the field has suffered. Through four games, Stafford is 106-for-150 with 1,015 yards passing but has thrown just four touchdowns against six interceptions.
Offensively, the Rams rank near the bottom of the league in scoring (29), rushing (30), and overall offense (28), while the passing attack ranks 20th.
Live game updates will appear here after kickoff...
Dallas won the toss but deferred.
FIRST QUARTER: Cowboys 9, Rams 3
Los Angeles starts the game with the ball at the 25 after the touchback.
Stafford finds Kupp for three yards then six for a first down.
TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS: On 3rd and 1, the Cowboys sack Stafford (D. Armstrong), who fumbles the ball, picked up by Lawrence who returns it 19 yards for a touchdown. The extra point is missed on a bad snap.
Los Angeles takes over at its own 25 after the touchback.
Akers runs for four yards on 1st and 10, then gets nine on his next carry for a first down.
Stafford finds Robinson for six yards at the LA 45 on 2nd and 9, but on 3rd and 10, Stafford throws incomplete to Atwell.
BLOCKED PUNT COWBOYS: The Dixon punt is BLOCKED by Dorance Armstrong who recovers it and returns it to the LA 35
Elliott runs for five on first down, but Rush's pass to Lamb is incomplete on second down.
FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Maher is good from 33 after the drive stalls with 8:43 left in the quarter. The Cowboys' scoring drive goes five yards in four plays and takes 51 seconds off the clock.
The Rams take over from their own 25 after the Maher touchback.
Akers runs for three to the 28, then two yards to the 30, for a 3rd and 5 from the 30.
A neutral zone infraction penalty on Micah Parsons gives the Rams five yards and a first down.
Stafford finds Atwell for 54 yards to the DAL 11.
On 3rd and 9 from the 10, Stafford throws incomplete to Robinson, covered by Anthony Brown.
FIELD GOAL RAMS: May's kick from 29 yards is good for a 9-3 Dallas lead with 5:22 left in the first quarter.
The Cowboys' drive starts at their 25 after the touchback.
Elliott rushes up the middle for four yards, then Rush finds Brown for five more. On 3rd and 1, Elliott rushes up the middle for nine yards and a first down.
Rush finds Lamb for four yards at the DAL 44 to bring up a 3rd and 5, and Rush is sacked for an eight-yard loss and loses the ball, but it's recovered by Tyler Smith.
The Anger punt goes into the end zone for the touchback with two minutes left in the first quarter. But the Rams committed fair catch interference by blocking a Cowboys player after calling for a fair catch. That moves the ball to the 10.
Akers runs for four yards and then five for a 3rd and 1 when he runs for 13 yards and a first down.
END OF FIRST QUARTER
SECOND QUARTER: Cowboys 16, Rams 10
Akers loses three yards tackled by Sam Williams, then loses five more on a tackle by Tristen Hill.
On 3rd and 17 Stafford hits Skowronek for 13 yards forcing a punt.
Dixon's punt goes to the 26 where it's downed by Turpin.
On 1st and 10 Rush hits Gallup for 11 yards, and Elliott runs for three. On 3rd and 2, Rush passes incomplete to Gallup.
Anger punts 37 yards to the LA 18.
Kupp runs for four, then Stafford finds Henderson for four more.
TOUCHDOWN RAMS: On 3rd and 2, Stafford found Kupp across the middle and Kupp runs 75 yards to the end zone. The Gay extra point is good for a 10-9 Rams lead with 9:13 left in the half.
The kick goes into the end zone.
Pollard runs for two then Rush finds Lamb for 16 yards to the DAL 43.
TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS: Tony Pollard runs 57 yards to the end zone for the touchdown. The Maher extra point is good for a 16-10 Cowboys lead with 7:59 left in the half. The scoring drive goes 75 yards in three plays and takes 1:32 off the clock.
The Maher kickoff goes into the end zone for a touchback.
The Rams go three-and-out and punt to the DAL 23 where the Cowboys will take over.
Elliott runs for 12 on first down and then four on the next play to the DAL 39. A holding call rookie Tyler Smith takes Dallas back to the DAL 29.
On 2nd and 16 Rush is sacked for a loss of nine yards by Aaron Donald. On 3rd and 25 Rush finds Lamb for 13 yards to the DAL 33 for a fourth down.
The Anger punt goes 67 yards to the end zone.
Stafford misses Higbee on a short pass on first down, then hits Higbee for five yards on second down for a 3rd and 5.
SUCCESSFUL FAKE PUNT RAMS: Stafford passes incomplete to Skowronek on third forcing a punting situation, and the Rams call a fake punt. Dixon passes complete to Gervase to the LA 37 for 12 yards.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
Stafford passes incomplete on first down then finds Higbee on second down for five yards.
On 3rd and 5 Stafford hits Skowronek for eight yards to the 50 with 1:09 left in the half.
Stafford hits Skowronek again for five yards to the DAL 45 and LA takes its first timeout with 37 seconds left.
On 2nd and 5 Stafford throws incomplete to Higbee.
LA takes its second timeout with 34 seconds left in the half.
On 3rd and 5 Stafford throws incomplete to Henderson. Dixon punts 32 yards to the DAL 12.
The Cowboys take over with 23 seconds left at their own 12.
Elliott runs four yards up the middle to the DAL 16.
END OF THE FIRST HALF - The Cowboys will start the second half with the ball.
THIRD QUARTER: Cowboys 19, Rams 10
Dallas will start from its own 25 after the touchback.
Rush finds Gallup for five yards to the DAL 30 on first down, the Pollard runs for four more for a 3rd and 1.
Pollard extends the drive with a three-yard carry to the DAL 37.
Rush is sacked by Ramsey on first down for a loss of eight yards. On 3rd and 15 Rush found Gallup for 26 yards to the LA 42. Then Elliott ran for eight before losing two on second down.
On 3rd and 4 Rush hit Lamb for nine yards as the Cowboys decline a defensive holding penalty on Haley.
Elliott ran for three and two yards for a 3rd and 5 and Rush threw incomplete to Noah Brown.
FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Maher is good from 45 for a 19-10 Cowboys lead with 8:11 left in the third quarter. The scoring drive goes 53 yards in 13 plays and took 6:49 off the clock.
Micah Parsons is on the sideline with an apparent groin injury but will attempt to play third downs in the second half.
On 3rd and 5 Stafford hit Higbee for 10 yards to the LA 40 for a first down.
Stafford converted another third down with a six-yard pass to Higbee on 3rd and 2 at the LA 48.
On 3rd and 11 from the DAL 47, Stafford is sacked by Parsons for a loss of 11 yards forcing a punt.
The Dixon punt goes 54 yards to the DAL 4 out of bounds with 2:46 left in the third quarter.
The Cowboys can't move the ball and are forced to punt after an offensive penalty negates a first down.
The Anger punt goes 35 yards to the LA 43 and it's returned 14 yards to the DAL 29.
LA tries another trick play as Kupp passes incomplete to Akers deep on the right side.
Henderson runs for five yards off right tackle but a holding call on Skowranek and moves the ball back to the DAL 39.
END OF THE THIRD QUARTER
FOURTH QUARTER: Cowboys 22, Rams 10
Stafford hits Robinson for one yard and then again for five yards to the DAL 38 on 3rd and 19.
MISSED FIELD GOAL RAMS: Gay's kick from 51 yards is no good, wide right for his first miss of the season. The cowboys take over from their own 33.
The Dallas offense does its best disappearing act once again going three-and-out and gaining just five yards in the process. Anger's punt goes 44 yards to the LA 10.
Akers runs on first down for no gain, and Kupp catches a Stafford pass for seven yards on second down.
LA's Edwards and DAL's Lawrence were both injured on the play.
On 3rd and 3, Stafford passes incomplete to Skowronek.
Dixon's punt goes 47 yards to the DAL 36, returned by Turpin 12 yards to the DAL 48.
On first down, Elliott runs up the middle for five yards, then gets three more on second down to bring up a 3rd and 2 from the LA 45.
Elliott converts with a seven-yard run up the middle to the LA 37.
Pollard adds another eight yards on first down, then carries for three more for another first down at the LA 26.
Elliott gets caught behind the line for a loss of two yards on first down, then carries for no gain on second down for a 3rd and 12 from the LA 28.
Dallas takes its first timeout.
Rush gets 11 back to Lamb but he's short of the first down.
Dallas takes its second timeout.
FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Maher is good from 36 for a 22-10 Cowboys lead with 5:32 left in the game. The scoring drive goes 35 yards in nine plays and took 5:37 off the clock.
Stafford finds Higbee for four yards on first down then throws to Harrison for 15 yards on second down to the LA 44.
Stafford finds Kupp for 19 yards to the DAL 37, and then a roughing the passer call on DAL Fowler that adds another 15 yards to the play to the DAL 22.
Skowronek catches for six yards from Stafford to the DAL 16, then on 2nd a 4 LA is called for a holding call taking the ball back to the 26.
Then. on 2nd and 14 Trysten Hill is called for encroachment moving the Rams up to the DAL 21 and a 2nd and 9.
Stafford is sacked by Odighizuwa for a loss of four yards bringing up a 3rd and 13.
INTERCEPTION COWBOYS: Stafford throws deep right intended for Robinson intercepted by Hooker, and returned to the DAL 4.
Elliott runs up the middle for a yard on first down as the Cowboys try and run the clock now with 3:29 left in the game.
LA takes its second timeout.
Elliott runs for two more yards on second down.
LA takes its last timeout.
Elliott loses a yard on 3rd and 7 from the DAL seven.
Anger punts to the LA 41, returned five yards by Powell to the LA 46.
Stafford hits Higbee for seven yards then Kupp for 16 to the DAL 31.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
Stafford finds Skowronek for three yards to the DAL 28 with 1:56 to play.
FUMBLE RECOVERY COWBOYS: Stafford is sacked by Parsons for a loss of ten yards. Stafford fumbles the ball, recovered by Sam Williams at the DAL 39.
Rush kneels for a loss of one yard.
END OF GAME
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