Los Angeles Rams Open as Betting Underdogs vs. Dallas Cowboys
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where the Los Angeles Rams let the game get away in the fourth quarter, they've opened as the underdog for their upcoming matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.
According to SI Sportsbook, the Rams are 6.5-point underdogs to the 4-2 Cowboys, coming off their bye week.
However, before the open week, the Cowboys got a 20-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers just a week after suffering a humiliating 42-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Veteran quarterback Dak Prescott proved vital to the Cowboys' bounce-back win on the road versus the Chargers. The seventh-year signal-caller followed up his three-interception loss by completing 21 of his 30 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown.
Yet, his mobility may have been the most significant impactful aspect of Prescott's performance. Prescott not only showed off his legs with his ability to navigate the pocket and avoid sacks, but he also led the Cowboys in rushing with 40 yards on seven attempts, which included the 18-yard rushing touchdown on a read-option keeper.
Oct 9, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is helped up by teammate tackle Joe Noteboom (70) after being sacked by Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium.
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
As San Francisco showed in their win over Dallas, the best formula for containing this new-look Cowboys offense that coach Mike McCarthy is now calling the shots is to get Prescott off rhythm. The Chargers' pass rush did manage to do that on multiple occasions. However, that didn't stop Prescott from hurting him through the air or with his legs.
If the Rams can replicate elements of the Chargers' play defensively to go along with what the Niners did, it may provide them their best chance at winning.
As for a Rams offense that stalled in the fourth quarter while the Steelers scored 14 unanswered points to win, they will go from facing T.J. Watt to one of the other top pass-rushers in, Micah Parsons.
The 24-year-old former first-round pick has five sacks on the season, to go along with seven quarterback hits and 25 hurries, per Pro Football Focus. While Parsons leads the Cowboys in hurries and sacks, he isn't just a one-person wrecking crew. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa trails him with three sacks, and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence ranks second in hurries with 18.
Blunting the Cowboys' pass rush will be the Rams' best chance for success against a defense that feeds off getting after the quarterback.
On Sunday, the Rams will travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys inside AT&T Stadium, where kickoff is scheduled for 10 a.m. (PT).
