Rams-Cowboys Joint Practice Preview
Unlike the 2020 training camp, this year teams are allowed to hold joint practices with opposing teams. On Saturday, August 7, the Rams will head up to Cowboys camp in Oxnard, California and partake in a scrimmage-like environment.
"(Cowboys head) coach (Mike) McCarthy has been great about putting together a good practice plan," Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Wednesday. "That's going to be reflective of us getting a lot of work. And it will be focused on a lot of our top guys."
McVay's blueprint in the preseason has been traditionally to rest his key players. However, in recent years. he's allowed his starters to participate in joint practices, and it appears they'll get a dose of live reps on Saturday against the Cowboys.
So how will the joint practice be constructed?
"We'll hit pretty much every situation," McCarthy told Dallas reporters. "We'll go right through the script. We'll start with special teams and then we'll have a seven-on-seven red zone, one-on-one D-Line rushing – I know you guys love that drill, so you'll be fired up for that. Then we'll go with the seven-on-seven red zone and a team-backed-up drill, then a team red zone, a team third down. Then we'll have a full move-the-ball segment where you just call it and move the field, put the ball down and play. Then we'll finish with a two-minute."
McCarthy also mentioned that the joint practice won't include a whole lot of tackling. Instead, it will be more of a "professional thud" in terms of the physical force that will be used by players.
Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell is encouraged to see how his guys look against new competition.
"(We'll) see where we're at from blocking some different bodies and running routes on new DBs and seeing different coverages at the quarterback position," O'Connell said. "It's a little bit of everything. Kind of like what you'd want to see out of a pre-season game, but just hopefully with that pro-level of taking care of one another and making sure that we're coming out of there clean from an injury standpoint."
Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said on Wednesday that he's looking forward to the physicality, tempo and game-like atmosphere.
"We'll get a chance to communicate with our opposing team and tell those guys what we want to do and how we want to go get it accomplished," Morris said
The Rams defense will not see snaps against Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott as he continues to recover from a strained shoulder muscle, according to McCarthy.
Dating back to the last time the Cowboys hosted the Rams for a joint practice in 2015, a skirmish between both teams broke out. McCarthy was adamant about that not occurring this time around.
"We have no interest in fights," McCarthy said. "That's a waste of everybody's time. Those days, to me, are over. That's not what I'm looking for. It definitely will penalize your team if it happens in a game, so why the hell would you do it in practice? I think Sean feels the same way. We just want the quality work."
Continue Reading: Pro Football Hall of Fame Profile: WR Isaac Bruce
Nick Cothrel is the Publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel.
