What Rams’ Joint Practice With Cowboys Revealed About Week 1

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Rams had their first of two joint practices of the summer. The Rams faced a good Dallas Cowboys team and much of the reaction coming out of the practice was mixed. According to reports, the Rams’ offense wasn’t as sharp against the Cowboys’ defense.

Much of the discussion after the joint practice was how the Cowboys’ defense got torched by the Rams’ offense last summer when the two teams practiced against each other. However, the Cowboys’ defense fared much better against Matthew Stafford and co. on Tuesday.

“Christian Parker and the Cowboys’ defense passed their first test against an opposing team at the Rams’ practice facility on Tuesday,” wrote Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News. “The starting defense limited the Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford to a few big plays.”

According to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Stafford went 22-for-33 on the day with an interception, and most of the Rams’ passing attack focused on the short game.

Rams Offense Has Plenty of Time to Get Sharp

It would be concerning if the Rams had played terribly or lacked the overall energy and execution that frustrated head coach Sean McVay toward the end of training camp. However, that wasn’t the case on Tuesday. McVay seemed overall pleased with what the Rams were able to accomplish.

The Rams didn’t game plan or run anything specific to the Cowboys. Tuesday’s practice was simply about going up against a defense that wasn’t their own and continuing to work on fundamentals.

“We exchange personnel groupings and predetermine the down and distances with the exception of the two-minute situation, but I'm looking for the fundamentals,” said McVay. “I'm looking for some of the style of play within the framework of the rules of engagement that we established. I felt like a lot of that stuff seemed like it was there and that was a positive for us.”

Context Matters With Rams’ Offensive Performance

We’re at a point in the NFL offseason where fans are craving any football and everything matters too much. Even if the Rams weren’t sharp on Tuesday or ‘lost’ the joint practice, they have a month to get ready for Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. There were still some positive things to take away.

Terrance Ferguson got involved in the pass game, creating two big plays. Davante Adams got involved as well. While only 10 of the Rams’ passes may have traveled more than 10 yards down the field according to Harris, there’s still plenty to take away. Without a specific game plan, the focus was more on execution and how the Rams’ rules held up against another team.

“We don't game plan for any of this. We just go out there and play our rules, see how they hold up,” echoed Stafford. “There are going to be things to learn, things to correct but it's a good chance to go compete to see what else is out there.”

Rams Defense Continues to Build Momentum

Over the last few weeks, the Rams’ defense has been showing signs of dominance and has started to come together. While wide receiver George Pickens had a strong day, Quentin Lake had an interception and the pass rush got after Dak Prescott without Myles Garrett in the lineup. It’s possible that right now, the defense is further along than some may have expected.

However, Tuesday also showed that the overall health of the team is one of the biggest variables in winning the Super Bowl. The Rams may have been erring on the side of caution, but being without Nacua for the final 45 minutes of practice and without Garrett completely would have had a huge impact during an actual game.

Tuesday was a good barometer for the Rams to see where they stand against a good Cowboys team. On August 20, the Rams will have their second joint practice of the summer against the New Orleans Saints. At that time, it will be another test before the focus shifts completely to Week 1. The joint practice against the Cowboys showed where the Rams stand and where they still have work to do.

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