Post by prossman on Jul 3, 2011 10:48:39 GMT -7
Game 6: Not The Same Old Rams, Dude
Josh Ellis
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Email
2011 Game Preview Week 1: @ New York Jets Week 2: @ San Franciso 49ers Week 3: Washington Redskins Week 4: Detroit Lions Week 6: @ New England Patriots Week 7: St. Louis Rams
(Editor's Note: While there may be uncertainty surrounding the NFL this offseason, the regular-season schedule remains intact. With that, DallasCowboys.com will preview each game in a 16-part series, profiling each of the Cowboys' 2011 opponents with its offseason and draft news, along with both recent and overall history in the series. Today, the series shifts to Game 6 against the St. Louis Rams.)
WHAT: St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 23, 3:15 p.m. (CST), FOX
WHERE: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
SERIES: Rams lead series 15-14
Storylines:
• Bradford's Next Step - The No. 1 overall pick in 2010, Sam Bradford displayed the makings of a franchise quarterback his rookie year. The Rams' success this season will rest on his health and continued development. Adding a big-play wide receiver in free agency could be the key.
• They Could've Had Him - Needing a running back in the 2004 draft, the Cowboys weren't content to take the first one off the board in Steven Jackson, who instead went to the Rams, deciding to trade back into the second round to take Julius Jones. They picked up an extra first-round choice the next year for their trouble, but it's still hard to say it was worth it to move down.
• Offense vs. Defense - The Rams returned to relevancy last season in part because of Bradford's ability to make all the throws and help the running game, but it was really an improved defense that spurred the turnaround. Expect an interesting chess match when defensive-minded head coach Steve Spagnuolo matches up with a former offensive coordinator in Jason Garrett.
Matchup Worth Watching: The St. Louis offense is certainly more versatile than it was the last time these teams faced off, when Steven Jackson dominated them to the tune of 160 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Still, the difference in the game could be in the ability of the Cowboys defense to make the Rams one-dimensional. It'll be a big afternoon for the Cowboys' front seven.
Rams' Draft Review: After owning the top choice in each round in 2010, the Rams were picking a bit farther down this spring. At No. 14 overall they claimed North Carolina's Robert Quinn, who may be the most gifted pass rusher in the class but had to sit out last season because of an NCAA violation. From there, the team attempted to provide some firepower for Bradford. They selected a tight end in Round 2, Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks, followed by back-to-back wide receivers, Austin Pettis of Boise State in Round 3 and Hawaii's Greg Salas in Round 4. It could be tough to integrate the young wideouts this year because of the work stoppage, however.
Last Meeting: It was proof that the universe has a sense of humor. After the division rival Eagles drubbed St. Louis in Week 1 of the 2008 season, new Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was asked whether he and teammates took notice. Jones shrugged off the Philadelphia win by saying "It's the Rams, dude." Fast forward six weeks and the Cowboys were in a bit of a tailspin, losers of two of their previous three games. Tony Romo was hurt, giving way to feeble backup Brad Johnson, who couldn't rally the offense to any level of competitiveness. The Cowboys were down 21-7 by the end of the first quarter, and never made a game of it in a 34-14 humiliation at the Edward Jones Dome, just St. Louis' second - and final - win of the season. And Jones? He missed the game while under NFL suspension for brawling with his personal bodyguard in a nightclub restroom.
One To Remember:
Just a little more than a year before the blowout in St. Louis, the shoe was on the other foot. The Cowboys were off to their hottest start in years when they dismantled the Rams at Texas Stadium, 35-7. The game is best remembered for one of Tony Romo's all-time highlights, when, with less than a minute to go in the first half and the Cowboys driving, Andre Gurode fired a shotgun snap well over the quarterback's head. Romo darted some 30 yards backward, picking the ball up rather than simply falling on it, and juked his way all the way back past the line of scrimmage to convert a first down and keep the drive alive. Five plays later he scored on a 15-yard scramble and the Cowboys never looked back, advancing to 4-0 for the first time since 1995.
Josh Ellis
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
2011 Game Preview Week 1: @ New York Jets Week 2: @ San Franciso 49ers Week 3: Washington Redskins Week 4: Detroit Lions Week 6: @ New England Patriots Week 7: St. Louis Rams
(Editor's Note: While there may be uncertainty surrounding the NFL this offseason, the regular-season schedule remains intact. With that, DallasCowboys.com will preview each game in a 16-part series, profiling each of the Cowboys' 2011 opponents with its offseason and draft news, along with both recent and overall history in the series. Today, the series shifts to Game 6 against the St. Louis Rams.)
WHAT: St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 23, 3:15 p.m. (CST), FOX
WHERE: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
SERIES: Rams lead series 15-14
Storylines:
• Bradford's Next Step - The No. 1 overall pick in 2010, Sam Bradford displayed the makings of a franchise quarterback his rookie year. The Rams' success this season will rest on his health and continued development. Adding a big-play wide receiver in free agency could be the key.
• They Could've Had Him - Needing a running back in the 2004 draft, the Cowboys weren't content to take the first one off the board in Steven Jackson, who instead went to the Rams, deciding to trade back into the second round to take Julius Jones. They picked up an extra first-round choice the next year for their trouble, but it's still hard to say it was worth it to move down.
• Offense vs. Defense - The Rams returned to relevancy last season in part because of Bradford's ability to make all the throws and help the running game, but it was really an improved defense that spurred the turnaround. Expect an interesting chess match when defensive-minded head coach Steve Spagnuolo matches up with a former offensive coordinator in Jason Garrett.
Matchup Worth Watching: The St. Louis offense is certainly more versatile than it was the last time these teams faced off, when Steven Jackson dominated them to the tune of 160 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Still, the difference in the game could be in the ability of the Cowboys defense to make the Rams one-dimensional. It'll be a big afternoon for the Cowboys' front seven.
Rams' Draft Review: After owning the top choice in each round in 2010, the Rams were picking a bit farther down this spring. At No. 14 overall they claimed North Carolina's Robert Quinn, who may be the most gifted pass rusher in the class but had to sit out last season because of an NCAA violation. From there, the team attempted to provide some firepower for Bradford. They selected a tight end in Round 2, Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks, followed by back-to-back wide receivers, Austin Pettis of Boise State in Round 3 and Hawaii's Greg Salas in Round 4. It could be tough to integrate the young wideouts this year because of the work stoppage, however.
Last Meeting: It was proof that the universe has a sense of humor. After the division rival Eagles drubbed St. Louis in Week 1 of the 2008 season, new Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was asked whether he and teammates took notice. Jones shrugged off the Philadelphia win by saying "It's the Rams, dude." Fast forward six weeks and the Cowboys were in a bit of a tailspin, losers of two of their previous three games. Tony Romo was hurt, giving way to feeble backup Brad Johnson, who couldn't rally the offense to any level of competitiveness. The Cowboys were down 21-7 by the end of the first quarter, and never made a game of it in a 34-14 humiliation at the Edward Jones Dome, just St. Louis' second - and final - win of the season. And Jones? He missed the game while under NFL suspension for brawling with his personal bodyguard in a nightclub restroom.
One To Remember:
Just a little more than a year before the blowout in St. Louis, the shoe was on the other foot. The Cowboys were off to their hottest start in years when they dismantled the Rams at Texas Stadium, 35-7. The game is best remembered for one of Tony Romo's all-time highlights, when, with less than a minute to go in the first half and the Cowboys driving, Andre Gurode fired a shotgun snap well over the quarterback's head. Romo darted some 30 yards backward, picking the ball up rather than simply falling on it, and juked his way all the way back past the line of scrimmage to convert a first down and keep the drive alive. Five plays later he scored on a 15-yard scramble and the Cowboys never looked back, advancing to 4-0 for the first time since 1995.