Dak Prescott, Cowboys Fall to Rams in Opener No topic Ezekiel Elliott’s 2 TDs

The Los Angeles Rams won SoFi Stadium’s debut as the hosts defeated the Dallas Cowboys 20-17 on Sunday.

Rams working abet Malcolm Brown obtained 110 scrimmage yards and scored two touchdowns, and huge receiver Robert Woods led L.A. slither-catchers with six receptions and 105 yards.

Dallas working abet Ezekiel Elliott gathered 127 total yards and two touchdowns. Amari Cooper caught 10 passes for 81 yards.

Dallas lost linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (fractured clavicle), offensive kind out Cam Erving (seemingly left MCL sprain) and tight pause Blake Jarwin (seemingly torn ACL) midgame due to the distress.

Necessary Performances

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott:  25-of-39, 266 passing yards, 1 TD; 3 carries, 30 speeding yards

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott:  22 carries, 96 speeding yards, 1 TD; 3 receptions, 31 receiving yards, 1 TD

Cowboys WR Amari Cooper: 10 receptions, 81 receiving yards

Rams QB Jared Goff:  20-of-31, 275 passing yards, 1 INT; 4 carries, 15 speeding yards

Rams RB Malcolm Brown:  18 carries, 79 speeding yards, 2 TD; 3 receptions, 31 receiving yards

Rams WR Robert Woods: 6 receptions, 105 receiving yards

Rams Gain now not Tear over a Beat With Brown Leading Speeding Attack

The Rams released extinct franchise working abet Todd Gurley, who the crew inked to a four-year, $60 million extension in 2018, within the offseason. As a change, they grew to change into to frail Malcolm Brown and 2nd-round rookie Cam Akers to manual the manner.

Day one with out Gurley used to be a hit as Brown accomplished with 18 carries for 79 yards and a pair of rankings to boot to 3 receptions for 31 yards. Akers wasn’t as efficient with 14 carries for 39 yards, nonetheless the walk sport indirectly helped propel the Rams to a win.

Grand credit goes to the Rams offensive line, who expertly paved the manner for Brown all evening and safe Goff successfully sufficient that he fell victim to correct type three quarterback hits with one sack.

Ex-Pittsburgh Steelers security and original ESPN analyst Ryan Clark shouted out the O-line:

Rams and Pac-12 Network play-by-play announcer J.B. Prolonged did as successfully:

Brown capped off the Rams’ opening force by powering via the line for a one-yard walk to set apart the Rams up 6-0:

He then persisted the model of scoring touchdowns on the Rams’ opening drives in halves by working across the threshold, evading a tackler and crossing the contrivance line for six to set apart L.A. up 19-14 within the third:

Brown would seem like the No. 1 possibility within the Rams’ backfield in conserving with Sunday’s snap and consult with distribution figures, Ian Hartitz of Genuine Soccer Center of attention:

Subsequent Gen Stats showcased correct type how successfully Brown did additionally:

Whether that continues within the course of 2020 remains to be viewed, nonetheless the underside line is the Rams offense didn’t miss a beat with Brown carrying the weight in opposition to the Cowboys.

Cowboys Expertise the Right, the Disagreeable and the Gruesome

There were a pair of extensive silver linings within the Cowboys’ 20-17 loss: Elliott used to be tremendous, and the offensive line used to be too.

Elliott by hook or by crook evaded four Rams tacklers in his neighborhood on one play with this 19-yard obtain-and-walk for a obtain:

Subsequent Gen Stats confirmed the degree of train on the walk: 

Sooner than the half ended, Elliott scored his 2nd touchdown from one yard out to tie the game at 13:

Jon Machota of The Athletic summed up Elliott’s efficiency very successfully: 

Elliott performed successfully sufficient to win, nonetheless the fourth quarter left so a lot to be desired for the Cowboys.

Down 20-17, they confronted a 4th-and-3 from the L.A. 11-yard line and determined to lumber for it in preference to kicking a sport-tying self-discipline contrivance. A done slither from quarterback Dak Prescott to wideout CeeDee Lamb used to be one yard short.

No topic whether the train used to be failing to kick the self-discipline contrivance, uncomfortable play-calling or base execution, Dallas came up empty-handed.

Aloof, Dallas had one closing likelihood to tie or win the game with a unhurried force, and it regarded as although the crew would produce that feat following a Prescott completion to Michael Gallup for 47 yards to the Rams’ 19-yard line with beneath a minute left.

Nonetheless, Gallup used to be known as for a push-off on Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and a 1st-and-10 within the course of the Rams’ crimson zone change into a third-and-20 at the Cowboys’ 24-yard line. It used to be in all places from there.

No topic whether one thinks Gallup pushed off or the Rams purchased away with one, Dallas ended up losing a winnable sport.

The difficulty is that the Rams sport will unfortunately have far worse ramifications for the season as Jarwin looks done for the year and Vander Esch will potentially head onto the injured reserve checklist.

The two young and proficient stars figured to play pivotal roles, nonetheless Dallas will now ought to gaze in other locations for solutions with 15 video games excellent.

Or now not it’s an heart-broken series of conditions for a correct type pause who used to be lastly getting his likelihood to shine as the crew’s unquestioned No. 1 participant at the set, as successfully as for a linebacker who looked admire he could per chance be a perennial Genuine Bowler with an considerable 2018 season ahead of injuries set him abet in 2019.

Hopefully the rehab route of goes with out problems for the pair, and that they’re ready to shut abet as swiftly as seemingly, nonetheless a sport that started with so noteworthy promise has now ended in gloom for a Cowboys crew that dropped its first sport of the Mike McCarthy generation.

What’s Subsequent?

Both teams will play on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The Cowboys will host the Atlanta Falcons, and the Rams will consult with the Philadelphia Eagles.