The Dallas Cowboys have somehow remained in contention to win the NFC East despite having a 6-7 record. While that may not be a surprise given how weak the competition has been this season, they seem to have done whatever they can to lose their lead in the standings.
There are three main things to watch about the Cowboys when they take on the Rams.
3. Will the Cowboys' offense get off to a better start?
An issue the Cowboys have faced lately has been a tendency to get off to slow starts. While they jumped out to a 7-0 lead after their opening drive against the Chicago Bears in Week 14, it didn't last. They ended up trailing 24-7 and allowed the game to get too far out of reach.
It will be an issue for the Cowboys if they allow the Rams to hit the ground running and fail to get on a roll offensively, too. Of course, it's important to maintain momentum after a strong, but at least executing well, in the beginning, gives them their best chance.
2. Will the Cowboys' run defense execute well enough?
The Rams' offense has started to ramp up as of late and a key reason for that has been their increased reliance on Todd Gurley.
Gurley is coming off a performance against the Seattle Seahawks with 79 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. He even added 34 receiving yards on four catches as well. In addition, that display was a follow up to recording 95 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14.
It is crucial that the Cowboys can find a way to slow Gurley down. If they can successfully accomplish that, it will be tougher for Jared Goff to move the chains and get the ball in the end-zone.
1. Jason Garrett's decision making in key moments
Many seem to believe that Jason Garrett shouldn't be the head coach for the Cowboys after this season, and rightfully so. On a seemingly weekly basis, the critics have only become increasingly louder calling for his job.
If Garrett were to make any critical errors that cause the Cowboys to lose against the Rams, it would be damaging to their ability to win the NFC East. In addition, the calls for Garrett's firing undoubtedly would become even louder.
The Rams have the edge in the coaching department with Sean McVay, which will require Garrett to be at his very best in this matchup.
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