Cowboys won 43-20/ For Dallas Cowboys fans, Halloween arrived early as the Los Angeles Rams found it frightening to visit AT&T Stadium.
The Cowboys won 43–20, extending their home winning run to 11 games—now the longest in the NFL—thanks to contributions from all three phases of the game. Dak Prescott led the way, finishing with a 133.7 quarterback rating after completing 80.6 percent of his throws for 304 yards and four touchdowns. It was his first game since the 2021 season and his ninth overall with at least four scoring tosses.
CeeDee Lamb, a wide receiver who hauled in 12 receptions for 158 yards—both career highs—and two touchdown grabs, was the main benefactor of Prescott’s efforts. Tony Pollard, who averaged 4.4 yards per carry for 53 yards and the team’s total of 102 yards rushing, helped the running game succeed as well.
The Cowboys defense was equally, if not more, skilled than their attack. Throughout the day, Matthew Stafford, the quarterback for the Rams, was plagued by the unit; he completed just 59.1% of his pass attempts for 162 yards and a 78.2 rating. In addition to one interception and five pass breakups, the group ended with two sacks, five quarterback hicks, and six tackles for loss.
Along the route to an overall comfortable victory, the Cowboys also won total yards (387 to 280) and time of possession (35:28 to 24:32).
Table of Contents
2. First Quarter (Cowboys won 43-20)
The Cowboys were able to correct their mistakes and take the lead early in the game, even though Prescott was sacked on his first three drop-backs—one of which was overturned because of a Rams improper contact penalty that also prolonged the drive on a third-and-11. In the series, the quarterback completed six of his next seven passes, the final one being a nice down-the-seam completion for an eighteen-yard score to tight end Jake Ferguson.
33 yards, what? Kindly. The Cowboys’ nine-play drive was completed off with a 58-yard field goal by rookie Brandon Aubrey, which was also the longest of his brief career.
But Dallas scored again, taking a 17-3 lead before the first fifteen minutes had passed. The very next snap, cornerback DaRon Bland of the Rams ran 30 yards untouched to pay dirt after stepping in front of a Stafford pass intended for Cooper Kupp. Bland has intercepted nine passes in his first two seasons, which is the most in the NFL during those time. It was also his third pick-six of the 2023 campaign.(Cowboys won 43-20)
Cowboys won 43-20
3. Second Quarter / Cowboys won 43-20
So why not enlist the aid of specialized teams? Sam Williams burst through the line and blocked the attempted boot as the Rams were punting from their own 12-yard line. As a result, the ball bounced out of the end zone for a safety.
KaVontae Turpin quickly followed that up by returning the next punt 63 yards to the Los Angeles 13-yard line. After two plays, the game was already well in hand when Prescott hit Lamb with a pass in the end zone, giving the team a 26-3 advantage.
Regretfully, nothing would be flawless. The Cowboys were moving again, partly because of two completions to Ferguson for twenty-four yards and one each to Lamb and Turpin for thirteen and twenty-one yards. However, the threat was averted when a Prescott throw at the line of scrimmage was tipped by tight end Sean McKeon twice before falling into the clutches of safety Jordan Fuller on first-and-goal at the Rams’ 9-yard line.
Fortunately, there would be no similar misfortune on the subsequent journey. The Cowboys offense took over at their own 37-yard line and needed only five plays to cross the goal line. Prescott found Lamb in the end zone after rolling out of the pocket to his right.
Before halftime, though, the Rams would score again. They would cover 75 yards in 12 plays with 2:27 left in the second quarter, and their first score of the contest came from running back Royce Freeman who powered up the middle from a 1-yard out. After Los Angeles’ two-point conversion try was unsuccessful, the Cowboys led 33-10 at the half.
4. Third Quarter / Cowboys won 43-20
Los Angeles picked up where it left off when it got the ball to open the second half, requiring seven plays to travel 75 yards to reach the end zone. Darrell Robinson caught a 32-yard screen ball from Stafford for the huge gain, and the series was completed when Stafford found Ben Skowronek, who sprinted for a 20-yard score.
Unfazed, Aubrey’s 27-yard field goal helped the Cowboys gradually increase their lead. More significantly, the drive used up 9:57 of time and 17 plays, providing the defense some much-needed respite going into the fourth quarter.
5. Fourth Quarter
And defense played its part. After Stafford suffered a thumb injury, the Cowboys placed Brett Rypien at quarterback. The defense stopped the Rams on a fourth-and-two, giving the offense the ball at the Dallas 46-yard line. The Cowboys were back in the end zone before long, with Prescott finding Brandin Cooks for a 25-yard touchdown ball.
After then, all that remained was to run out the time. Despite a holding call on Nahshon Wright, Turpin’s seeming 88-yard punt return to the goal line thrilled the crowd.
With Prescott and a few other club starters sidelined for the day, Cooper Rush entered the game to take over as quarterback.
The Rams would add a pointless 47-yard field goal to round out the scoring in between a string of punts from both teams, thus bringing the game to a merciful conclusion.
The Rams would add a pointless 47-yard field goal to round out the scoring in between a string of punts from both teams, thus bringing the game to a merciful conclusion.(Cowboys won 43-20).
