Cowboys vs Rams: 6 things to know about Week 5 opponent

We’ve arrived at Week 5 for the Dallas Cowboys, 3-1 and looking forward getting their starting quarterback back from injury. That isn’t going to be this week, so Cooper Rush remains under center for the upcoming road contest against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Cowboys have won three in a row but heading out to play the Super Bowl champion Rams is going to be a different test. Rush has proven to be a more capable backup than many expected and has already beaten one of last year’s championship teams. This matchup, however, is on the road and the Rams present challenges.

If Dallas wants to show they’re for real, beating a title contender on the road would be the way to do it. The signs are there that the Cowboys might be better than people expected and buying QB Dak Prescott another week to recover with a win would be ideal.

Here are six things to know about the Week 5 opponent for the Cowboys.

Defense has elite players at every level

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The Cowboys have won three straight games under Rush, but this will be the toughest defense they’ve faced in the last four weeks. The Rams have elite defensive players at all three levels and will be a different animal for the offense to tame.

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is in the conversation for the best player in the league, regardless of position. Donald is a seven-time First-Team All-Pro, has 100 career sacks, and five straight seasons with double-digit sacks.

It’s a down year thus far, but Donald has two sacks on the season.

An offseason acquisition, linebacker Bobby Wagner leads the Rams in tackles and remains one of the top players at the position.

On the backend, Jalen Ramsey is considered one of the top cornerbacks in the game. Ramsey is in the top five in the NFL for passes defensed this season with five and has an interception as well. If Ramsey isn’t the best CB in the league, he’s in the conversation and Rush needs to be careful throwing his way.

Scoring points against this defense will be a tall task for Rush and the Cowboys’ offense.

Coming off a bad loss

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

It’s early in the season, but the Rams have had an up and down campaign in 2022. Los Angeles got smoked on opening night, won two straight, but looked lost against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, losing 24-9.

The Rams played a poor game against their division rivals, so expect a better effort at home versus the Cowboys. Sean McVay is a good coach who will have his team ready to go after a lethargic loss.

They haven’t hit their stride yet this season and falling to 2-3 with a loss to Dallas isn’t an ideal first five games for the Rams. The Cowboys should be ready for a good team who’s in a foul mood after an embarrassing performance.

That’s a tough situation for any team to win in, even tougher for the Cowboys who are on the road with a backup quarterback with three weeks of tape on him now available for opponents to dissect.

Stafford is struggling

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He helped win the Super Bowl last year and threw for 41 touchdowns in the process, but quarterback Matthew Stafford hasn’t gotten it going yet this season. The veteran QB is completing over 70% of his passes, but Stafford also lead the league in interceptions with six.

Stafford is coming off a game where he didn’t throw for a score and threw an awful pick-six. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown in the last two weeks.

He has however played slightly better at home. On the season, Stafford has all four of his touchdown passes in the comforts of SoFi Stadium, but also five of his six interceptions.

To say Stafford is struggling is putting it mildly. The Cowboys have a defense capable of making sure he stays frustrated on the season.

Their Cooper is better

Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams have an elite wide receiver in Cooper Kupp. Last year, Kupp was the triple crown winner at the position, leading the league in catches (145), yards (1,947), and touchdowns (16).

To back it up, Kupp is among the league leaders again this season in every category. Kupp is tops in the NFL in catches with 42, which is 11 better than the next WR, fourth in yards, and is tied for second in receiving scores. He’s the exclusive target for Stafford and they connect on 77% on their passes.

There aren’t many receivers in the game playing at a level higher than Kupp over the last two seasons and the Cowboys will need to slow him down if they want to win this game.

Offensive line issues

(AP Photo/Steve Luciano)

Another week where the Cowboys get an offensive line that’s in flux. The Rams are down to their third-string center of the season, and they are coming off a game where Stafford was sacked seven times. It was the second time this season he went down seven times, the other being Week 1.

Stafford has been sacked 16 times on the year, tied for the second most in the league. The Cowboys are tied for second in the league with 15 sacks through four games.

Much like the previous three quarterbacks Dallas has played, Stafford tends to hold onto the ball trying to make plays, which leads to sacks. It’s another perfect storm for Dan Quinn’s defense, a unit that should have no problems harassing the quarterback in Week 5.

Running game isn't good

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One of the biggest areas of concern for the Cowboys this year has been their rush defense, which ranks 27th in the league, giving up 137.5 yards a game. Against the Rams, it might not be a major issue.

Luckily, McVay’s offense is just 30th in the league in rushing, running for a paltry 68.5 yards a game. The Rams still haven’t found their groove or go-to running back yet as the rotation of Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers aren’t getting the job done behind an average offensive line. That’s a bad combination for a coach known for having a diverse running game.

Almost every defense has made the Rams one dimensional this season and the Cowboys need to do the same to leave LA with a fourth straight win.

Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire