Bobby Wagner is no stranger to defending against high-octane rushing attacks and will need to play one of his best games of the season for the Los Angeles Rams this week as the unit looks to contain running backs, Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. The team is in dire need of a win after losing their second of four matchups last week, and if they can’t contain the Dallas Cowboys on the ground, they could fall below .500 heading into the meat of their schedule.
The veteran linebacker told reporters on Wednesday that he respects what Dallas can do when they run the ball, and knows what he will be up against when Elliott and Pollard get their carries.
“I think it’s a good balance,” Wagner said of the Cowboys rushing attack. “I think when Zeke comes down full throttle, always falls forward. I think Pollard does a good job on edge. They use him in different positions, they do on jet sweeps and things of that nature so you have to be conscious of the styles of runs each guy has.
“They mix it really well. You get an outside run, a couple outside runs, and then they’ll sneak Zeke in there and he goes down the middle. So it’s something you have to be conscious of something you got to understand. The offense does start with those guys. You get those guys going, then it opens up everything else for the passing game.”
With Dak Prescott’s return to the field looming as a possibility in Week 5, it would seem that the discourse surrounding this matchup in recent days has neglected to account for what the Cowboys can do without him. Elliott is still an every-play threat when the team puts the ball in his hands, and as the Rams’ middle linebacker, Wagner will be tasked with stopping him on every down.