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Hill left Sunday’s game early in the first quarter with a thumb injury.
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Troy Hill exited the team’s Sunday afternoon game in Dallas early in the 1st quarter with a thumb injury. He’s questionable to return.
The Rams have replaced Hill with the inexperienced Darious Williams, who the Cowboys have been targeting since he stepped onto the field. Williams will remain next to Jalen Ramsey for the remainder of the game should Hill not return.
We’ll update this article with further information as it comes.
Rob Havenstein has been sidelined since injuring his knee in Week 10 against the Steelers, and although he practiced in full on Thursday and Friday, he came into Sunday’s game as doubtful to play. Not surprisingly, he’ll be inactive and won’t suit …
Rob Havenstein has been sidelined since injuring his knee in Week 10 against the Steelers, and although he practiced in full on Thursday and Friday, he came into Sunday’s game as doubtful to play. Not surprisingly, he’ll be inactive and won’t suit up for the fifth straight week.
Bobby Evans will remain the starting right tackle, and he’s played well in that spot since Havenstein went down.
As for the other six players who won’t be suiting up on Sunday afternoon in Dallas, they are as follows.
Rams inactives: Deayon, Long, Gervase, Demby, Havenstein, Everett, Blanton
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) December 15, 2019
Everything you need to know for Sunday’s game at AT&T Stadium.
The Rams are set to take on the Cowboys on Sunday at AT&T Stadium, looking to extend their three-game winning streak and send the Cowboys into an even steeper downward spiral. A win would get the Rams to 9-5, while a loss would almost certainly end their playoff chances if the Vikings also beat the Chargers.
To get you ready for Week 15 of the regular season, we’ve compiled all the important game day information – from streaming options to the officiating crew on Sunday afternoon. And be sure to follow along on Twitter with @TheRamsWire and @camdasilva.
You can live stream the game on fuboTV (try it free).
TV channel: FOX
Live stream: fuboTV (try it free)
Radio: ESPN LA 710 AM
Location: AT&T Stadium
Forecast: Dome
Referee: Walt Anderson
Odds: Rams -1.5, O/U 48.5 points
The Rams need some help from three teams on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Rams have found themselves in a position where they can’t simply win the rest of their games and get into the playoffs. They need a little help from their friends – or foes.
With the Vikings one game ahead of the Rams in the wild-card race and Seattle two games up, Los Angeles needs both teams to lose at least one or two games in the final three weeks. Getting any help in Week 15 is going to be difficult, though.
Before we get into which teams the Rams should be rooting for, here’s a look at the current playoff picture.
In the hunt
Rams (8-5)
Bears (7-6)
Eagles (6-7)
Looking at the standings, it’s pretty clear that the Rams need the Vikings, Seahawks and maybe even the Packers to lose. The 49ers are three games up, so they’d need to lose all three of their remaining games – one of which is against the Rams – in order for L.A. to have a chance.
In Week 15, the Rams need help from the Chargers, Panthers and Bears. The Chargers are hosting the Vikings in Los Angeles, the Panthers are taking on the Seahawks in Charlotte and the Bears will visit Lambeau Field.
If the Chargers, Panthers and Bears all win, and the Rams also knock off the Cowboys, the Rams will be tied with the Vikings (and hold the tiebreaker based on common games), one game behind the Seahawks for the fifth seed and one game back of the Packers – who are currently leading the NFC North but could be caught by the Vikings.
Cowboys Wire editor K.D. Drummond shed some light on the state of the Cowboys ahead of Sunday’s matchup.
The Rams and Cowboys are set to square off for the third time in the last three seasons on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium. It’s a game with huge playoff implications as both teams need a win to stay firmly in the race in the NFC.
To learn more about the state of the Cowboys and their team, we talked to Cowboys Wire editor K.D. Drummond to gather some intel.
Prescott’s mechanics were the subject of plenty of microscopes over the last two offseasons. His lower-body work was egregious and he rarely had a consistent base to throw from. That’s been much improved under the tutelage of new QB coach Jon Kitna, who came in and corrected a few issues. The result is a much more powerful cannon from Prescott, as he’s able to generate a lot of torque on his throws from his hips (queue the dance video memes and gifs. In fact, there are some theories that the Dallas receivers lead the league in drops because of how much of a difference there is on his throw velocity and/or spin rate on the ball.
Nobody. This defense is trash, if we’re being honest. OK, it’s not really trash, but you know the usual subjects. DeMarcus Lawrence, low sacks or not, has to be accounted for on every play and Robert Quinn is sharp on the opposite end, leading the team with 9.5 sacks. The linebacking corps has been subpar this season, and it will likely be without both Leighton Vander Esch and Sean Lee. That will open up the door for veteran Joe Thomas and rookie Luke Gifford to get plenty of snaps. If you’re looking for a possible surprise performance, that’s where your attention should be focused. Gifford was impressive in training camp and the preseason before a leg injury, but these will be his first regular-season snaps on defense. With the way Sean McVay exposed Jaylon Smith to the world back in 2017, Dallas should expect to see a lot of a rejuvenated Gurley on pass patterns.
The Cowboys have concerns at linebacker, which should lead to a productive game by Todd Gurley.
Last season, the linebacker position was a strength of the Cowboys’ defense. Leighton Vander Esch was a Pro Bowler as a rookie and Jaylon Smith came into his own as a starting linebacker, making 121 tackles with two forced fumbles and four passes defensed.
Suffice to say, linebacker won’t be a strength for Dallas on Sunday afternoon against the Rams. Vander Esch is out and Sean Lee is questionable to play, leaving Smith to man the middle without his fellow running mates.
It’s not a good sign for Lee’s availability that the Cowboys promoted Chris Covington to the 53-man roster Saturday, too. Luke Gifford, who’s an undrafted rookie linebacker, would replace Lee in the starting lineup if the veteran can’t play.
Cowboys are promoting LB Chris Covington to 53-man roster today, source said. LB Sean Lee (thigh/pectoral) is listed as questionable to play Sunday vs. Rams after missing entire practice week. Undrafted rookie LB Luke Gifford would work at Sam LB in base defense if Lee out.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) December 14, 2019
The best counter to a weak linebacker corps is to run the football, which the Rams have done well in recent weeks. Todd Gurley has rushed for at least 79 yards in three of his last four games and appears to be finding his footing as a workhorse running back once again.
His increased role should continue against the Cowboys, who at the very least will be without one starting linebacker. Smith isn’t playing particularly well, himself, missing 11 tackles this season – a rate of 8.4%. Cory Littleton, for comparison, has only missed four tackles this year and has a missed-tackle rate of 3.4%.
Gurley isn’t an easy player to tackle, by any means, especially for a backup linebacker who hasn’t played much this year. As a result, the Rams should once again lean on the run and go with a heavier lineup that features Tyler Higbee and Johnny Mundt.
Running the ball successfully will help negate the Cowboys’ pass rush, specifically DeMarcus Lawrence and Robert Quinn at defensive end. Preventing them from pinning their ears back and rushing Jared Goff by forcing them to respect the run is a great way to keep Dallas’ defense on its heels.
It’s no coincidence that the Rams have won the games in which Gurley has been more effective, and Sean McVay should at least give him several opportunities early on in Sunday’s game to test Dallas’ linebackers if Lee is out.
Can the Rams stay in the hunt in the NFC playoff race with a win?
Before taking on two division rivals in their last two games, the Los Angeles Rams will pay the Dallas Cowboys a visit in Week 15. It’s a rematch of last year’s divisional round, a game the Rams won to advance to the conference championship.
Each of the last three meetings between the Rams and Cowboys has been decided by one score, however, so these two teams are not only familiar with each other, but their games often come down to the wire.
Entering this one, the Rams have won two straight, while Dallas is on a three-game losing skid. Yet, despite the Cowboys being two games behind the Rams and looking like a non-playoff team the last three weeks, they’re in better shape than Los Angeles is.
The Rams badly need this win, sitting one game behind the Vikings in the wild-card race. The Cowboys look like an inferior opponent, but on paper, they’re one of the more talented teams in the league; cohesively as a team, though, it’s a different story.
The Rams should take advantage of Dallas’ issues at linebacker, with Leighton Vander Esch out and Sean Lee questionable. The Cowboys missed 19 tackles alone in Week 14 against the Bears, and having backup linebackers on the field won’t help their current trend of missed tackles.
Picking on Dallas’ cornerbacks isn’t necessarily a wise approach, especially with Byron Jones on one side. Chidobe Awuzie can be beaten by double-moves and Jourdan Lewis only became a starting nickel corner recently, so the Rams’ wide receivers should have a good game.
Defensively, the Rams have the cornerbacks to match Dallas’ receiving corps of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb. Cory Littleton is rangy at inside linebacker and the Rams’ defensive front is stout, which doesn’t bode well for Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys’ ground game.
On paper, this is a game the Rams should win. But as we often see in the NFL, anyone can beat any other team in a given week. There are no cakewalks in this league and the Cowboys – who very easily could make the playoffs – certainly aren’t an easy matchup.
Still, the Rams will leave Jerry’s World with a victory, putting them at 9-5 with only two games left.
Final score prediction: Rams 28, Cowboys 24
The Rams have gotten excellent contributions from backups after starters went down with injuries.
In the last two years, the Rams have had excellent luck on the injury front. They’ve suffered very few significant injuries, not landing many key starters on injured reserve. That’s partly due to luck, but it’s also a testament to the job the training staff does with players.
This season hasn’t been that way, though. Aqib Talib and John Johnson were both placed on injured reserve, and Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen suffered season-ending injuries. It’s forced the Rams to thrust backups into starting roles, which has been a challenge for Sean McVay.
Obviously no coach wants to have to deal with injuries, but McVay has learned from this challenge.
“It’s been different, but it’s been something that inevitably you have to be able to deal with. I think it’s been a great learning experience for myself. You continue to gain the appreciation for the accumulation of experience as you just learn and navigate through the inevitable – good and bad times that come with being in this role. I think what it does give you is a perspective and an appreciation for how healthy we’ve been able to stay the first couple of years. Then when you look around, some of these things are not really preventable and that’s what you have to be able to deal with. I think it’s been a great opportunity to see guys continue to get opportunities, maximize those chances that they’ve gotten and us to work through some things that we haven’t had a chance to before. I know I’m learning a lot and you kind of appreciate it. It certainly gives you a better perspective on what’s been really, some unique things that we’ve been able to have taken place over our first couple of years – in terms of the health that we’ve had.”
In addition to those other players landing on injured reserve, the Rams have also been without Gerald Everett for the last two weeks, and he’ll miss Sunday’s game, as well. Rob Havenstein has been sidelined with a knee injury, as well, and is doubtful for Week 15.
Bobby Evans has played extremely well in Havenstein’s place, and the last two weeks, Tyler Higbee has caught seven passes for at least 100 yards each game. It’s contributions like those that make McVay appreciate the Rams’ depth.
The Rams are favored in the eyes of experts this weekend.
The Rams come into Week 15 at 8-5, visiting the 6-7 Cowboys. Dallas is in better position to make the playoffs, but Los Angeles has been the much better team in the last two weeks. Having won two in a row compared to the Cowboys’ three-game losing streak, it’s easy to see why the Rams are favored in this one.
At BetMGM, the Rams are 1.5-point favorites over the Cowboys on the road. In the eyes of the experts, they also have the advantage. According to NFL Pick Watch, which tracks expert picks each week, 73% of the pundits are taking the Rams to win straight-up on Sunday afternoon.
That’s a significant margin and it shows how Los Angeles is viewed by the experts right now. The Rams may not be a perfect team at the moment, but the defense is playing extremely well and the offense is finding its groove at the perfect time. Jared Goff is getting much better protection from his offensive line and his confidence is skyrocketing as a result.
This matchup with the Cowboys is highly likely to be a close matchup, given the way their last three meetings have gone. They’ve all been decided by one score with Los Angeles going 2-1.
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The Rams will once again be without Gerald Everett and likely Rob Havenstein.
For the third week in a row, the Rams will not have Gerald Everett on the field. He’s been ruled out for Sunday’s game with a knee injury, which he originally suffered against the Ravens.
Additionally, Rob Havenstein is doubtful to play against the Cowboys. He injured his knee in Week 10 against the Steelers.
Havenstein was a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday, so his doubtful designation is surprising. Bobby Evans seems to be on track to start once again on Sunday.
Nsimba Webster is healthy and ready to play after injuring his hip last week.
On the Cowboys’ side, Leighton Vander Esch is out, as expected, while Sean Lee is questionable.
