Dorance Armstrong’s Week 5 leaves Gregory fawning in rearview

There’s always a story before the story and the rising star is now writing a great post-FA narrative. @TimLettiero awards the Week 5 player of the game.

Dallas extended their winning streak to four games on Sunday with an emphatic 22-10 road victory against the defending champion Los Angeles Rams. The defense, led by reigning Assistant Coach of the Year Dan Quinn, once more made the game much easier on the offense, holding Matt Stafford and Co. to only 10 points, all of which came in the first half.

After losing standout Randy Gregory this past offseason, many expected the defense, the pass rush specifically, to take a significant step back. It is fair to say at this point that is simply not the case. Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence have played out of their skin this season but emerging as a dominant force alongside them is the former Kansas Jayhawk, Dorance Armstrong. Through four games prior to this weeks heavy-weight bout, Armstrong had collected three sacks, three tackles for a loss and a blocked kick. He emphasized his strengths even more in this contest.

Dallas won the toss for the first time all sesaon and deferred the kickoff, giving the defense the first crack at the field. On the third play of the Rams’ drive, Armstrong bullied his way past the left guard and forced a fumble on the sack of Stafford. Lawrence picked up the ball and ran it in for an early score for Dallas.

On the Rams very next drive, the Dallas defense came up with a third-down stop just over midfield. Normally an aggressive team but struggling this year on offense, Sean McVay chose to have his team punt to try and get the upper hand in the game of field position. Except Armstrong came through once again, blocking the punt and setting the offense up in Rams’ territory.

Armstrong came back to earth for the remainder of the game but his impact early gave Dallas a two-score lead almost immediately. While no more splash plays were made, his presence was felt and he became a player alongside Parsons and Lawrence that the Rams had to gameplay for.

There’s always a story about how a certain player makes it to a team. For Armstrong, the former fourth-round pick’s story is about how he returned. The Cowboys had agreed to a new deal with Gregory this offseason, which could’ve meant Armstrong would need to find work on a new team. But Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones insisted language be inserted into the deal that would nullify guarantees if Gregory were to be suspended again. Gregory and his agent felt betrayed, and signed a deal with similar length and money with Denver.

Dallas turned around and inked Armstrong to a two-year deal. Jones has always been enamored with Armstrong and has been a vocal proponent, but there likely isn’t this version of him if things had worked out differently in March.

Now he sits as part of the league’s best edge rusher group carving out a seat at the table all his own.

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Twitter reacts to Cowboys 22-10 win over Rams, ‘Dorance about to get a Madden upgrade’

Vegas favored the Rams by 5.5 but the Cowboys had other plans, beating the Rams 22-10 on the road. Cowboys? W. Twitter reactions? W. | From @ProfessorO_NFL

The Dallas Cowboys traveled to the west coast to face the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, returning to Texas victorious by the score of 22-10. The defense set the tone early with a scoop and score touchdown and then followed that up with a blocked punt to spot the offense a 9-0 lead and relentlessly pressured Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, notching five sacks and three takeaways.

The offense was able to run the ball on a tough Rams defense and generated 163 yards on the ground with a spectacular run by Tony Pollard being the offensive highlight of the day. Vegas had the Rams as 5.5 point home favorites but the Cowboys had other ideas and Twitter reacted to all of it. Here’s the best of Twitter reactions to the Cowboys impressive road win over the Rams.

3 Stars: Some games stars are made with just one or two big plays

Defensive excellence and big plays on offense, that’s what the now 4-1 Cowboys are made of. @CDpiglet identifies who outshone whom against the defending world champs.

The Dallas Cowboys proved once more that they are nobody’s underdogs. They won another game in which they weren’t favored, and they did it beating the points spread by more than ten points yet again.

The Los Angeles Rams definitely had their stars show up. On offense Matt Stafford threw for over 300 yards, Cooper Kupp had seven receptions for 125 yards, and he scored on a 75-yard touchdown pass. Defensively, Aaron Donald had two sacks and Jalen Ramsey was the top guy in a secondary that held the entire receiving core of Dallas to 10 receptions for 102 yards. The Rams three stars might have been easy to spot, but the Cowboys success was a little more spread out.

The passing game for Dallas might have been nonexistent, but this win was still because of all three phases. The defense clearly dominated the game, holding the Rams without much success beyond two big pass plays. The Cowboys caused three turnovers and even scored on a strip sack. The special team unit set up three points as well with a blocked punt, and Brett Maher hit three field goals in the contest. On offense, Dallas was able to run the ball for almost five yards per carry, helping the defense stay fresh, and also not giving away a single turnover to set the Rams up for easy points.

The three stars of the game came from the three biggest playmakers of the night for the Cowboys, as they were instrumental to knocking off the defending Super Bowl champs.

Here’s how Cowboys’ Parsons sealed Dallas’ 4th-straight win with another strip sack

Battling through injury, put a cherry on top with a strip sack to secure the dominant victory in Los Angeles. | From @CDBurnett7

On the road against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Cowboys defense delivered a signature performance. Starting with a scoop-and-score touchdown on the first drive and a blocked punt, Dallas kept the prolific Rams offense at bay all day.

After a Malik Hooker interception removed the hopes for Los Angeles, the Rams still got the ball back. They may wish they didn’t. Three plays into their desperation drive down 22-10, linebacker Micah Parsons put a bow on the game. Battling through. groin injury, Parsons swiftly reached the backfield and leveled Matthew Stafford for a strip sack, recovered by rookie Sam Williams.

The game-sealing play is Parsons’ sixth sack of the season as his DPOY campaign continues. The third Cowboys’ takeaway sealed the game as the win streak moves to four. Now, a primetime road trip with the undefeated Eagles awaits in Week 6.

Cowboys DE Demarcus Lawrence suffers injury scare

Demarcus Lawrence went down after a scary collision but reached the sideline under his own power. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys defense has already had some worry in Los Angeles with linebacker Micah Parsons battling through a groin injury. When he retook the field, he earned a sack thanks to defensive end Demarcus Lawrence’s continued dominance setting up Matthew Stafford.

Early in the fourth quarter, there was a big collision in the backfield and Lawrence took a shoulder to the chin and went down onto his back. Rams left guard David Edwards was also down on the play.

Lawrence reached the sideline on his own and was waiting with his helmet. On the next play, Dallas made the stop and Lawrence has time to rest with the Cowboys offense taking the field.

WATCH: Cowboys relentless pressure leads to Malik Hooker INT

The Cowboys defense’s dominant day continued with a timely interception by Malik Hooker to close the door on the Rams as time ticks. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys offense has failed to muster much success in Los Angeles, but it hasn’t mattered one bit. Dan Quinn’s defense was responsible for nine points in the first quarter and beyond a couple big plays, it’s been a perfect outing for the defense.

Down 12 after a third Brett Maher field goal, the Rams moved down the field, thanks in part to a soft roughing the passer call. Even then, the Dallas pass rush pinned their ears back and got after Matthew Stafford and forced an errant throw on 3rd-and-13. Right on cue, safety Malik Hooker was waiting near the end zone for the overthrown pass and made the grab.

Hooker’s interception is the second takeaway from the Dallas defense in Week 5. Thanks to the timely play, the Cowboys continue to chew the clock and look to seal the game in Los Angeles.

Cowboys’ Parsons playing through groin injury vs Rams

Defensive star Micah Parsons showed discomfort heading into halftime with a groin discomfort and re-entered the game while battling injury. | From @CDBurnett7

Early in his sophomore season, Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons has been a game-wrecker with four sacks in the first two games and it’s been infectious for the Dallas defense. In his young career, Parsons has dealt with nagging injuries but played through them.

In the first half versus the Rams, Parsons suffered a groin injury and walked gingerly to the locker room at halftime and had the same discomfort coming back out for the third quarter.

Parsons has played through injuries before and it may be no different in Los Angeles. His status is massive for the Cowboys’ defense as a whole and how they manage this discomfort is of the utmost concern in the second half. After spending time on the bike during the first Rams drive of the third quarter, Parsons retook the field.

Parsons is still laboring the injury during moments but Dallas is sending him on the field for third downs, mainly as a pass rusher but being careful with their star defender.

Watch Cowboys’ Pollard respond to Rams’ long TD with 57-yard scamper

Right after a 75-yard Rams score, Tony Pollard matched it with a 57-yard touchdown, shrugging off defenders to retake the lead. | From @CDBurnett7

Coming into Cowboys-Rams, most knew that Cooper Kupp is a game-breaker for Los Angeles. After the strong defensive start for Dallas, it was almost inevitable for Kupp to make his impact and he did with a one-handed catch and run for a 75-yard touchdown. The score gave the Rams their first lead at 10-9.

On the ensuing drive, the Cowboys got started with a 16-yard catch by wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Possibly worried about the passing game, Los Angeles wasn’t ready for running back Tony Pollard. The speedster broke through on an inside run before shaking off multiple defenders, surprising the Rams with his balance and waltzing into the end zone to retake the lead.

The Cowboys offense couldn’t get out of their own way early in the game with a dropped pass on third down and struggles with pass blocking but Pollard erased it with the emphatic score. Thanks to the 57-yard touchdown, Dallas takes a 16-10 lead against the Rams with halftime approaching.

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Cowboys’ Dalton Schultz suffers knee injury vs Rams, return questionable

While playing with a knee brace, Dalton Schultz took an awkward hit and is questionable to return in Los Angeles. | From @CDBurnett7

Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz has dealt with nagging injuries early in 2022. Playing the season under the franchise tag, Schultz has dealt with a nagging knee injury that kept him out of the Week 3 game versus the Giants.

Playing with a knee brace, Schultz bumped knees with a Rams defender during the second quarter and limped to the sideline on one leg after the play. During the defensive drive, Schultz worked with trainers and was trying to walk off the discomfort.

After spending Time with trainers, Schultz is questionable to return and rookie Peyton Hendershot took the field in his place during the following drive. Hendershot and Jake Ferguson will be expected to pick up the slack if Schultz can’t return.

WATCH: Cowboys’ Dorance Armstrong shines again with blocked punt

Just a few minutes after forcing a fumble, Dorance Armstrong was a game wrecker again with a blocked punt to set up easy points. | From @CDBurnett7

While the Cowboys offense has done just enough with quarterback Cooper Rush at the helm, they got extra help from the defense to start against Los Angeles with a scoop-and-score on the first drive. After the big score, Dan Quinn’s crew got another stop.

On the ensuing punt, Dorance Armstrong broke through the middle of the line and blocked the attempt and scooped it deep in Rams territory. Armstrong forced the fumble on the first drive touchdown and it’s also his second blocked kick of the season.

Following Armstrong’s second game-wrecking play in a few minutes, the Dallas offense started on the Rams 20-yard line. After a pair of incompletions on second and third down, Brett Maher put a 33-yard field goal through the uprights to take a 9-0 lead.