Sep 15, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford (8) passes the ball to wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Rams 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys are set to do battle in Week 3 NFL action as both teams are looking for a chance to get back on track after losses a week ago.
Dallas ended up losing to what is turning out to be a very good Kansas City Chiefs team while St. Louis was no match for the offensive firepower of the Atlanta Falcons.
There are plenty of stories to watch in this one, but here are the most critical details to know.
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
When: 1:00 PM ET, September 22, 2013
Watch: FOX
Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket, Game Rewind
Rams Player to Watch: Jared Cook
Aug 17, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook (89) gains 37 yards on a pass completion against the Green Bay Packers during the first half during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
Jared Cook is the team’s leading receiver, but only because of an impressive performance in Week 1 with 141 yards and two touchdowns. Last week Cook disappeared against the Falcons and only ended up with one catch for 10 yards.
If the Rams are going to score enough points to win in Dallas, Cook needs to step his game up in a major way. Tavon Austin had a nice showing last week, but a rookie cannot do it all on his own.
Cowboys Player to Watch: Dez Bryant
Sep 15, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) is unable to catch this pass while defended by Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Quintin Demps (35) in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City won the game 17-16. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Interesting stat time. Like Cook, Dez Bryant recorded 141 yards receiving in Week 1, although he only scored on touchdown in the process. Bryant then had a similar performance in Week 2 with four receptions for just 22 yards.
Bryant has been battling a slight injury the past few weeks, but Romo is going to need him healthy in order to survive against a very good St. Louis defense.
While Dallas has other weapons such as Jason Witten and Miles Austin, Bryant having a down game could impact their effectiveness as well.
Matchup to Watch: Rams Defensive Line vs. Cowboys
Sep 8, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) knocks the ball away from Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) during the second half at Edward Jones Dome. The Rams recovered the ball and went on to defeat the Cardinals 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
The Rams have an amazing defensive line.
It’s really as simple as that. Robert Quinn is playing out of his mind and the team as a whole has already notched six sacks. Romo has been hit a huge amount this year already and even had an injury scare last week.
The Rams may be able to pressure Romo all day and eventually create turnovers if the Dallas offensive line does not turn things around.
Prediction
Sep 15, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Austin Pettis (18) scores a touchdown in front of Atlanta Falcons cornerback Robert McClain (27) during the fourth quarter at Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Rams 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
This is a tough one to call, but NFL games continue to be won in the trenches. With that in mind, it’s hard to see Romo remaining upright for the majority of the game, let along being effective.
The Rams offensive line is far from perfect, but it’s a better unit than Dallas fields. Expect Romo to be on his back quite a lot as Quinn and Co. have a big day and force Romo to take risks such as throwing it at Cortland Finnegan.
Rams 24, Cowboys 17