The Dallas Cowboys travel west to take on the Los Angeles Rams in a marquee Week 1 matchup that will be nationally televised on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. The Cowboys and Rams both enter the 2020 season with high expectations after disappointing seasons in 2019. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. EST inside the Rams brand new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The visiting Cowboys are a two-point favorite in the tilt.
What to Know – Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys and Jason Garrett parted ways in the offseason after the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs and preceded to hire former Green Bay Packers head man Mike McCarthy. McCarthy spent the 2019 season away from coaching. According to oddsmakers, Dallas has the third-highest chance to make it to the Super Bowl out of the NFC.
Dak Prescott returns under center for the Cowboys and will have ample weapons to use at his disposal. Ezekiel Elliot returns as the bell cow back for Dallas, having rushed for 1,357 yards last season and 12 touchdowns. Dallas drafted one of the best collegiate wide receivers last season in CeeDee Lamb to compliment Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. Dallas could have the league’s best wideout core by season’s end.
The defensive line got an overhaul over the offseason with the signings of Dontari Poe and Everson Griffen. At the same time, Leighton Vander Esch returns healthy after missing most of last season with a neck injury, and he will be joined by fellow starter Jaylon Smith. Look for rookie Trevon Diggs to improve the Cowboys secondary.
What to Know – Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles did not live up to expectations in 2019 after making it to Super Bowl LIII the year prior. Head Coach Sean McVay returns, and the Rams still have one of the league’s most talented rosters.
Jared Goff continues to handle the Rams’ quarterbacking duties as he enters his fifth season in the league. Goff, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, passed for 4,638 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. He also threw career-high 16 interceptions.
The Rams feature a solid stable of running backs in rookie Cam Akers and veterans Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson Jr. Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and tight end Tyler Higbee are back as Goff’s primary passing targets.
Los Angeles signed shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey to provided stability to a secondary that last two starters from last year’s squad. The defensive line remains intact, highlighted by Aaron Donald and offseason acquisition A’Shawn Robinson. The linebacking core will need to be retooled after failing to resign Cory Littleton and Dante Fowler Jr.
The Pick is In
Dallas is an early favorite to make it to Super Bowl LV with the expectations of a potent offense and solid defense. The Rams are trying to bounce back from a subpar season and reassert themselves as one of the elite teams in the division.
The Cowboys throttled the Rams in their only meeting last season, and we expect the Cowboys to have success again on Sunday. Our pick is the Cowboys against the spread.
