Rams Highlights & Takeaways: Turnovers Doom L.A. In Week 5 Loss To Cowboys

In football, it is extremely difficult to win if you turn the ball over and the Los Angeles Rams continue to prove that right.

The offense turned the ball over three times while special teams also allowed a blocked punt as the Rams dropped their second straight game, 22-10, to the Dallas Cowboys. The loss was their second straight and dropped the defending Super Bowl Champions to a 2-3 record.

Things went bad from the beginning for the Rams as Matthew Stafford was strip-sacked by Dorance Armstrong on the third play of the day. DeMarcus Lawrence would scoop up the ball and score putting the Rams behind 6-0 quickly. Things went from bad to worse on the next drive as Armstrong would again make another huge play, this time blocking a Riley Dixon punt which set up a Cowboys field goal.

From that point on, the Rams’ offense simply couldn’t get anything going against the Cowboys’ defense. Stafford did throw for 308 yards, but 129 came on two big plays, both in the first half. The bigger one came courtesy of Cooper Kupp, of course, who took a short pass 75 yards for the Rams’ only touchdown of the game which briefly put them ahead 10-9.

But on the ensuing drive, the Rams would allow Cowboys running back Tony Pollard to get loose for a 54-yard touchdown, giving the Cowboys a lead they would never relinquish. With Brett Maher’s third field goal of the day putting Dallas up 12 with 5:32 remaining, the Rams had one last chance to spark a comeback, but the Dallas defense again came up clutch.

With the Rams threatening on Dallas’ end of the field, Stafford would get picked off by safety Malik Hooker on the goal line. Then after the defense forced a 3-and-out, Stafford would lose his second fumble on a sack, the second from Micah Parsons and the fifth on the day for the Cowboys, who also hit Stafford 11 times.

Kupp was once again the Rams’ main source of offense, totaling 125 yards on seven catches and the one long touchdown. The run game was non-existent, however, with Cam Akers gaining 33 yards on 13 carries while the defense allowed 163 to the Cowboys duo of Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott. The Rams held Cooper Rush to just 102 passing yards, but with Dallas playing with a lead most of the game, the Cowboys leaned on the run game with Rush throwing just 16 times.

Next up for the Rams

The Rams have what looks to be an ideal game lined up to get back on track next Sunday as they host the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers recently fired head coach Matt Rhule after their 1-4 start this season and are also without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield to an ankle injury.