OXNARD — The Rams held their second joint practices of the offseason on Thursday, traveling up the 101 to work out with the Dallas Cowboys. With the Rams likely to sit most of their key players for Sunday’s preseason opener against Dallas, here are some takeaways from the practice between the two teams.
Not according to plan
The highlight of the day was a complete improvisation from Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. The play likely would have been a sack if it were a live play, but Stafford extended it with a scramble to the left and threw a pass to Demarcus Robinson.
The ball was tipped up and off a Dallas player’s helmet and Stafford caught the ricochet and stumbled into the end zone.
Micah Parsons sacks Matthew Stafford…
But they carry out the play.
And Matthew Stafford throws a touchdown…
To Matthew Stafford. pic.twitter.com/SgoxnkHldX
— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) August 8, 2024
“How just absolutely old I looked,” Stafford joked when asked what was going through his mind. “I was asking their guys, ‘How bad did that look?’ … It was sitting on some dude’s helmet and I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll take it.’ I guess it worked.”
“Stop, stop, stop, stop,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said of his thoughts. “You could see, though, the respect that they have for him, they let up and he was enjoying that.”
Quick hits
The Rams and their injury-plagued offensive line didn’t game plan specifically for Cowboys outside linebacker Micah Parsons, but the instructions were to slide to him wherever he was on the field.
Parsons still had his moments in the backfield, but the Rams tried to get the ball out of Stafford’s hands quickly with screens and short routes. It helped relieve pressure on the offensive line, which struggled in Sunday’s joint practice with the Chargers.
“I thought it was better. I think we need to continue to get in better shape if we want to be able to play the way we’re capable of,” McVay said. “I liked the sense of urgency. I thought their energy was better, I thought they played with a better edge.”
Warming up
At first, the Cowboys’ offense was able to move the ball pretty easily against the Rams on the ground. Running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle found big holes at the line of scrimmage as the Rams’ defensive front found itself moving backward and relying on plays like an Ernest Jones IV strip to stop the momentum.
Running lanes have been there for the Cowboys but punch out, Ernest Jones pic.twitter.com/fhCnjNIua5
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) August 8, 2024
But as practice went on, the Rams adjusted and were able to close up some of those running lanes.
Pressure’s up
One area where the Rams’ defense didn’t need any warming up was in the pass rush. From the onset, the defensive front was getting pressure on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske were in the backfield regularly, as was second-year outside linebacker Byron Young. Defensive tackle Kobie Turner had a good pass deflection at the line of scrimmage during red zone work.
Good push from Jared Verse and Braden Fiske in pass rush pic.twitter.com/0c5Hhlg5Zb
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) August 8, 2024
Rams pass rush has been doing some good work today pic.twitter.com/UITHMe6UbH
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) August 8, 2024
Fly zone
Despite the strong pass rush, Rams defensive backs had a shaky day in coverage. Cornerback Decobie Durant in particular struggled to keep up with former Ram Brandin Cooks on crossing routes, including on a touchdown during red zone work.
Still, there were some highlights. Cornerback Tre Tomlinson and safety Russ Yeast had breakups while competing against the Cowboys’ second-team offense, and rookie safety Kamren Kinchens blew up a wide receiver screen in the flat in the red zone.
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McVay said he’s seen Kinchens improve as he’s gotten more and more reps this preseason.
“He’s a really conscientious player already and you look at the amount of ball production that he had at Miami, you look at what a tough player he is,” McVay said. “He understands the game, he recognizes concepts.”
Kickoff
The Rams continued to experiment with different combinations of returners as they work on what the new kickoff will look like. Running back Kyren Williams and receiver Tutu Atwell made up one unit, followed by running back Blake Corum and wide receiver Xavier Smith, running back Boston Scott and wideout Tyler Johnson, and Robinson and Tomlinson. Tomlinson had the best return of the day for the Rams, getting past the Cowboys with a chance to score a touchdown before the play was called dead.
Injury report
Offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (ankle), offensive tackle Alaric Jackson (ankle), outside linebacker Brennan Jackson (undisclosed), guard Jonah Jackson (shoulder) and receiver Puka Nacua (knee) did not practice on Thursday. Fiske left practice early, and McVay said the rookie had been poked in the eye.
