There were some potentially serious injuries suffered in the game as well, as Jason Smith and Darell Scott both got carted off the field. Smith’s looked really bad when it happened, and there was serious concern for his health and safety while he was down. I haven’t gotten an official update on either player yet from the team, but I heard earlier today that Smith had full motion in all of his extremities. I’ll have the full report tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Also, let me acknowledge one of the few bright spots from today’s game. Brandon Lloyd looks like he could be a great fit here in St. Louis. He led the team with 74 yards receiving, and I thought he looked like a significant upgrade in talent over most of the guys on this roster. You have to think he will only get better as he gets more comfortable here and he develops a relationship and familiarity with Sam Bradford, so there could be at least one light at the end of what’s starting to look like an increasingly dark, never-ending tunnel.

1. Give us an injury update for Sunday. I believe Felix Jones has been ruled out, so who else might not suit up?

G Derrick Dockery, DE Jason Hatcher, and RB Felix Jones have all been ruled out officially. K David Buehler, G Kyle Kosier, LB DeMarcus Ware have all been listed as questionable. But all three were limited in practice this week but are expected to play. Keep in mind, Ware hasn’t missed a game in seven years, and played through this back injury last week.

 
2. DeMarco Murray was a guy I really liked coming out of college, and I actually lobbied for the Rams to draft him. It sounds like he will be seeing plenty of time on Sunday, so what are his strengths and weaknesses as a running back?

It would have made sense for the Rams to draft Murray, being a former 4 year teammate and close friend of Sam Bradford. But the Cowboys believe they got quite a steal in this year’s draft. The third round pick is a big back who is a great north-south runner. He’s got excellent hands and is a receiving threat out of the backfield. Pass blocking and durability are his biggest question marks.

 
3. Give us a rundown on Tony Romo. I’m personally a big fan with him being an Eastern Illinois alum, but he takes a ton of criticism in the national media. What are some things he does really well, and where does he struggle?

 Romo is a play-maker and a risk-taker. He grew up idolizing Brett Favre and his playing style emulates that. Romo is growing stronger as a leader but still makes the mistakes you’d expect a gunslinger to make. He has handled the media pressure well and continues to be highly respected within the locker room. The only cure for Romo’s problems is winning. If we can go deep into the playoffs in the next couple years, he’ll be put up on the same pedestal as Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach, despite his infamous mistakes.

 
4. It sounds like the Cowboys have been struggling a bit on the offensive side of the ball, so what are the problems and how are they going to be fixed?

The Cowboys biggest struggle is running the ball. This problem feeds into all the other problems and is the main reason we are 2-3. There are three reasons for this: (1) A young offensive line. (2) A starting running back who is better at being a complementary back. (3) The lack of a “true” fullback. Problem #1 just takes time. But the offensive line gets better from week to week. the recent loss of G Bill Nagy enhances the problem a bit, but former Cowboy Montrae Holland has been brought back to fill his role and brings a bit more experience within the system. Problem #2 has solved itself. Felix Jones is injured…again. His absence opens the door for Rookie DeMarcus Murray. If Murray can do well, he could replace Jones and fill that need immediately. And Problem #3 will be solved this week with the return of FB Tony Fiammetta. Fiammetta, whose has been out for two weeks with a hamstring injury, was signed right after the season started and contributed to the Cowboys’ two best running games so far this year. His return means bigger holes for Murray to run through.

 
5. What’s your take on the Dallas defense? They seem like a pretty solid group to me, but they don’t seem to get much recognition.

This is the best defense Dallas has had in a long time. The Cowboys have been a threat in every game this year mainly because of Rob Ryan’s defense. And since the NFL Lockout delayed the implementation of Ryan’s new defense schemes, the players are still learning the new system. It’s very much like on-the-job training out there. And here’s the scary thing: They are getting better every week.

 
6. Give us a prediction for the game on Sunday and for the Cowboys season as a whole. I had them in the NFC title game before the season started, but I might have to rethink it after their slow start.

Dallas should win this one big, but they also have the tendency to shoot themselves in the foot and keep the games way too close. And don’t forget about RB Steven Jackson. The last time we played him, back in 2008, he ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns in a Ram victory. But this ain’t the same defense. Here’s the score: Dallas 34, St. Louis 24.

The NFC East is unexpectedly weak this year. Dallas has every chance to win the division and get into the playoffs. I think they will. Now, what they do in the playoffs is up in the air. It just depends on how their playing at the time.

Player I Was Most Impressed With: Mark Ingram (Alabama)

Ingram isn’t the greatest running back to ever enter the NFL Draft, but he is without a doubt the cream of the crop in this year’s class. His Heisman Trophy speaks for itself, but I was really surprised at how quick his feet were during the drills. He is a pretty big boy, but his speed was impressive and you could tell during the workout that he is far more elusive than most bigger backs. He’s probably not an option for the Rams unless he falls out of first round, and the chances of that happening are slim to none.

Honorable Mention: Mikel Leshore, Ryan Williams, DeMarco Murray, Roy Helu Jr., Allen Bradford.

If there’s another guy in this class that has the potential to be a major success at the next level, it’s Leshore (Illinois). The comparisons to former teammate Rashard Mendenhall is valid, and I think whoever gets this kid is going to be very happy with him. Williams (Va Tech) is a guy I have been keeping an eye on, and I thought he pretty much showed what I expected during workouts. Murray (Okla) might be a nice fit with the Rams depending on how late he is still there, and Helu (Neb) and Bradford (USC) were guys who looked much better than I expected in both the measurables and the drills.

Player I Was Most Disappointed In: Daniel Thomas (K-State)

I don’t know if it’s really fair to make Thomas my biggest disappointment since he didn’t really participate due to injury, but he was the guy I was most looking forward to seeing at the RB position heading into this thing, so I was very disappointed when he wasn’t able to go. Thomas is a guy I think might be on the Rams’ radar come April, so his Pro Day will be of great importance.

Dishonorable Mention: Kendall Hunter, Jaquizz Rodgers, Evan Royster, Vai Taua

Hunter (Ok St.) is another guy I think the Rams might have some interest in, but I was really expecting a better performance. He didn’t look outstanding in the drills, especially in the pass-catching portion. I still like him, but I want to see a better performance at the Pro Day. Quizz (Ore St.) is a guy I really liked in college, but he was very unspectacular as well. I think he might be a guy that is more impressive in game situations, but he is small and he didn’t stand out at the Combine. Royster (Penn St.) had a pretty nice college career, but I didn’t even remember seeing him when I went back to watch it for the second time. Taua struggled a bit during the drills, and he wasn’t overly impressive in any aspect.

I think the Rams desperately need to use an early pick on an heir-apparent to SJ39 at some point, but I don’t think this year is that time. I have no problem with the team looking for a change-of-pace guy on the third day, but there just aren’t enough great players in this class to use an early pick on a running back, in my opinion.