Rams and Cowboys preseason opener 2.0: What a difference a year makes

A year ago, the Los Angeles Rams unveiled top NFL Draft selection Jared Goff to the football world. However, it was Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott that came away with top billing by game’s end.

The Los Angeles Rams trailed the Dallas Cowboys by seventeen points when it mattered in last year’s preseason opener. The two teams meet again in the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday, but with their starting quarterbacks in reverse roles. If you’re betting on similar play to yield a more reflective final score for Dallas this weekend, don’t.

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Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has been reminiscing this week with the local Texas media. For him, it’s been rather surreal going from an almost completely unknown and post-draft footnote to not only a starter, but undisputed leader of America’s team. It’s enough to spin any rookie’s head. With all due respect, he’s handled it admirably with the utmost class and poise.

That all being said, Mr. Prescott, allow me to be among the first to let you in on a little secret (something your boy Ezekiel Elliott now knows well); the NFL’s not as easy as all that. In fact, let me welcome you to your real rookie season. It starts in the same place your freak of a rookie season started, Los Angeles. Fitting when you intrude on the balance of the universe and interrupt the whole time-continuum thing.

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The Philadelphia Eagles have made interesting upgrades and quarterback Carson Wentz is the type that excels with experience and confidence. The Washington Redskins figure to be less creative and versatile, but threaten to be more explosive. Still, the New York Giants should win the division hands down if too many critical completions aren’t thrown to opposing teams.

Unfortunately, it’s Prescott’s own team that will make his sophomore year closer to that of normal rookie quarterbacks.

The Cowboys show unmistakable signs of threads loosening at the seams. Dez Bryant‘s a year older after looking a year older last year. The defense is still soft and a bit banged up. And now the Zeek suspension pressures Prescott into conjuring up Rumpelstiltskin-like ability with the unraveling Dallas fabric. Overall, with that offensive line, they should remain in the NFC East hunt for most of the season.

As for the Rams, most experts like the coaching changes made, but remain in that safe “let’s wait and see” mode. Personally, I believe in the “hire good people and let them do their job” way of thinking. It’s worked well for teams like New England, Pittsburgh and showing early positivity here in the city for the Los Angeles Lakers. So even if I wasn’t a fan that knows his team, I’d love what’s happening here.

What rookie head coach Sean McVay and staff have done is attempt to take most of the pressure off the shoulders of starting quarterback Jared Goff in his second season. The early returns say it’s working well and Goff’s confidence level is way up. What the Rams lack in explosiveness still, they make up for in versatility. Goff now has several viable options to get rid of the football early and often. The offensive line as a whole is still a question mark, but at least his blindside is not.

The addition of receiver Sammy Watkins is huge if he can stay on the field. More importantly, if Tavon Austin and Mike Thomas can leap forward in their downfield game, the Rams’ points-per-game average should not straddle the bottom half of the NFL. This will be mostly due to the production of Todd Gurley. The man is special regardless of how many fantasy football geek tweets equated to jumping off his bandwagon say otherwise.

The defensive unit depth has taken hits but should remain solid if relatively healthy throughout the season.

Wade Phillips is working his championship-level magic getting more from players considered by most as mid-level talent. The secondary is considerably more hyped and confident in its ability to bring more turnovers to the 2017 table. Hidden gems figure to include defensive lineman Louis Trinca-Pasat, who caught my eye in the 2015 preseason. Frankly, I was stunned when he ended up on Jeff Fisher’s practice squad after being an obvious and needed playmaker.

According to SportsbookReview.com, the Dallas Cowboys are favored by a field goal for Saturday’s preseason game against Los Angeles. All things considered, I wouldn’t back America’s team this weekend with someone else’s money.

Overall, not a lot has changed in Dallas since these two teams squared off last preseason when the Prescott & Elliott Show made its debut. What has is now the definite starting quarterback, Prescott will be handled with kid gloves. The offensive line will not be at full strength, so expect limited playing time from key players. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is still a no-show, but that affects the game’s outcome less. Los Angeles has more depth and talent, despite the wins and losses of season’s past.

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Games are also four quarters long. Remember, this is the game that boosted the Nelson Spruce fan club membership after he and Rams backup quarterback Sean Mannion almost single-handedly sent the Cowboys home with a loss. The two have an undeniable connection that’s carried over and scheduled to make another appearance Saturday. But unlike last season’s opening game, I doubt that’ll be the Rams’ only minutes of play worth watching.