3 keys for LA Rams Saturday’s joint practice with Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys emerging from HOF game loss

While that contest was fought by primarily backups and rookies, the Saturday scrimmage between the Cowboys and visiting Rams will feature primarily starters. And surprisingly, both teams will have similar checklists.

Los Angeles Rams

Both teams will be investigating how their starting quarterback plays in this one. For the Rams, this will be the one and only time that Matthew Stafford will face anything close to game-like conditions.  That means there will be a lot of focus on how he moves in the pocket, how he processes his progressions, and how far he can sling the ball. For the Cowboys, just insert the name, Dak Prescott, as the Cowboys are eager to see how well he performs after losing the 2020 season to injury.

Both teams will be eager to see how their offensive line holds up as well.  Since you can expect about 45 of the 60 or so scripted plays to feature the starters, this is the opportunity to see just how well the players hold up in pads to unfamiliar opponents.

Of course, only the Rams have All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey, and he talked about the upcoming joint practice as well. He has only been with the LA Rams since the middle of the 2019 NFL season, but he quickly ascended to one of the leaders of this team.

Ramsey is a bit like teammate Aaron Donald, as he commented on the good ball placement of quarterback Stafford. Ramsey welcomes the chance to compete against the Cowboys, as he likes the infusion of new competition and the opportunity to face new types of receivers.