Los Angeles @ Dallas preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 17, 2019 ) Dallas 14, L.A. Rams 10

The Los Angeles Rams are two games abreast of the Dallas Cowboys but they face an uphill climb to make the playoffs with three games remaining in the regular season. Dallas, meanwhile, is sitting below .500 and mired in a three-game losing streak but still controls its postseason destiny entering Sunday afternoon's matchup against the visiting Rams.

The only thing keeping the Cowboys afloat in the playoff hunt is playing in the wretched NFC East -- they are tied with Philadelphia atop the division and hold the tiebreaker despite a 6-7 record. "We just haven't played well enough as a team in all three phases to win the ballgames,” Dallas coach Jason Garrett said. "Offense hasn't been good enough. Defense hasn't been good enough. Special teams hasn't been good enough. Coaching, playing everybody." Los Angeles' postseason chances appeared bleak following a 45-6 drubbing by Baltimore in Week 12, but it rebounded with lopsided victories over Arizona and Seattle to move within one game of Minnesota for the sixth seed in the NFC. "I've really been impressed with this team's mental toughness, their ability to stick together and fight through the day, fight through the next opportunity," coach Sean McVay said. "We'll see if we can keep this thing rolling."

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Rams -1.5. O/U: 49

ABOUT THE RAMS (8-5): After managing only 35 points in a three-week stretch, Los Angeles erupted for 62 in the back-to-back victories behind Jared Goff, who threw for 717 yards and four touchdowns in that span. Wideouts Cooper Kupp (77 catches) and Robert Woods (71) both have a chances to go over 1,000 yards Sunday while tight end Tyler Higbee has emerged with consecutive 100-yard games. Todd Gurley ran for a score in each of the past two games and had 16 carries for 115 yards and a touchdown in last season's 30-22 playoff win over Dallas as the Rams piled up a staggering 273 yards on the ground. The Rams rank eighth overall on defense, allowing 325.5 yards per game.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (6-7): Dak Prescott leads the league in passing yards (4,122) while Ezekiel Elliott (1,071 yards) and Amari Cooper (1,054 yards) each rank fifth in their respective categories, marking the first time Dallas has a 4,000-yard pass along with a 1,000-yard rusher and receiver. “It shows you the talent we have, the potential and we can be productive when we're doing the right thing and we're in the right spot,” Prescott said. Yet, after being limited to nine points at New England, the Cowboys were unable to keep pace with a pair of pedestrian offenses in losses to Buffalo and Chicago. Dallas ranks seventh overall against the pass, surrendering an average of 216.4 yards.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Rams DT Aaron Donald has notched 11.0 sacks and is the only player with at least 8.0 in each of the last six seasons.

2. Cooper has 82 receptions and 11 touchdowns in his last 11 home games.

3. Gurley needs one touchdown to tie Adrian Peterson (67) for the fifth-most during a player's first five seasons.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 26, Rams 23