The Dallas Cowboys may be walking into one of their toughest late-season tests when they head to SoFi Stadium in Week 15, and one Rams writer doesn’t sound like he’s expecting much drama.
That’s the read from John Sbisa of Ramblin’ Fan, who sees a Los Angeles roster that has been aggressively built to contend after the blockbuster Myles Garrett trade. On paper, he said, the Rams look like the team to beat in the NFC and maybe the league overall. But he also made clear that power rankings don’t hand out trophies, and Rams fans know better than to treat them like a final verdict.
Still, the bigger picture for Dallas is simple: this is not a soft landing spot.
Los Angeles has also created some internal debate with its roster-building choices, including using a premier first-round pick on Ty Simpson instead of a player who could help right away. Sbisa said some fans would rather have seen the Rams add a win-now piece, especially with a player like Makai Lemon potentially able to help as a No. 3 receiver.
He pointed out that any rookie the Rams selected would likely offer more immediate value than Simpson, who is learning behind Matthew Stafford and may not even beat out Stetson Bennett for the backup job. Even so, he said a larger chunk of the fan base has accepted the move, trusting general manager Les Snead’s habit of balancing the present and the future.
Dallas, meanwhile, has gotten a positive early look at Cobie Durant in offseason practices, but Sbisa doesn’t sound convinced the cornerback is being viewed the right way. He called Durant a quality starting-caliber corner, though not the elite one Los Angeles needed on a championship-level roster.
He added that the Cowboys could find out the hard way if they lean on him too much, while also noting that Durant should still be a useful piece in Dallas, especially if DaRon Bland stays healthy and gets back to All-Pro form. Rams fans, he said, were sad to see Durant leave.
Sbisa also highlighted a few moves that could matter more than they first appear. He mentioned the Rams’ secondary upgrades, including the Jaylen Watson signing and the extensions for safeties Kam Curl and Quentin Lake, but his pick for the most underrated addition was rookie offensive lineman Keagen Trost.
The third-round pick out of Missouri could become especially important if starting left tackle Alaric Jackson Jr. faces a potential suspension. Sbisa said Trost could even win a starting job out of training camp, depending on how that situation plays out and whether the Rams make another move later in the summer.
He also noted that there wasn’t a tackle in college football last season with a higher grade than Trost, and said that even if he doesn’t start, he should be first in line as a swing tackle.
If Dallas is looking for a place to poke holes, Sbisa pointed to the Rams’ linebacker group, especially in pass coverage. He said the Cowboys probably don’t need to worry as much about their running back as a receiver, but there may be chances to create mismatches with Jake Ferguson or some of the other pass-catchers on slants and screens. That, he said, could open the door for yards after the catch, particularly against Omar Speights, who has struggled in coverage.
At the same time, the matchup also cuts the other way. Sbisa said Rams fans will be watching closely to see whether the Cowboys’ secondary can slow Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
He also noted that Jerry Jones has his touted run defense, but the back end may still need help even with No. 11 overall pick Caleb Downs at safety. On the other side, he said it will be interesting to see whether McDuffie and Watson can deal with Dallas’ own duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
The Cowboys and Rams are set for a Sunday afternoon kickoff at 3:25 p.m. CT in Week 15.
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