LA Rams (8-5) at Dallas (6-7)
When: Sunday, December 15th, 2019
Where: AT&T Stadium,
Arlington, TX
Time: 4:25 ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Dallas -3/47
The Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys each won their respective divisions in 2018, but have certainly regressed in 2019. Both are still alive for the postseason and this Sunday’s game could go along way in determining that. The Rams tied for the NFL’s best regular-season record last year 13-3 and won the NFC West, but they will not repeat in that division with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers battling. L.A. seems to have snapped out of a funk with two blowout victories in a row to get within one game of the Minnesota Vikings for the final wild card spot. The top spot will likely go to the Seahawks or 49ers. The Cowboys are just 6-7 but remarkably control their own destiny to win the horrible NFC East over Philadelphia despite being on a three-game losing streak. Dallas played at Los Angeles in last year’s Divisional Round and took a 7-3 lead after one quarter but wouldn’t score again until about five minutes remained in the third when they were down 23-7. The Rams would prevail 30-22 to earn a spot in the NFC title game. L.A. battered the Cowboys for a franchise-record 273 yards rushing, also the most allowed ever in the playoffs by a Dallas team. The Rams got 123 yards and two scores from C.J. Anderson (now out of NFL) and 115 yards and a touchdown from Todd Gurley. The Cowboys totaled 50 yards on the ground, while Dak Prescott threw for a score and rushed for one. The favorite is 4-1 in the past five meetings and the under is 4-1 in the previous five in Dallas.
The Rams came away with a confidence-building 28-12 win on Sunday night over a Seattle team that entered on a five-game winning streak. Jared Goff threw for 293 yards and two scores but was picked twice, while Gurley rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Higbee stepped up in Gerald Everett’s place (knee) with seven catches for a career-high 116 yards and became the first Rams tight end to have 100 or more receiving yards in consecutive games in the Super Bowl era. Wideouts Cooper Kupp (77 catches) and Robert Woods (71) both have a chances to go over 1,000 yards Sunday. The Rams still have a pretty strong defense, ranking seventh overall at 325.5 yards per game, while allowing fewer than 20 points in six of their last seven games.
Owner Jerry Jones is sure to fire head coach Jason Garrett at the end of the season, right? Even if Dallas gets into the postseason, nobody is going to pick them to get to the Super Bowl. Dallas’ third straight loss came last Thursday in Chicago in a game that really wasn’t as close as the final 31-24 score would indicate. Prescott threw for 334 yards and a touchdown but most of his numbers were when the game was already out of hand. Zeke Elliott rushed for 81 yards and two scores, while Brett Maher missed another field goal, and his 10 misses are more than any other NFL kicker has had in a season the past four years. He has finally been replaced. Prescott still leads the league in passing yards (4,122) while Elliott (1,071 yards) and wide receiver Amari Cooper (1,054 yards) each rank fifth in their respective categories. Dallas ranks seventh overall against the pass, surrendering an average of 216.4 yards, but you can run on them, just like the Rams did a year ago.
How can you not take the Rams in this one. I know it’s a road game, but L.A. is 7-1 ATS in their past eight away from home and the Cowboys are 1-7 ATS in their past eight vs. teams with a winning record. Dallas just can’t do anything right and are in for another rough afternoon.
Pick: Rams -1 (More Week 15 Free Picks)
Rams are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game.
Rams are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 14 points.
Rams are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in December.
Rams are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. NFC.
Rams are 4-0 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
Rams are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Rams are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games.
Rams are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
Rams are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a road favorite.
Rams are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games overall.
Rams are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Rams are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games on fieldturf.
Rams are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games in Week 15.
Cowboys are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Cowboys are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games as an underdog.
Cowboys are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Cowboys are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Cowboys are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.
Cowboys are 1-7 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Cowboys are 0-2-2 ATS in their last 4 games in Week 15.
Under is 4-0 in Rams last 4 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Under is 7-0 in Rams last 7 games as a favorite.
Under is 4-0 in Rams last 4 games as a road favorite.
Under is 5-0 in Rams last 5 vs. NFC.
Under is 4-0 in Rams last 4 vs. a team with a losing record.
Under is 7-1 in Rams last 8 games overall.
Under is 4-1 in Rams last 5 games following a ATS win.
Under is 8-2 in Rams last 10 road games.
Under is 12-3 in Rams last 15 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Under is 5-2 in Rams last 7 games following a straight up win.
Under is 5-2 in Rams last 7 games in December.
Under is 4-0 in Cowboys last 4 games in Week 15.
Over is 4-0 in Cowboys last 4 vs. NFC.
Over is 9-1 in Cowboys last 10 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 7-1 in Cowboys last 8 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 9-2 in Cowboys last 11 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Cowboys last 5 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.
Under is 13-4 in Cowboys last 17 games in December.
Over is 9-3 in Cowboys last 12 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 5-2 in Cowboys last 7 games after allowing more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game.
Under is 5-2 in Cowboys last 7 games as a home underdog.
Under is 5-2 in Cowboys last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 17-7 in Cowboys last 24 games as an underdog.
Over is 7-3 in Cowboys last 10 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 11-5 in Cowboys last 16 games overall.
Home team is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings.
Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Dallas.
