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Expert picks: Rested Rams can't stop climbing Cowboys

A sampling of picks made for the Rams @ Cowboys game suggests the Cowboys are strongly favored to win on Sunday.

NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

92% of the experts and algorithms tallied by NFLPickwatch.com favor the Cowboys over the Rams. Does that mean the game will be a walk in the park for the Cowboys?

Hardly.

Our collection of experts below likes the Cowboys for the most part, but expects a close game.


Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Dulac): Cowboys 34 - Rams 30

After being the lowest scoring team in the league in 2016 and the only team to average fewer than 300 yards offense each of the past two years, the Rams lead the league with 107 points after three games. The Cowboys will need some giddy-up at home, where they have won their past eight games.

Pro Football Talk (Smith): Cowboys 20, Rams 17

This is probably the hardest game on the board for me to pick. Based only on what’s happened this season, the Rams are the better team. And yet I’m not sure I’m ready to pick the Rams to win this kind of road game just yet. I’ll take the Cowboys.

NFL (Harrison): Cowboys 30, Rams 24

Back in Dallas for the first time since the season-opening blowout of the Giants in Jerryworld, the Cowboys string two wins together. That "Sunday Night Football" game in Week 1 already feels like forever ago, even though the Giants' offense still stinks. You know which offense doesn't suck anymore? The Rams' attack, which put on a great show on grass last Thursday night. Jared Goff appears to be an ascending player. The Sammy Watkins trade has already paid dividends. All of which has opened up opportunities for Todd Gurley. Who would've thought Los Angeles' offense would be the team's strength (leading the league in scoring at 35.7 points per game), while the defense rests at 26th in points allowed? Goff's passer rating on third down: 139.4. In the red zone: 137.3. Throwing down field (10-plus air yards): 120.1. And he loves kittens.

Pro Football Talk (Florio): Cowboys 27, Rams 20

The Rams looked great last Thursday and they’ve had extra time to get ready, but the Cowboys have a better-than-expected defense, and quarterback Dak Prescott is putting the offense on his back.

LA Times (Farmer): Cowboys 31, Rams 27

Rested Rams have improved dramatically on offense, and Jared Goff is fun to watch. Defensively, they’ve given up a lot, which is surprising. Dallas, coming off a short week, can’t sleep on this one.

CBS (Prisco): Cowboys 28, Rams 17

The Rams are 2-1, but this is a tough challenge on the road. Dallas seemed to get right at Arizona on Monday night. The Rams have had troubles on defense, which is why I think Ezekiel Elliott gets it going here in a big way.

New York Times (Hoffman): Cowboys

The Cowboys (2-1) had their offense wake up from an extended slumber in the second half of last week’s win over Arizona. If they can keep playing like that, Dallas may be able to forget how poorly the team played in a Week 2 loss to Denver.

If Sammy Watkins of the Rams (2-1) clears the N.F.L.’s concussion protocol and is able to play, there is an opportunity to find mismatches for him against the Dallas secondary. While Los Angeles has improved a great deal, it has probably not gotten to the point where a road upset against a top N.F.C. team is possible. Pick: Cowboys


Sporting News (Steele): Rams 34, Cowboys 27

Both teams may have found themselves offensively last week, the Rams maxing out against the 49ers and the Cowboys snapping out of their season-long funk in Arizona. Both have vulnerable defenses, but the Rams will keep getting the benefit of the doubt because of Aaron Donald. AT&T Stadium would be a heck of a place for Jared Goff to fully announce his presence.


What are your expectations for the game, nailbiter, blowout, or something else?

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