Not since 1992 have the Dallas Cowboys played a game like this one. Not since the early 90s have the Cowboys walked onto the turf of an NFL team based in Los Angeles. That will all change this Saturday when the Cowboys visit the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to face the newly-arrived Los Angeles Rams in what will be the first game of the 2016 preseason for both teams.
On December 17, 2015, the Rams played in Saint Louis for the last time when they faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At the end of that season the Rams filed for relocation to the city of Los Angeles. The move was approved at an owners meeting in January of 2016.
The Rams will play three seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum while they develop their new stadium in Inglewood, California.
The game will feature two teams trying to return to the playoffs after failing to do so last year. The Rams in fact, have not reached the playoffs since 2004, when many of the stars of “the Greatest Show on Turf,” like Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce; were still part of the team.
The Cowboys are trying to put behind a disappointing 2015 that saw them finish last in the NFC East with a 4-12 record. To accomplish that first they have to make sure that the offensive line can protect Tony Romo from suffering another season-ending injury.
Due to the injuries of Tomy Romo and Ezekiel Elliot the Cowboys will feature backups Dak Prescott at quarterback and Darius Jackson at runningback.
For Rams quarterbacks Case Keenum and No. 1 draft pick Jared Goff this game will be the first official step to decide who becomes the next starter.
In the backfield the Rams have a talented and young running back in Todd Gurley who ran for over 1100 yards and scored 10 touchdowns as a rookie and will try to repeat the feat this season.
The lines of the game at the time this article was written were:
– Rams by 4.5 points
– The game’s over/under is 35.5 points
