Cooper Rush and Trey Lance will compete for the QB2 job behind Dak Prescott.
Stetson Bennett is back after missing the entire 2023 season.
The Cowboys are favored to win by four points.
The Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams will face off during Week 1 of the NFL preseason on the Rams' home turf. Below, I’ll preview this matchup and provide three prop bets courtesy of bet365 Sportsbook.
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There are numerous storylines to follow for both the Cowboys and Rams, and we’ll see the first installment in these preseason archs here.
For the Cowboys, there’s no question that Dak Prescott is the QB1, but behind him are two rock-solid choices for the primary backup in Cooper Rush and Trey Lance.
Rush, 30, played for the Cowboys from 2017 to 2019, came back in 2020, and has been with them since. Lance was traded for almost nothing after going No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
For the Rams, Stetson Bennett will likely return to the field after being absent for the entire 2023 season. While we don’t know the exact reason, Bennett was asked earlier this offseason if it had to do with mental health, and he said, “Yeah, I’d say that.”
In addition to Bennett, the Rams also signed Jimmy Garoppolo, so those two will also compete for the QB2 spot behind Matthew Stafford.
The Cowboys are four-point favorites, and while I think they’ll win here, four points is always a difficult number to lay, as these teams should be pretty evenly matched.
Both teams have backup quarterback competitions, and the running back rooms have some intriguing competitions, like Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman, and Deuce Vaughn for the Cowboys and Blake Corum, Boston Scott, Ronnie Rivers, and Zach Evans. All signs point to Corum being the second back in the committee with Kyren Williams.
So, for moneyline bettors, side with the Cowboys, but on the spread, take the Rams.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into these prop bets.
While props are rare during the preseason, I found some at bet365 that are worth considering. Let's take a close look.
As I mentioned above, I believe the Cowboys win, but the Rams cover, thus making the margin of victory for the Cowboys less than four points.
Something must be said about Bennett coming out and proving to the fan base that he wants to be with the team and compete. On the other hand, Garoppolo is vying for a roster spot.
As for the Cowboys, Rush has been a consistent backup for the Cowboys, but Lance also has a ton to prove after the San Francisco 49ers traded a treasure trove of picks to draft him No. 3 overall and for him to barely see the field.
Expect some passing as these four quarterbacks get on the field. Plenty of wide receivers, like Jordan Whittington for the Rams and Jalen Brooks, Jalen Tolbert, and KaVontae Turpin for the Cowboys, are also looking to carve out key roles.
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Rush has been a consistent producer in the preseason. In 2023, he completed 19 of 26 passes (73.1%) of his passes for 179 yards and one touchdown. He started two games. He’s started eight preseason games throughout his career and has five touchdown passes for five interceptions. However, four of those five interceptions came in 2018 as a rookie, and he has just one since.
As for Lance, he was excellent during the 2023 preseason. He completed 22 of 33 passes for 285 yards, two passing touchdowns, and a pick in two games with one start. He had five rushes, but nothing came of them. Chances are the team wanted to keep him as healthy as possible for the inevitable trade.
There are so many players competing for prominent roles in this offense. As for receiving options, they’re pretty limited at the top with CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Jake Ferguson. This will allow players like Tolbert, Turpin, and Brooks to shine through. Another strong sleeper is Ryan Flournoy, the rookie from Southeast Missouri State who avoided a more major knee injury.
Expect some passing and offense here.
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This total of 14.5 points feels quite low. The only thing I can think of is the Rams' plan to limit snaps from Corum and let Scott, Rivers, and Evans duke it out for that RB3-ish role. Then again, on the Rams' unofficial depth chart, Corum isn’t even listed.
Otherwise, I expect Bennett and Garoppolo. There’s also Dresser Winn on the roster to consider as well. It’s worth noting that Garoppolo isn’t even listed on the Rams depth chart on Ourlads and Stafford is the only quarterback on the Rams unofficial depth chart.
Regardless, there’s a lot of competition for this backup quarterback role, and, like the Cowboys, there are receivers looking to make an impact. Tutu Atwell is looking to secure a spot, while Tyler Johnson and the rookie Whittington want to carve out a role as a WR5 or so.
Seeing how this shakes out will be intriguing, but they go beyond 14.5 points here.
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What: Cowboys vs Rams Preseason Week 1
When: Sunday, August 11 at 4:30 PM ET
Where: TSoFi Stadium
How to Watch: CBS and NFL Network
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