In order to take care of the Los Angeles Rams, the Dallas Cowboys will need to do this.
The biggest key to victory will be the Cowboys offensive line holding three-time Defensive MVP, defensive tackle Aaron Donald to marginal production. It’s an obvious key to win but playing the best player on defense among the league is exceptionally difficult.
Donald has the talent to disrupt any game plan so how can the team contain him? Simply put, the Cowboys will not be able to stop him every play and he will get his share of tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss.
However, on every play, Donald should be double-teamed, whether it’s in the run game or picked up by a guard/center combo in the passing game.
The Cowboys are going to need to control the game. That puts a lot of pressure on Ezekiel Elliott to run the ball and dictate the pace of the play. The best way to do this will be running right at Donald with double teams in place.
Players like Donald are best when trailing from the backside when you run away from him. If the Cowboys can limit those opportunities, the team could be in good shape.
Losing La’el Collins to the IR and Travis Frederick retiring certainly hurts. Guys like Cam Erving, Joe Looney, and Connor Williams will have to step up. It’s unfortunate that their moment to shine is right out the gate against the league’s best defensive player.
The key to win is simple; however, it’s really not.