Los Angeles Rams: Keys to advance past the Dallas Cowboys

The Los Angeles Rams are hosting the Dallas Cowboys in a historic Divisional Round matchup after Dallas got by the Seattle Seahawks.

Many expected the Los Angeles Rams to host the Chicago Bears in the NFC Divisional Round in a rematch from the butt-kicking that the Bears defense put on the Rams in Week 14. With the Bears being the third-seed in the playoffs and the Rams a second, a Bears win would ensure, no matter the outcome of the other game, that the Bears would head into LA.

That seemed to be the matchup as well after the Bears drove downfield and set up for a game-winning field goal from Cody Parkey. The rest was history as Parkey delivered a tipped field goal (which is actually being officially ruled as a blocked field goal) that bounced off the upright twice.

With the sixth-seeded Philadelphia Eagles escaping defeat, the fourth-seeded Dallas Cowboys became the higher seed to advance, changing their flight from New Orleans to Los Angeles.

Everyone is happy with this. The Rams get to play the Cowboys instead of the Bears, the Cowboys don’t have to play the one-seeded Saints, the Saints don’t have to play the team that embarrassed them earlier in the year and the Eagles didn’t lose.

While the Cowboys might seem like an easier matchup than the Bears, Sean McVay and company are still going to have their hands full. Although they are favorites for a reason, the Rams still need to execute three drastically important things in this game in order to get past the Cowboys.