Los Angeles Rams: Keys to advance past the Dallas Cowboys

1. Don’t overdo running the football

The Los Angeles Rams have the best running back in the NFL in Todd Gurley, that is without question. When the Rams offense is at its best is when Gurley is firing on all cylinders, opening up the passing game as well.

The Rams often did not turn to Gurley as frequently in the games that the team lost. While it is not the entire reason why the team lost, there is still a correlation there.

Prior to the Divisional Round, we stressed the importance of the Rams relying heavily on Gurley in the playoffs. However, after watching the Dallas-Seattle game, it is clear that the Rams are going to need to lean on the passing game as well.

This is true whether or not Gurley plays, as he is battling a knee injury. All signs are pointing to him playing, though.

Dallas completely shut out the Seahawks’ running attack the entire game, which lead to the team’s struggles on offense as a whole. It was not until Russell Wilson was tasked with spreading the field in the later portion of the game that the Seahawks really got something going offensively.

There were quite a few drives in which Seattle would rather predictably run the ball on first and second down then turn to the passing game on third and six. That kind of mundane play calling is something that is going to play into Dallas’ strengths perfectly.

The Rams need to open the field early and pass the ball then use Todd Gurley and the running game as the safety net. After all, Dallas did allow the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game this season.