Dak Prescott had a great debut in a losing effort for the Cowboys. (Getty)
Final Score
Dallas Cowboys 14-10-0-0 — 24
Los Angeles Rams 7-0-7-14 — 28
Box Score
After the first few seconds of the game, it looked like the Dallas Cowboys were going to spoil the Los Angeles homecoming of the Rams. Lucky Whitehead ran back the opening kickoff to put the Cowboys up early.
While the Rams trailed 24-7 at the half, third string quarterback Sean Mannion played the second half and led an impressive rally to give the Rams their debut victory.
Aside from the NFL being back in LA, the focus turned to the rookies on both teams. Dak Prescott got the start at quarterback for the Cowboys with Tony Romo being held out. The rookie quarterback out of Mississippi State did not disappoint.
Prescott went 10-of-12 for 139 yards and two touchdowns in one half of play. Prescott threw the ball all over the field including connecting with star receiver Dez Bryant two times on the opening drive.
Number one pick Jared Goff did not have the same kind of debut. He played in limited action to end the second quarter. Goff only had 38 yards passing and threw an interception as he was leveled on a hit. He did not return in the second half.
Rookie receiver Nelson Spruce had a different night as Mannion connected with him often in the second half including a touchdown pass. It was not always pretty but the Rams started things off in Los Angeles the way they wanted.
Here’s how it happened.
The Game Was Expected to Have the Highest Attendance of Any Preseason Game in History
Approaching 90k tickets sold for tonight’s Cowboys vs. Rams game
Will be the most attended NFL preseason game in U.S. history #DALvsLA
Over 90,000 tickets were sold for the game. It marked the first NFL game in Los Angeles since the Rams were still an LA franchise on Christmas Eve of 1994.
Lucky Whitehead Ran Back the Opening Kickoff for a Touchdown
Lucky Whitehead got the Cowboys off to the best start possible by running back the opening kickoff to give Dallas a 7-0 lead to start the game. After an early juke move, Whitehead appeared to be untouched for most of his run into the endzone.
Dak Prescott’s First Pass to Dez Bryant Was a Beauty
Prescott had an impressive opening drive for the Cowboys. It appeared he had at least one thing down in the NFL: throw it up to Dez Bryant, and he will go get it.
Prescott Connected with Bryant Again for a TD on the Opening Drive
Just a few plays after finding Bryant on the sideline, Prescott connected with him again but this time it was in the endzone. Prescott looked great in his first NFL series and went 6-of-7 on the opening possession.
Benny Cunningham Scored the First Touchdown for the Rams
Running back Benny Cunningham looked great in the first quarter for the Rams. After a few nifty cutbacks, he found the endzone to bring the Rams within seven.
Prescott Continued Putting on a Clinic With His Second Touchdown Pass
Prescott found Terrance Williams in the corner of the endzone for his second touchdown pass of the game. Prescott was 9-of-11 to open the game up and the two incompletions were drops. Cowboys fans may have seen a glimpse of their future after Romo.
Jared Goff Had a Rough NFL Debut
Goff was selected by the Rams in the 2016 NFL Draft with the first overall pick. He did not have the kind of start he would have liked. He played briefly to close out the second half, but threw an interception. He was expected to get more reps in the game, but did not return in the second half. He went 4-of-8 for 38 yards and an interception.
Chase Reynolds Got the Rams Off to a Great Start in the Third Quarter
Reynolds found the endzone to start off the 3rd quarter for the Rams. His touchdown made it 24-14 in favor of the Cowboys.
Nelson Spruce Scored a Touchdown in His Debut
Touchdown, Nelson Spruce.
Sean Mannion connected with rookie wide receiver Nelson Spruce several times in the fourth quarter. Spruce found the endzone to cut the Cowboys lead to three. Spruce played college football at Colorado.
Sean Mannion Found Aaron Green for the Game Winning Touchdown
Sean Mannion came into the game in the second half as quarterback for the Rams. He led a phenomenal comeback for Los Angeles. Mannion found rookie running back Aaron Green on a short touchdown pass. Mannion was 18-of-25 for 147 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.