Gurley, Rams continue strong start, rally past Cowboys 35-30
Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Todd Gurley scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 53-yard catch-and-run, Greg Zuerlein kicked a career-high seven field goals and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Dallas Cowboys 35-30 on Sunday.
Gurley finished with 215 total yards -- 121 rushing and 94 receiving -- as the Rams overcame two first-half touchdowns from Ezekiel Elliott the day before a federal appeals court hearing related to the star Dallas running back's blocked six-game suspension over a domestic incident in Ohio.
The Rams (3-1) rallied from 11 points down late in the first half and matched their start from a year ago, when they went 1-11 the rest of the way as No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff was sitting and later lost the first seven starts of his career.
Goff showed more poise in first-year coach Sean McVay's offense, throwing for 255 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He has seven TD passes and one interception this season.
The Cowboys (2-2) are already a loss shy of their total from last season when Dak Prescott was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and Elliott led the league in rushing, also as a rookie.
Terrance Williams dropped a potential tying 2-point conversion pass on the third try midway through the fourth quarter after Prescott's 28-yard scoring toss to James Hanna.
Center Travis Frederick was called for holding when Prescott ran in the first attempt. Dallas got another shot after a defensive holding call.
Gurley had a 12-yard catch on third-and-5 to help the Rams get to the two-minute warning before Zuerlein's seventh field goal, a 33-yarder with 1:55 remaining. Gurley had 30 touches -- 23 carries and a team-high seven catches.
The Cowboys reached midfield in the final minute, but Elliott's catch inside the Rams 40 on fourth-and-10 was about a yard short of the first down, clinching LA's win.
Zuerlein's previous career high was five field goals in a 22-7 win over Denver in November 2014. He had a 44-yarder on the final play of the first half, and the long was from 49.
The Cowboys held the Rams to 131 yards in the first half, but the absence of All-Pro linebacker Sean Lee because of a hamstring injury showed up after halftime. After punting on their first possession of the second half, the Rams scored five straight times.
Elliott had 85 yards on 21 carries and backup Alfred Morris finished with 76 -- 70 coming on his career-long run to set up Elliott's second TD. The 1-yard plunge came after a review overturned a touchdown. Both times, Elliott took the ball to his mom in a field-level suite behind the end zone.
Prescott was 20 of 36 for 252 yards with three touchdowns.
AWKWARD CELEBRATIONS
Rams receiver Robert Woods ran off to celebrate what he thought was a touchdown in the first half, not realizing officials had ruled the play in the back of the end zone incomplete. The call was held up on review and was the second of coach Sean McVay's two failed challenges in the first half, resulting in him being unable to challenge the rest of the game.
Brice Butler of the Cowboys immediately turned to Dez Bryant to start a celebration and didn't see an official calling his toe-dragging catch in the end zone incomplete.
Tight end Jason Witten had to interrupt the celebration, but that was about the time officials changed the call. The ruling of a TD was confirmed after a review. Both plays were in the second quarter.
ANTHEM WATCH
The Cowboys stood on their sideline for the national anthem, as they had done every week before the Monday night game in Arizona. Bryant said Friday that was the plan because their decision to kneel before then anthem and stand during the singing in Arizona was their response to President Donald Trump's comments in Alabama the previous Friday. Rams outside linebacker Robert Quinn stood holding his right fist over his head while punter Johnny Hekker put his arm around Quinn.
UP NEXT:
Rams: First meeting next Sunday with Seattle, winner of three NFC West titles in the past four seasons.
Cowboys: Green Bay returns to Arlington next Sunday after beating the top-seeded Cowboys on their home field in a divisional playoff last January.