Cowboys at Rams: Week 15 preview, odds and injuries

Week 15 · Sun, Dec 20 · SoFi Stadium4:25 PM ET

at4:25 PMET · CBS

At a glanceUpdated Nov 10, 2026, 3:52 PM ET

The Dallas Cowboys (4-5) visit the Los Angeles Rams (5-4) on Sun, Dec 20, 4:25 PM ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA (Week 15, 2026 season), on CBS.

When and where is Cowboys vs Rams?

Sun, Dec 20, 4:25 PM ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. TV: CBS.

Who is injured for Cowboys vs Rams?

Cowboys: Jake Ferguson (TE, out, knee), P.J. Locke (S, out, concussion), Tyler Goodson (RB, out, knee - acl + mcl), DeMarvion Overshown (LB, questionable, hamstring), Donovan Ezeiruaku (LB, questionable, ankle) and George Pickens (WR, questionable, hamstring) (plus 4 more). Rams: Puka Nacua (WR, doubtful, knee - mcl), Joe Cardona (LS, questionable, ankle), Jordan Whittington (WR, questionable, back), Steve Avila (G, questionable, hamstring) and Trent McDuffie (CB, questionable, back).

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “Cowboys at Rams: Week 15 preview”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2026-12-20-dal-at-lar (updated 2026-11-10).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

Regular season through week 14 · rank out of 32

Where this game will be decided

1Cowboys pass protection vs Rams pass rush
The Cowboys' pass protection ranks 5th in sack rate (3.8% sacked, 371 dropbacks) against a Rams pass rush ranked 29th (4.8% of dropbacks, 331 dropbacks faced).
5thDAL offense24 spots apart29thLAR defense
2Rams run game vs Cowboys run defense
The Rams' run game ranks 4th in EPA per rush (+0.01, 228 rushes) against a Cowboys run defense ranked 27th (-0.02 allowed, 236 rushes faced).
4thLAR offense23 spots apart27thDAL defense
3Rams third-down offense vs Cowboys third-down defense
The Rams' third-down offense ranks 10th in third-down conversion rate (42.6%, 108 third downs) against a Cowboys third-down defense ranked 31st (50.0% allowed, 116 third downs faced).
10thLAR offense21 spots apart31stDAL defense

When the Cowboys have the ballNo big edge

DAL dropback offenseEPA per dropbackLAR pass defense

9th+0.16371 dropbacks

-0.07 allowed331 dropbacks faced6th

DAL run gameEPA per rushLAR run defense

9th-0.00214 rushes

-0.18 allowed217 rushes faced2nd

Dropbacks include sacks and scrambles; rushes are designed runs. What EPA measures.

When the Rams have the ballEdge LAR · +23 ranks

LAR dropback offenseEPA per dropbackDAL pass defense

17th+0.06366 dropbacks

LAR +11

+0.17 allowed331 dropbacks faced28th

LAR run gameEPA per rushDAL run defense

4th+0.01228 rushes

LAR +23

-0.02 allowed236 rushes faced27th

Third downEdge LAR · +21 ranks

DAL third-down offensethird-down conversion rateLAR third-down defense

3rd47.0%117 third downs

32.5% allowed114 third downs faced3rd

LAR third-down offensethird-down conversion rateDAL third-down defense

10th42.6%108 third downs

LAR +21

50.0% allowed116 third downs faced31st

Conversions are third-down snaps that gained a first down or scored.

Red zoneEdge LAR · +21 ranks

DAL red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateLAR red-zone defense

3rd68%37 trips

45% allowed29 trips faced6th

LAR red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateDAL red-zone defense

4th67%36 trips

LAR +21

69% allowed35 trips faced25th

A trip is a drive with at least one snap inside the opponent's 20; the rate is trips that ended in an offensive touchdown. Small samples swing fast here.

Explosive playsEdge LAR · +13 ranks

DAL big-play offenseexplosive-play rateLAR defense against big plays

23rd8.2%585 plays

LAR +13

7.8% allowed548 plays faced10th

LAR big-play offenseexplosive-play rateDAL defense against big plays

24th8.1%594 plays

10.1% allowed567 plays faced23rd

Completions of 20+ yards and runs of 10+, per snap. Definition.

Pressure & sacksEdge DAL · +24 ranks

DAL pass protectionsack rateLAR pass rush

5th3.8% sacked371 dropbacks

DAL +24

4.8% of dropbacks331 dropbacks faced29th

LAR pass protectionsack rateDAL pass rush

4th3.6% sacked366 dropbacks

LAR +19

5.1% of dropbacks331 dropbacks faced23rd

Sacks per dropback. The public play-by-play has no pressure charting, so this is the sack side of it only.

TurnoversEdge DAL · +11 ranks

DAL ball securityturnovers per gameLAR takeaway defense

8th0.9 giveaways a game9 games

DAL +11

1.1 takeaways a game9 games19th

LAR ball securityturnovers per gameDAL takeaway defense

24th1.6 giveaways a game9 games

0.9 takeaways a game9 games26th

Interceptions and lost fumbles on offensive snaps, per game. Turnover rates are among the least stable numbers in football.

AbsencesDAL 0 · LAR 1 regulars out or doubtful

Cowboys10 listed

0 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QGeorge PickensWR78% offense · 8 wk
QDeMarvion OvershownLB71% defense · 3 wk
QDonovan EzeiruakuLB65% defense · 9 wk
OUTJake FergusonTE56% offense · 9 wk
QJoey Porter Jr.CB54% defense · 4 wk
OUTP.J. LockeS49% defense · 4 wk
QJonathan MingoWR23% offense · 9 wk
OUTTyler GoodsonRB18% offense · 7 wk

Rams5 listed

1 of them is a regular ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QTrent McDuffieCB97% defense · 6 wk
QSteve AvilaG91% offense · 9 wk
DPuka NacuaWR87% offense · 7 wk
QJordan WhittingtonWR22% offense · 8 wk
QJoe CardonaLSno snaps

Snap share is the average of the weeks each player was on the field this season. Full injury report ↓

Rest & travelDAL +6 days of rest · DAL travels 1,227 mi

AwayCowboys

13days since last game

1,227miles to get here

2time zones

Last: Mon wk 13 at SEA · Seattle · 19,776 mi flown this season

Off a bye2 time zones

Rest edge+6DAL daysTravel gap 1,227 mi

HomeRams

7days since last game

0miles · home

0time zones

Last: Sun wk 14 at SF · Santa Clara · 27,408 mi flown this season

Normal week

League splits for these situations ↓

Sample: DAL 9 games, 585 offensive and 567 defensive plays · LAR 9 games, 594 offensive and 548 defensive plays. Rank 1 is the best offense or the best defense in each stat. Keys are the largest rank gaps (12+ spots) between an offense and the defense it faces, one per stat. Ranks are not schedule-adjusted.

Season to date · rank out of 32