Dallas Cowboys vs Los Angeles Rams Match Player Stats: Stetson Bennett Leads Rams to Victory

Preseason football rarely tells you much about January, but it tells you plenty about who’s fighting for a roster spot. If you’re searching for dallas cowboys vs los angeles rams match player stats, the short version is this: Stetson Bennett outplayed a shorthanded Dallas backfield of arms, and the Rams turned two early touchdown drives into a 31-21 win. The Cowboys answered with grit from their third and fourth-string quarterbacks, but Los Angeles never let go of the lead it built in the first quarter.

1. Game Recap: How the Rams Beat the Cowboys

The Los Angeles Rams opened their 2025 preseason slate on Saturday, August 9, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, defeating the Dallas Cowboys 31-21 in a game that also marked Brian Schottenheimer’s first appearance as Dallas’ head coach. Bennett, working to lock down his spot as the Rams’ third-string quarterback, went 16 of 24 for 188 yards and two touchdowns, directing scoring drives on Los Angeles’ first two possessions behind a pair of short Blake Corum touchdown runs.

Dallas rested nearly every starter, including Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, leaving Joe Milton to run the offense as he continues competing for the backup quarterback job behind Prescott.In addition to throwing an interception that Rams CB Cam Lampkin returned inside the red zone, Milton also passed for 143 yards and a touchdown to tight end Rivaldo Fairweather. Will Grier closed out the scoring for Dallas with an 8-yard touchdown scramble in the final minutes, trimming the final margin but not enough to change the outcome.

2. Match Overview Table

3. Core Team Statistics: Cowboys vs Rams Box Score

The full cowboys vs rams box score shows Los Angeles winning nearly every phase of the game except turnovers, where both teams finished even. The Rams out-gained Dallas by 67 total yards and controlled the ball for more than 33 minutes.

Passing Efficiency

• Stetson Bennett threw for 188 yards on 16-of-24 passing and posted a 100.7 passer rating, the best mark of any quarterback on the field.
• Before being benched in the fourth quarter due to an elbow injury, Joe Milton finished with a 68.6 rating and completed 58.6% of his throws for 143 yards.

Ground Game Production

• The Rams leaned on volume, handing the ball off 38 times for 181 yards behind Cody Schrader, Jarquez Hunter, and Blake Corum.
• Dallas actually posted the higher yards-per-carry average at 5.5, even though the Cowboys ran the ball 11 fewer times than Los Angeles.

Red Zone Execution

• Los Angeles converted four of five red zone trips into points, including two touchdowns from inside the 5-yard line.
• Dallas managed just two scores on four red zone chances, settling for field goals on drives that stalled inside the 20.

Explosive Plays

• Stetson Bennett’s 39-yard pass to Xavier Smith on fourth and sixth helped the Rams prolong their first drive and score their first touchdown.
• Joe Milton connected with Traeshon Holden for a 35-yard gain in the fourth quarter, the longest completion of the night for Dallas.

4. Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter: Rams Jump Ahead Early

• Los Angeles scored on both of its opening possessions, with Blake Corum punching in touchdowns from 2 and 4 yards out.
• A fourth-down conversion on the game’s first drive, a 39-yard Bennett-to-Smith pass, kept the Rams’ momentum alive after Dallas’ challenge failed.
• The Cowboys’ first two drives ended in punts as Joe Milton’s early throws missed connections with Luke Schoonmaker and Deuce Vaughn.

Second Quarter: Cowboys Chip Away

• Brandon Aubrey hit field goals of 35 and 25 yards to cut the deficit to 14-6 heading into halftime.
• Dallas’ offense moved the ball on long, penalty-marred drives, including an 11-play march that stalled inside Rams territory.
• On both of the Cowboys’ touchdown drives throughout the half, Los Angeles’ defense held firm in the red zone, forcing field goal attempts.

Third Quarter: Rams Extend the Lead

• Dallas had a short field after Israel Mukuamu intercepted a deep Bennett throw, but the Cowboys’ subsequent drive ended without any points.
• Cam Lampkin answered with his own interception off Milton, snuffing out a Dallas possession near midfield.
• Joshua Karty added a 37-yard field goal, capping a 10-play drive fueled by Jarquez Hunter’s rushing.

Fourth Quarter: Cowboys Rally Falls Short

• Stetson Bennett threw both of his touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, finding Cody Schrader from 9 yards and Brennan Presley from 5.
• Milton brought Dallas within ten points with a seven-yard basket by rivaldo Fairweather and a two-point conversion from Josh Kelly.
• Will Grier’s 8-yard touchdown scramble with 2:31 left made the final score respectable, but Dallas ran out of time for a full comeback.

5. Dallas Cowboys Player Statistics

Dallas fielded a lineup missing most of its regular starters, so the dallas cowboys player stats from this preseason opener center almost entirely on players fighting for depth-chart spots.

Joe Milton III (QB): 17-of-29, 143 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, plus 5 carries for 22 yards. Milton flashed his big arm on the 35-yard strike to Traeshon Holden and finished the touchdown drive to Fairweather before an elbow injury ended his night.

Malik Davis (RB): 63 yards on 7 carries. The newly signed running back was Dallas’ most efficient ball-carrier, averaging 9 yards per attempt and breaking off a 16-yard gain in the fourth quarter.

Phil Mafah (RB): 10 carries for 36 yards, adding 2 catches for 15 yards. Mafah handled the bulk of the early-down workload and moved the chains on several third-down conversions.

Traeshon Holden (WR): 2 catches for 42 yards. His 35-yard grab set up Dallas’ final touchdown drive and was the longest reception by any Cowboys player in the game.

6. Los Angeles Rams Player Statistics

Bennett’s performance headlines the los angeles rams player stats, but the Rams got contributions across their receiving corps and running back room as well.

Stetson Bennett (QB): 16-of-24, 188 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 100.7 rating, plus 3 rushes for 11 yards. Bennett was sharper than in his 2024 outing against Dallas, spreading the ball to six different pass-catchers.

Blake Corum (RB): 9 carries for 32 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Rams scored two points from within the 5-yard line in the first quarter thanks to Corum’s short-yardage performance.

Cody Schrader (RB): 5 carries for 59 yards, plus a 9-yard touchdown reception. Schrader’s 25-yard run in the fourth quarter set up his own scoring catch two plays later.

Xavier Smith (WR): 3 catches for 55 yards, including the game’s longest completion at 39 yards. Smith’s contested sideline grab on the opening drive survived a Dallas coaching challenge.

7. Statistical Leaders Summary Table

8. Why the Rams Won / Why the Cowboys Lost

Why Los Angeles Rams Won

Efficient Red Zone Football

Los Angeles turned nearly every trip inside the 20 into points, a habit that separated the two teams even though total yardage was closer than the final score suggests.

Quarterback Play Under Pressure

Stetson Bennett’s 100.7 rating and two touchdown passes came against a Cowboys defense missing Micah Parsons, who attended but did not play amid his contract dispute. Bennett’s accuracy on third and fourth downs kept possessions alive when Dallas had chances to get off the field.

Ball Control

A 33:20-to-26:40 time of possession edge let the Rams dictate tempo, wearing down a Dallas defense that was without several regular starters up front.

Why Dallas Cowboys Lost

Slow Start in the First Quarter

Dallas’ opening two drives combined for zero net yards and quick punts, handing Los Angeles a 14-0 lead before the Cowboys’ offense found any rhythm.

Quarterback Turnover

Joe Milton’s fourth-quarter interception and subsequent elbow injury forced Dallas to finish the game with Will Grier, disrupting any chance of sustained offensive continuity in the final minutes.

9. Historical Context and Advanced Insights

Season Series and Recent Meetings

The Rams have now beaten the Cowboys in back-to-back preseason meetings, and Bennett has quarterbacked Los Angeles in both games as he continues auditioning for a roster spot behind Matthew Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo.

Advanced Statistical Insights

Yards-per-play often tells a cleaner story than total yardage in preseason games where rosters change possession-to-possession. The Rams’ 5.8 mark compared to Dallas’ 5.0 reflects a passing attack that averaged 7.3 yards per attempt against a Cowboys secondary playing without most of its starting cornerbacks. Dallas actually rushed more efficiently on a per-carry basis, but the Rams simply ran more plays and sustained more drives, which matters more than raw efficiency once red zone results are added to the equation.

10. Game Implications and Key Lessons

What This Means for the Rams

• Stetson Bennett made a stronger argument to stay at number one. Jimmy Garoppolo and Matthew Stafford are the top three quarterbacks.
• Blake Corum’s two short-yardage touchdowns reinforce his role as a red zone option in Sean McVay’s offense.

What This Means for the Cowboys

• Just as Brian Schottenheimer takes over as head coach, Joe Milton’s injury raises questions about Dallas’ backup quarterback competition.
• The Cowboys’ offensive line allowed pressure that led to a sack and multiple penalties, an area the new coaching staff will need to address before Week 1.

Key Lessons From the Game

• Fast starts matter even in preseason, since Dallas never fully recovered from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit.
• Red zone execution separated the two teams more than total yardage did.
• Backup quarterbacks like Bennett and Milton used this game to make real cases for roster spots.
• Although turnovers were equal, Los Angeles benefited from field position following those turnovers.
• Depth at running back showed up for both teams, with Malik Davis and Cody Schrader each providing a spark.
• Injuries to Milton and several Rams defenders are a reminder of how quickly preseason depth charts can shift.

FAQs

Who won the Cowboys vs Rams game on August 9, 2025?

The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31-21 at SoFi Stadium in a 2025 NFL preseason opener for both teams.

What were Stetson Bennett’s stats in the Cowboys vs Rams game?

Bennett completed 16 of 24 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, adding three rushes for 11 yards, for a 100.7 passer rating.

What were Joe Milton’s stats against the Rams?

Milton went 17-of-29 for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception, along with five carries for 22 yards, before exiting with an elbow injury.

Who led the Cowboys in rushing yards?

Malik Davis led Dallas with 63 rushing yards on seven carries, an average of exactly 9 yards per attempt.

Was this game part of the regular NFL season?

No, this was a 2025 NFL preseason Week 1 matchup and did not count toward either team’s regular-season standings.

Where was the Cowboys vs Rams game played?

The game was played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, home of the Los Angeles Rams.

Conclusion

The final dallas cowboys vs los angeles rams match player stats line shows a Rams team that combined sharp quarterback play from Stetson Bennett with red zone discipline, while Dallas fought back late without ever erasing an early deficit. Preseason results rarely predict regular-season outcomes, but for players like Bennett, Corum, Milton, and Davis, this game offered a real chance to prove they belong on their respective 53-man rosters.