ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Cowboys entered Week 8 with the longest active home winning streak in the NFL at 10 games in a row, and they successfully extended that streak as they won 43-20 over the Rams. The Cowboys have now outscored their opponents 111-33 in their three home games this season. Their 11 consecutive home game victories is Dallas' longest streak since they also won 11 in a row spanning from 1991-1992, the latter season being the first of its three Super Bowl championship years in the 1990s.
Dallas started the scoring on the opening drive of the game. The Cowboys overcome two early sacks, thanks to a 17-yard conversion by wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and a 19-yard conversion by Brandin Cooks. Quarterback Dak Prescott concluded the drive with a perfect, high-arching pass to tight end Jake Ferguson for an 18-yard touchdown pass.
Rams fifth-round rookie Puka Nacua, whose 58 catches led the NFL through the first seven weeks of 2023, hauled in his 59th career reception in his eighth career NFL game, thanks to a 22-yard catch-and run. That is the most in NFL history through a player's first eight games.
Dallas extended its edge to 10-3 after rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey drilled his first of two field goals from 58 yards, marking the longest made kick of his young career. His 18 consecutive field goals are tied for the most made field goals in a row to start a career.
Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who is filling in for the injured Trevon Diggs on the outside, recorded his third pick-six of the season, the most in the NFL, on his 30-yard interception return touchdown of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford's pass that was intended for Cooper Kupp. That put Dallas up 17-3. The Cowboys' heavy blitz up the middle on the play sped up Stafford's progression forcing him to make the throw Kupp's way earlier than anticipated. Bland's three pick-sixes are tied for the most in any team's first seven games in NFL history. Stafford finished with 162 passing yards one passing touchdown, and an interception on 13-of-22 passing.
Just over a minute later, Dallas was lighting up the scoreboard again as defensive lineman Sam Williams blocked a Rams punt out of the back of the end zone for a safety and a 19-3 lead. On the ensuing punt return, KaVontae Turpin ran it back 63 yards, the second-longest punt return of his career, as he was pushed out of bounds at the Rams 13. Two plays later, Lamb found the end zone from 10 yards out for his first of two receiving touchdowns. His second one came with 2:27 left in the first half as he became uncovered while Prescott worked the scramble drill, resulting in a 22-yard touchdown. Lamb finished with a career-high 158 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns on a career-high 12 catches.
Prescott capped his afternoon with a 25-yard touchdown passing touchdown in the third quarter to Brandin Cooks, who now has consecutive games with a receiving touchdown after having no touchdowns in his first four games as a Cowboy. Dallas pulled him from the game up 43-17 with 10:34 left to play after he threw for 304 yards, four receiving touchdowns and an interception on 25-of-31 passing.
Why the Cowboys won
Dallas overwhelmed Los Angeles in all three phases of football. The Cowboys became the first team with a defensive touchdown (Bland's pick-six), a blocked punt, and a defensive safety (Williams blocking the punt out of the end zone) since the 2017 Dolphins did it against the Broncos, according to ESPN Stats and Info. The Cowboys are also the first team to do so in a first half since the 2007 Lions against the Chiefs.
Offensively, Prescott had his sixth career game with 300 or more passing yards (304) and four passing touchdowns, tying Tony Romo for the most such games in Cowboys history. Lamb accounted for 158 of those yards (a career-high in receiving yards), two of those touchdowns (tied a career-high in receiving touchdowns on 12 catches, a career-high). It's his third career game with 10 or more catches, 100 or more receiving yards and two touchdowns, the most such games in team history. On special teams, Aubrey nailed both of his field goals, including a career-long 58-yarder in the first quarter. Returner KaVontae Turpin had a 63-yard return that led to a 10-yard Lamb receiving touchdown two plays later. There aren't many more things the Cowboys could have done to play better.
Why the Rams lost
They simply couldn't hang with the Cowboys. Simple as that. The 23-point defeat tied the second-largest loss of Rams head coach Sean McVay's career while the 24-point halftime deficit (33-9) was the largest of his career. Defensively, they had no answers for CeeDee Lamb, and offensively, Matthew Stafford couldn't get into a rhythm. Having wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua combine for 64 receiving yards on seven catches is far short of what the Rams need to win on a weekly basis.
Turning point
Bland's 30-yard pick-six. The Cowboys had just been forced to settle for a 58-yard field goal and only led 10-3 late in the first quarter. It was still anyone's game at that point. Once Bland picked off Stafford and ran it back to extend the Dallas lead to 17-3, AT&T Stadium was roaring and the momentum was squarely on the side of the host Cowboys. Five minutes later after a blocked punt for a safety and Lamb's first touchdown of the day, Dallas led 26-3. Game over.
Play of the game
Prescott's 18-yard, opening-drive touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ferguson. Dak perfectly lofted this ball to Ferguson over the outstretched arms of the defense to only where Ferguson could catch. This was one fo the best throw's of Prescott's eight-year career.
The slow-motion replay provides a better angle to appreciate Prescott's pass, which was a thing of football beauty.
What's Next
The Cowboys improve to 5-2 and will face the defending NFC champion Eagles for the first time 2023 on the road in Philly in Week 9. The Rams fall to 3-5 and will travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 9.