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NFL Week 1: Trends which will decide each game

By Russell S. Baxter

TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 02: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers handles the ball during training camp at AdventHealth Training Center on September 02, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 02: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers handles the ball during training camp at AdventHealth Training Center on September 02, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 15: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by Taylor Rapp #24 of the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 15: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by Taylor Rapp #24 of the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams, 8:20 pm

Cowboys: There were plenty of changes this offseason for a team that, like the Los Angeles Rams, got off to a 3-0 start in 2019 and still managed to miss the playoffs. Most of the upheaval took place on the defensive side of the ball but of course, one-time Packers’ sideline leader Mike McCarthy is Jerry Jones’ newest head coach.

In his later years with Green Bay, the running game became somewhat of an afterthought when it came to the offense and that certainly affected Aaron Rodgers. So will he and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore run Ezekiel Elliott more often in 2020? The talented performer was limited to fewer than 20 carries in five of his last seven games in ’19.

Rams: Sean McVay’s club has quite the uphill battle this season trying to upend the conference champion San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. And in this prime time matchup with the Cowboys, quarterback Jared Goff has to be more effective when it comes to ball security with the likes of Dallas’ defensive ends Demarcus Lawrence, Aldon Smith and Everson Griffen in his face.

The first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft completed 62.9 percent of his throws for 4,638 yards and 22 touchdowns this past year. But Goff was also picked off 16 times and lost half of his 10 fumbles, meaning he totaled 21 of Los Angeles’ 24 turnovers in 2019.

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