Javonte Williams rushes for 175 yards as Cowboys beat Rams 21-16

Inglewood, CA - Javonte Williams supplied 175 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving the Dallas Cowboys the most productive element in a 21-16 Week 15 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Dallas entered the game on a two-game losing streak and facing a Los Angeles team that had won two in a row. The Cowboys reversed those recent trends with a striking statistical formula: 236 rushing yards, only 85 net passing yards and a five-point win over a Rams offense that leaned heavily in the opposite direction.

Williams was the central figure. He carried 17 times, the most rushing attempts in the game, and averaged more than 10 yards per attempt. His 36-yard run was the game's longest, and his 175 yards were the game high by a wide margin. The running back also led Dallas with 50 receiving yards on four catches, including a 30-yard reception.

"Seventeen carries is enough to get into a good rhythm, and I wanted to make every opportunity count," Williams said. "The rushing total stands out, but getting the win after the stretch we had been through is what matters to us."

Dallas did not rely on Williams alone in the backfield. Malik Davis added 51 yards on 10 carries, helping the Cowboys finish with nearly four times the Rams' rushing total. Dallas recorded 321 offensive yards overall, with the ground game accounting for almost three-quarters of that production.

Dak Prescott completed 12 of 23 passes for 100 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. His touchdown throws went to Davis and Brevyn Spann-Ford, while Williams accounted for Dallas' rushing score. The Cowboys converted three of their four red-zone trips into touchdowns and did not kick a field goal.

"There are throws and decisions I want back, especially with the interception," Prescott said. "But we finished three red-zone possessions with touchdowns, and that is something we can build from. Javonte gave us a lot of production in more than one part of the offense."

The Cowboys were uneven on fourth down, going 0-for-3, but converted half of their third-down opportunities at 6-for-12. Los Angeles finished 4-for-11 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth down. Dallas held a narrow 19-18 advantage in first downs.

The Rams found considerably more production through Matthew Stafford, who posted the game's highest passing total. Stafford completed 30 of 39 attempts for 260 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a 102.5 passer rating and a game-long completion of 34 yards. Los Angeles ended with 245 net passing yards and 304 offensive yards.

Colby Parkinson was Stafford's busiest and most productive target, catching 13 passes for a game-high 116 yards. Tutu Atwell added six receptions for 75 yards, including the game-long 34-yard catch. Los Angeles completed 30 passes to Dallas' 12, but the Rams finished with 17 fewer offensive yards because of the disparity on the ground.

"We completed a lot of passes and had some guys put together productive games," Stafford said. "But the result is 16 points and a loss. That is the part we have to own, regardless of what the passing numbers look like."

Los Angeles scored touchdowns on both of its red-zone trips. Kyren Williams rushed for 44 yards on 12 attempts, but the Rams managed only 59 rushing yards as a team. Dallas, by comparison, produced almost that many yards from Davis alone.

Both defenses registered two sacks. Malachi Lawrence recorded one of Dallas' sacks and added a pass deflection. The Rams intercepted Prescott once, while the Cowboys did not intercept Stafford.

The win gave Dallas a needed reversal after entering Week 15 at 6-7 with consecutive losses. Los Angeles came in at 8-5 and carrying a two-game winning streak, but the Cowboys left Inglewood with the 21-16 result and the week's dominant rushing performance.

Up Next

Dallas will return home in Week 16 to host the Jacksonville Jaguars and look to follow up the victory. Los Angeles will head on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks while trying to rebound from the loss.