DALLAS (11-6) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (13-3)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m., Fox OPENING LINE: Rams by 7½ SERIES: Cowboys, 17-16
LAST MEETING: Rams, Cowboys, 35-30, 2017
COWBOYS OFFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (10), PASS (23). COWBOYS DEFENSE: OVERALL
(7), RUSH (5), PASS (13). RAMS OFFENSE: OVERALL (2), RUSH (3), PASS (5).
RAMS DEFENSE: OVERALL
(19), RUSH (23), PASS (14). ETC.: These NFC mainstays’ first playoff meeting since January 1986, when Eric Dickerson rushed for 248 yards and two TDs in 20-0 win for Rams. Franchises have split eight postseason games. Rams are most frequent playoff opponent for Dallas . ... Two elite running backs showcased. Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott won second rushing title, while LA’s All-Pro Todd Gurley led league in TDs and finished third in rushing race . ... Rams All-Pro DT Aaron Donald led NFL with 20½ sacks, nearly twice as many as Cowboys leader Demarcus Lawrence’s 10½. Rams had 41 sacks to Cowboys’ 39, yet Rams had 97 more sack yards. ... Rams finished third in NFL with 18 interceptions. Cowboys were 26th with just nine, fewest among playoff teams . ... Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was Cowboys’ head coach from 2007-10, going 1-2 in playoffs. Veteran defensive mastermind still speaks fondly of Dallas, stays in touch with Jerry Jones . ... Cowboys haven’t won playoff game on road since January 1993 . ... Cowboys haven’t won two playoff games in same season since 1995-96 on the way to last Super Bowl title . ... Cowboys are on five-game losing streak in divisional playoff round. ... Dallas’ next playoff victory will be 36th, tying Pittsburgh for most in NFL history. Patriots enter weekend with 34 . ... Win over Seahawks was Dallas’ 62nd playoff game, passing Steelers for most in NFL history . ... QB Dak Prescott hurt Seahawks on ground, rushing for three first downs in fourth quarter and plunging for winning TD. Rams could be similarly vulnerable with subpar rushing defense . ... Cowboys punt returner Tavon Austin spent first five NFL seasons with Rams as first-round pick. He was LA’s leading receiver in 2016.