Cowboys record against Rams is a tale of two cities

The Rams franchise has wandered around the country since joining the NFL in 1937. They played their first eight seasons in Cleveland.

After the 1945 season, when they beating the Redskins for the championship, the Rams packed up and moved to Los Angeles.

After the 1994 season, they packed up and moved to St. Louis. The franchise then returned to Los Angeles in 2016.

Dallas never played the Rams in Cleveland. But the Cowboys did enjoy a 5-2 record against the team during its St. Louis years.

ARLINGTON, TX – OCTOBER 23: Defensive tackle Jay Ratliff #90 of the Dallas Cowboys applies pressure to quarterback A.J. Feeley #4 of the St. Louis Rams at Cowboys Stadium on October 23, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/Getty Images)

Unfortunately, Dallas is just 14-16 against the Rams when the team calls Los Angeles home. Dallas will look to improve that record when they host the Rams on Oct. 29th.

It will be Dallas’ second straight game against a Los Angeles team. It will also follow a bye week.

The Cowboys are 10-9 at home against the Rams with a 478-371 scoring advantage. But their record is only 7-8 when the visitors are from Los Angeles.

The Early Years

As is the case with most opponents, the Cowboys did not fare well against the Rams during the Cotton Bowl era of the franchise.

Los Angeles won three of the first four meetings, including both games at the Cotton Bowl. Dallas’ lone 1960s win, 27-17, came on Sept. 30, 1962., at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Cowboys fared better in the 1970s, winning six of the 10 meetings, including five playoff games. Dallas would win three of those five games.

Staubach’s Final Game

The last meeting of the 1970s was also the final game for Roger Staubach. In the 1979 Division Playoff game at Texas Stadium the Rams played spoiler.

Vince Ferragamo tossed a 50-yard pass to Billy Waddy, giving the Rams a 21-19 victory over Dallas. Staubach retired a few months later.

Closing Out Los Angeles’ First Act

The teams would meet 11 more times before the Rams would pack up for St. Louis. Los Angeles would take six of those games.

That run included three more meetings in the playoffs. Dallas would win a 1980 Divisional round game but fell to Los Angeles in the 1983 Divisional and 1986 Wild Card rounds.

The Rams would beat Dallas in their final Texas Stadium appearance as a Los Angeles team. A 27-23 win on Nov. 15, 1992.

Just Like Old Times

When Dallas played the St. Louis Cardinals they pretty much owned the town. With the Rams in town, it was just like old times for the Cowboys.

A pair of Billy Cundiff field goals in the fourth quarter have Dallas a 13-10 win at St. Louis on Sept. 29, 2002.

The last game between the teams before the Rams moved back to Los Angeles was also in St. Louis. The Cowboys rallied from 11 points down for a 34-31 win on Sept. 21, 2014.

Back In The Golden State

Since the Rams returned to Los Angeles, the teams have met five times, with the Rams holding a 3-2 win advantage.

One win came in the 2019 Divisional round, a 30-22 victory in the Cowboys’ final game at the Coliseum.

Dallas has won two of the last three games however, and is 3-1 against the Rams at AT&T Stadium.

The Playoff Record

The Cowboys are 4-5 overall against the Rams in the playoffs. None of the playoff meetings happened during the Rams’ time in St. Louis.

The teams have met twice for the NFC Championship. The Cowboys won both of those games (1975 & 1978).

Dallas would lose to the Steelers in the Super Bowl following both of those wins over the Rams however.