NFL Playoffs: Rams defeat Cowboys 30-22

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Rams running back Todd Gurley beats Dallas Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones for a 35-yard touchdown during the second quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Running back C.J. Anderson (35) celebrates after gaining a first down that allowed the Rams to run out the clock in the fourth quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back C.J. Anderson (35) breaks through tackle attempts of Cowboys outside linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (55) and defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford (98) for extra yardage during the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams safety John Johnson almost comes up with an interception on a pass intended for Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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The Rams defense stops Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott for a short gain during the first quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) looks for an open receiver as Cowboys defensive tackle Maliek Collins applies pressure. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott tries to escape the Rams rush. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back C.J. Anderson (35) celebrates with receiver Brandin Cooks (12) and other teammates after he scored a touchdown on a fourth-down play in the fourth quarter. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams nose tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) puts pressure on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) during the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) hands off to running back Todd Gurley (30) during the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back C.J. Anderson (35) reaches over the goal line to give the Rams a 13-7 lead in the second quarter. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams strong safety John Johnson (43) and cornerback Marcus Peters (22) react after a defensive stop on the Dallas Cowboys. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back C.J. Anderson (35) finds a hole in the Cowboys defense during the fourth quarter. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) leaps through the tackle of Cowboys cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (24) and middle linebacker Jaylon Smith (54) during the second half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams tight end Tyler Higbee can’t make the catch in the end zone as he’s defended by Cowboys safety Jeff Heath. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams quarterback Jared Goff unleashes a pass off against the Cowboys. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams coach Sean McVay celebrates after a touchdwon by running back Todd Gurley. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back Todd Gurley beats Cowboys cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to the goal line on a 35-yard touchdown run during the second quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams defensive end Aaron Donald stops Cowboys running Ezekiel Elliott during a run in the third quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, left, and Samson Ebukam (50) stop Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott during the third quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams defenders Ndamukong Suh, left, and Dante Fowler (56) put pressure on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the fourth quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back Todd Gurley celebrates along with his teammates on the sideline after his TD run in the second quarter. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams nose tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) tries to sack Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams linebacker Dante Fowler sacks Coyboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the second quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) breaks through the tackle attempt of Cowboys free safety Xavier Woods (25) to score on a 35-yard run during the second quarter. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Rams running back Todd Gurley beats Cowbows cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to finish off his scoring run during the second quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Lakers star LeBron James, left, and Rams owner Stan Kroenke greet each other before the game against the Cowboys. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

By Blake Richardson

Jan. 12, 2019 8:15 PM PT

The Los Angeles Rams defeated Dallas Cowboys, 30-22, in an NFL divisional playoff game on Saturday at the Coliseum. Here’s a recap of what happened.

Rams are one win from returning to Super Bowl

No major mistakes on offense. Only a few lapses on defense. And none on special teams.

The Rams showed on Saturday night that they learned from their 2017 playoff flameout and moved to within one victory of playing in the Super Bowl.

C.J. Anderson and Todd Gurley combined to rush for 238 yards and three touchdowns, Greg Zuerlein kicked three field goals and the Rams controlled Ezekiel Elliott en route to a 30-22 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC divisional playoff game before more than 77,187 at the Coliseum.

It marked the first playoff victory for Rams coach Sean McVay, quarterback Jared Goff, Gurley and others who were on the losing end of last season’s wild-card defeat by the Atlanta Falcons.

“A step in the right direction,” McVay said.

The Rams advance to the NFC championship game to play the winner of Sunday’s divisional-round game between the top-seeded New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles.

If the Saints beat the Eagles, the game will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. If the Eagles win, the game will be played at the Coliseum next Sunday.

Gary Klein | 8:30 p.m.

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Rams defeat Cowboys to advance to NFC championship game

The Rams offense maintained possession in the final minutes to drain the clock and stop a Cowboys comeback, defeating Dallas 30-22 to advance to the NFC championship game. The Rams offense dominated behind a strong rushing offense, with C.J. Anderson gaining 123 yards with two touchdowns and Todd Gurley running for 115 yards and a touchdown.

Blake Richardson | 8:18 p.m.

Cowboys trail Rams 30-22 in 4th quarter after touchdown run by Dak Prescott

After a 1-yard touchdown run by Dak Prescott, the Cowboys trail the Rams 30-22, with 2:11 left to close an eight-point deficit. The Cowboys got in position to score after a costly pass interference penalty was called on Aquib Talib, who returned to the game after being evaluated for a concussion. The Rams get possession entering the two-minute warning to try and run down the clock to prevent a Cowboys comeback.

Blake Richardson | 8:07 p.m.

C.J. Anderson’s second rushing touchdown gives Rams 30-15 lead in fourth quarter

On fourth-down on the 1-yard line, C.J. Anderson burst through the Cowboys defense to the end zone, giving the Rams a 30-15 lead. Anderson has rushed for 110 yards in 20 carries, with two touchdowns. His touchdown run secured a two-score lead for the Rams, putting pressure on the Cowboys in the final seven minutes of the game.

Blake Richardson | 7:52 p.m.

Aquib Talib being evaluated for concussion

After the Cowboys touchdown drive, Aquib Talib exited the game and went back to the Rams locker room. He is being evaluated for a concussion, the team announced.

Blake Richardson | 7:24 p.m.

Cowboys trail Rams 23-15 in third quarter after rushing touchdown, 2-point conversion

The Rams failed to stop the Cowboys on the goal line, twice, as Ezekiel Elliott scored a rushing touchdown and Dak Prescott found Amari Cooper in the end zone for the 2-point conversion. The touchdown was Elliott’s first of the game, after the Rams defense held him to 40 yards in the first half, making the Rams’ lead a one-possession deficit.

Blake Richardson | 7:21 p.m.

Greg Zuerlin’s third field goal gives Rams 23-7 lead

In his first playoff game, Greg Zuerlin made his third field goal of the night to start off the third quarter, extending the Rams’ lead over the Cowboys to 23-7. Zuerlin has only missed one kick so far — a 62-yard field goal in the final seconds of the second half. And even that was close.

Blake Richardson | 7:09 p.m.

Rams lead Cowboys 20-7 at halftime

The Rams started the first quarter by failing to score a touchdown on two red zone chances, but the offense came alive in the second quarter behind an unrelenting run game. C.J. Anderson earned 78 rushing yards in 12 carries with a touchdown, and Todd Gurley, in his first game back from a knee injury, totaled 80 yards in 10 carries, with a 35-yard touchdown run. The half ended with Greg Zuerlin’s missed 62-yard field goal attempt.

Blake Richardson | 6:42 p.m.

Todd Gurley breaks free for 35-yard touchdown run, Rams lead Cowboys 20-7 in 2nd quarter

After C.J. Anderson dominated the Rams’ run game for most of the first half, Todd Gurley broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run, giving the Rams a 20-7 lead over the Cowboys with 3 ½ minutes left in the half. Anderson still leads the Rams with 78 rushing yards in 12 carries, but Gurley’s touchdown run was the longest of the night.

Blake Richardson | 6:27 p.m.

C.J. Anderson gives Rams 13-7 lead in 2nd quarter with rushing touchdown

C.J. Anderson powered through the Cowboys defense, first for a 14-yard run, then for a 1-yard rushing touchdown, to give the Rams a 13-7 lead. The game had appeared slated to be a showdown between Ezekiel Elliott, who leads the NFL in rushing yards, and Todd Gurley, who leads the league in rushing touchdowns. But with 65 rushing yards in 10 carries, Anderson has stolen the show. He has more rushing yards than Gurley and Elliott combined.

Blake Richardson | 6:20 p.m.

Rams make field goal, but fall short of touchdown once again in red zone, trail Cowboys 7-6 in 2nd quarter

For the second time, the Rams failed to convert a red zone chance into a touchdown. Greg Zuerlin made a second field goal, this one 23 yards, leaving the Rams trailing the Cowboys 7-6. Jared Goff found Brandin Cooks in the end zone, but Cooks was ruled out of bounds after review of the play, as the Rams once again fell short, with miniscule margin of error in the post-season.

Blake Richardson | 6:00 p.m.

Dak Prescott connects with Amari Cooper for 29-yard touchdown play, Cowboys lead Rams 7-3 in 1st quarter

The Cowboys took a 7-3 lead over the Rams when Dak Prescott found Amari Cooper open down the field, for a 29-yard touchdown play. Marcus Peters’ 15-yard unnecessary roughness call on the play before put the Cowboys in position to score. Like the Rams’ failure to score a touchdown in the red zone, instead settling for a field goal, the error by Peters could prove costly to the Rams later on, as they forfeit an early lead to the Cowboys.

Blake Richardson | 5:40 p.m.

Rams lead Cowboys 3-0 in 1st quarter after Greg Zuerlin’s 25-yard field goal

The Rams punished the Cowboys with an unrelenting rush attack, but miscommunication on Jared Goff’s pass intended for Gerald Everett left the Rams short of the touchdown. Goff made one completion in three attempts on the drive, but Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson combined for 38 yards in seven carries. Greg Zuerlin’s 25-yard field goal gave the Rams a 3-0 lead.

Blake Richardson | 5:29 p.m.

Video: What makes a good tailgate?

Fans at the Los Angeles Rams’ first playoff game had many opinions about what a good tailgate needs.

Video: Are the Dallas Cowboys America’s team?

The Dallas Cowboys have the nickname “America’s team.” But does that still apply?

Peyton Manning comes to Coliseum with his son in tow

When Peyton Manning told his son he would bring him to any sports event he wanted, Marshall said he wanted to see the Rams play. So Manning brought his son to the NFC Divisional Playoff at the Coliseum, where Marshall will wear Todd Gurley’s jersey in the first half and Aaron Donald’s in the second. The two spoke with Donald on the field before the game

Sam Farmer | 4:40 p.m.

Rams release list of inactive players vs. Cowboys

Darious Williams, Justin Davis, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Trevon Young, Jamil Demby, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Tanzel Smart are inactive as the Rams face the Cowboys, the team announced before the game. The rest of the Rams took to the field to warm up in preparation of the NFC Divisional Playoff Round.

Gary Klein | 3:57 p.m.

Video: Breaking down the Rams-Cowboys matchup

Los Angeles Rams players and coaches reveal what it will take to defeat the Dallas Cowboys -- dubbed “America’s Team” -- in the NFC divisional playoff matchup.

Rams hoping to build on last year’s playoff experience

The experience was new for most Rams players.

Quarterback Jared Goff had never played in an NFL playoff game. Neither had star running back Todd Gurley, nor star defensive lineman Aaron Donald, as well as less-heralded teammates.

Sean McVay also made his postseason debut as head coach last season in a wild-card game against the playoff-tested and defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons.

The collective inexperience showed in a defeat that jump-started a flurry of high-profile offseason moves by the Rams.

A year later, the Rams are back in the playoffs. A 13-3 record helped them earn a bye through the wild-card round, setting up Saturday’s NFC divisional-round game against the Dallas Cowboys at the Coliseum.

“It feels like it’s been forever since we’ve played,” Goff said. “We’re excited to go.”

3:45 p.m. | Gary Klein