Rams look better in Cowboys joint practice, but line is shaky

During Thursday’s joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford scrambled to his left and threw a low pass near the goal line that was tipped twice.

“Stop!” coach Sean McVay said he thought to himself when he saw Stafford pursue the airborne loose ball.

McVay no doubt harked to last season at Dallas, when Stafford’s right thumb hit the turf after catching a two-point conversion pass in the end zone, aggravating an injury he suffered earlier in the game.

“Stop!” McVay thought. “Stop!”

But Stafford would not be denied.

The 16th-year pro grabbed the ball and stumbled into the end zone to complete the highlight play of the day.

“It was sitting on some dude’s helmet, and I was like, ‘All right, I’ll take it and try to sneak in,’” Stafford said. “I guess it worked. I don’t know: probably would have got tattooed to be honest with you.”

The Rams need Stafford, 36, to be ready for their Sept. 8 opener at Detroit. He is the key player for a team attempting to improve upon last season’s 10-7 record and playoff appearance.

There was no tackling during the practice in Oxnard, but what was Stafford thinking?

“How just absolutely old I looked,” he said, chuckling. “I was asking the [Cowboys defensive backs] like, ‘Man how bad did that look?’ I was like … they can’t touch me or whatever, and they were just laughin’ at me. I’d have laughed at me too, but shoot, I guess it worked.”

Stafford’s catch stood out on a day the offense rebounded from its rough performance four days earlier against the Chargers.

In that practice, the Chargers took advantage of an injury-depleted offensive line and tipped multiple passes, intercepting several and batting down others.

Against the Cowboys, the same line Rams’ combination — center Steve Avila, guards Kevin Dotson and Zach Thomas and tackles Joe Noteboom and Warren McClendon Jr. — struggled early in attempt to contain edge rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, who broke through for what would have been multiple sacks.

But an offense without injured star receiver Puka Nacua did not commit a major error while executing mostly conservative play-calls.

Stafford completed short routes or swing passes to receivers and running backs. Receiver Demarcus Robinson bounced back from an early drop and made several plays. Receivers Cooper Kupp, Tyler Johnson and Tutu Atwell and tight end Davis Allen also had moments, and running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum ran hard.

A spirited Rams defense, led by an aggressive front, tested Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Prescott and veteran receiver Brandin Cooks combined for multiple completions, but lineman Kobie Turner, linebacker Troy Reeder and rookie safety Kamren Kinchens made plays that energized the defense.

At least three minor skirmishes broke out between the Cowboys offense and the Rams defense but none stopped the practice for more than a few moments.

The Rams play the Cowboys on Sunday at SoFi Stadium but McVay will not play starters or players expected to be major contributors.

Veteran back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is suspended for the first two regular-season games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances list while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. McVay said Garoppolo would “probably not” play in preseason games.

Garoppolo has plenty of experience and it is “important” for quarterback Stetson Bennett “to get a bunch of work,” McVay said.

“But if [Garoppolo] said that he wanted to, knowing that he’s going to miss those first couple weeks, I’d be open to it,” McVay said, adding, “I would not want to play him unless he told me he wanted to.”