A bye week in the NFL can be a great thing, giving teams the chance to rest injured players and get healthy, or even just spend a few uninterrupted days with family. But it can also be a massive momentum-killer, stopping a good run right in its tracks.
The Dallas Cowboys had their bye in Week 7, right after they managed to eke out a three-point win over the Chargers on “Monday Night Football.” They needed that win, especially after getting pounded into dust by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5. But instead of carrying that momentum with them into the next game, they had the week off. That’s just plain bad luck for a team that has to string a lot of wins together to keep up with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.
The Los Angeles Rams hope the bye week has sapped all the positive momentum from the Cowboys, because they need a win. They’re third in the NFC West with a 3-4 record, and risk losing pace with the 49ers and Seahawks if they can’t nail down a victory. They’ve had trouble beating good teams (like the Niners and Eagles), but also haven’t had much luck against mediocre teams (the Steelers and Bengals).
Did the bye week kill the Cowboys’ momentum? Can the Rams dig deep and beat a top tier team?
Follow along as Yahoo Sports provides the latest news, scores, injuries and highlights from the early slate of NFL games in Week 8.