ARLINGTON, Texas _ The Los Angeles Rams professed that they were peaking at the right time.
They had shaken off a rout by the Baltimore Ravens, won two games in a row, and on Sunday were facing a woefully inconsistent Dallas Cowboys team that had a sub-.500 record.
But the Rams' playoff chances suffered a possible lethal blow at AT&T Stadium.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott passed for two touchdowns and running back Ezekiel Elliott ran for two as the Cowboys routed the Rams 44-21 before 90,436. The defeat dropped the Rams' record to 8-6.
The loss, combined with the Minnesota Vikings' 39-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, put the Rams two games behind the Vikings (10-4) in the race for the final NFC wild-card spot.
A year after playing in the Super Bowl, the Rams seemingly have only one way to make a third consecutive playoff appearance.
They must defeat the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium next Sunday, and the Arizona Cardinals in the season finale at the Coliseum _ and the Vikings would have to lose at home against the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears.
If that scenario does not unfold, the Rams will be watching the playoffs from their couches for the first time since coach Sean McVay took over in 2017.
That situation seemed like a good possibility throughout much of the second half of the season. The Rams teetered on the verge of elimination from playoff contention several times after they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 10.
But they bounced back to defeat the Bears, and then rebounded again after getting run over by the Ravens.
The Rams' offense and defense had impressed the previous two weeks in victories over the Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. That gave McVay and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips confidence as they prepared for the Cowboys.
But the Cowboys shut down Rams quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley.
Goff completed 33 of 51 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception. Gurley rushed for 20 yards and two touchdowns in 11 carries.
Prescott completed 15 of 23 passes for 212 yards. Elliott rushed for 117 yards in 24 carries, and rookie Tony Pollard rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries as the Cowboys ended a three-game losing streak and improved to 7-7.
The Cowboys lead the NFC East, and they can clinch a playoff berth by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday.
On Sunday, the Cowboys led 28-7 at halftime and then increased the margin with a 50-yard field goal early in the third quarter.
With the Rams' offense struggling, punter Johnny Hekker completed a fourth-down pass to receiver Mike Thomas to keep alive a drive. But the drive ended when Goff's fourth-down pass fell incomplete.
The Cowboys added two fourth-quarter field goals before Gurley ran for a touchdown and a two-point conversion with just over three minutes left.
Pollard's 44-yard touchdown run added to the rout before Goff connected on a touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp in the final minute.
In the first half, Prescott passed for two touchdowns and Elliott rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns in 17 carries.
The Cowboys scored first near the end of the first quarter when Prescott and tight end Jason Witten combined on several completions, including Witten's spectacular one-handed catch for a touchdown.
The Rams answered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that Goff capped with a two-yard touchdown pass to Gurley.
But that was all the Rams could muster.
On the ensuing possession, Prescott used his strength and mobility to shed Dante Fowler and a potential sack. He set his feet and connected with wide-open former Rams receiver Tavon Austin for a 59-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead.
Hekker's 66-yard punt forced the Cowboys to start a drive on their own three-yard line, but that proved no problem for Prescott.
Elliott carried the ball eight times and Pollard broke free for a 25-yard gain as the Cowboys used 13 plays to drive down the field. Elliott capped the drive with a short touchdown run with just under two minutes left in the half.
The Rams wasted a first-down completion when tackle Andrew Whitworth was penalized for holding. Two plays later, Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee picked off a Goff pass and returned it to the Rams' nine-yard line.
Elliott ran for his second touchdown with 16 seconds left in the half for a 28-7 lead.
