Rams Vs. Cowboys: What To Expect From DeMarco Murray

Oklahoma Sooners fans are in for a treat this weekend when the St. Louis Rams take on the Dallas Cowboys. Two of the school's recent standouts, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, will square off for their first time in their NFL careers, a scant 200 miles from where they played their college ball.

It will also be key matchup for the Rams run defense, a unit that knows first-hand what Murray is capable of doing on the field.

The Rams played Dallas in Week 7 last season. Murray broke the Cowboys' franchise record, previously held by Emmitt Smith who was pretty good at football, for the most rushing yards in a single game. Murray finished the day with 253 yards on 25 carries. Of course, if you take out a 91-yard scamper, he only had 162 yards rushing. He also scored a touchdown.

Bradford did not play in that game. He was dealing with a high ankle sprain that marred his season and followed him into the offseason this year.

They might not see a whole bunch of each other this weekend either. Bradford will probably play into the later part of the second quarter, according to Jeff Fisher.

Jason Garrett expressed a more cautious tone with his second-year running back.

''It will still be a limited number,'' Garrett said. ''We don't want him banging away at there for too long in this game. At the same time, we want to make sure to give him enough chances to get in the rhythm he needs to. ... You don't want to put him in a situation where he is leaving it all out there on a preseason game field.''

Murray's season ended early too in 2011, when a fractured ankle put him on the shelf for the last three weeks. He is healthy through the preseason, but has just five rushing attempts for 12 yards. His workload could increase slightly in Saturday's game, being the third one of the preseason.

The Rams starting defense was effective in keeping Peyton Hillis and Jamaal Charles in check last week, hold the Chiefs' duo to 28 yards on 8 carries. Hillis scored a goal line rushing touchdown.