Game Preview: DAL at LAC
The MATCHUP
DALLAS COWBOYS (3-2) at LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (2-2)
Game time: Monday, 7:20 p.m. CST
TV/radio: ESPN-WFAA 8 / Compass Media, Westwood One Radio, Sirius XM-NFL, 105.3 The Fan, KMVK 107.5 La Grande (Spanish)
Broadcast teams: National TV – Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters (sideline); National Radio (Compass) – Kevin Ray, Danny White; National Media (Westwood One) – Kevin Harlan, Mike Golic; Local Radio (English) – Brad Sham, Babe Laufenberg, Kristi Scales; Local Radio (Spanish) – Victor Villalba, Luis Perez
Head Referee: Land Clark
Officiating Crew: Paul King, Tom Stephan, Brian Bolinger, Jabir Walker, Dominique Pender, Brad Freeman, Bob Hubbell, Jim Van Geffen
Last 5 Meetings:
09/19/2021 –Cowboys 20, L.A. Chargers 17
11/23/2017 – L.A Chargers 28, Cowboys 6
09/29/2013 – S.D. Chargers 30, Cowboys 21
12/13/2009 – S.D. Chargers 20, Cowboys 17
09/11/2005 – Cowboys 28, S.D. Chargers 24
All Time Head-to-Head: Cowboys lead 7-5-0
WHAT’s at STAKE
It seems too early to say it, but it certainly feels like the Cowboys season is hanging in the balance as they play in California for the second time in eight days. After the way Dallas was destroyed in San Francisco last Sunday night, it is imperative that the Cowboys play their best game of the season. If disaster strikes for a second straight week, all will not be lost. The Cowboys can still make the playoffs, but confidence will be low, and the dreaded finger pointing is sure to begin.
WHEN the COWBOYS HAVE the BALL
The Cowboys need to get off to a good start, and to do that they need to establish the running game inside SoFi Stadium. Tony Pollard wasn’t used early and often enough last week, and then once they got behind in the game the Cowboys all but abandoned it. Can’t do that against the Chargers if they want success. Establish the run early and slow down the aggressive pass rush of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. If the Cowboys can do that in the first quarter, then quarterback Dak Prescott should have an easier time of throwing the ball in critical situations later in the game. Put a hesitation in the pass rush created by the Cowboys running game, with the Chargers 32nd ranked pass defense and Prescott could have his best game of the season. And it could not come at a better time for him and the team. A big day through the air, should also mean a big day for CeeDee Lamb, who has been visibly frustrated with the offense lately. Monday night could shape up to be the most pivotal game of the season for this offense.
WHEN the CHARGERS HAVE the BALL
The Chargers have a lot of weapons on offense, but the blueprint to beat the Cowboys defense is to run the ball and use their aggressiveness and speed against them. With that in mind you can expect the Chargers will go at them with a heavy dose of running backs Austin Eckler, who averaged 7.3 yards per carry in his only game, and Joshua Kelley. Without middle linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, the Cowboys will be even more vulnerable to the inside run than they have in the past. The Cowboys will go with a pair of undersized inside backers in Damone Clark and Markquese Bell to fill in for LVE, which should be an advantage for Chargers. If they start to pound the Cowboys defense with the running game, watch for Dallas to bring safeties Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse down closer to line of scrimmage to help. If that happens, the Chargers will let Justin Herbert do what he does best – fire darts down the field to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. The recipe for Dallas will be to sell out to stop the run, and then hope that your coverage holds up well enough in passing situations that you can get off the field.
KEY COWBOYS to WATCH:
LB Markquese Bell – Bell will be front and center for the Cowboys defense on Sunday afternoon, as one of two players Dan Quinn will use to replace injured middle linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. Bell, a safety, is undersized at 6-foot-3 and just 206 pounds, but he is a fast hit-and-run defender. This season he has played 106 of a possible 304 defensive snaps through five games. He has record 20 tackles, good for fifth on the team, a tackle for loss and one forced fumble. His play will go a long way in determining if the Cowboys can stop the Chargers offense on Monday night.
TE Sean McKeon – With Peyton Hendershot heading to the injured list, McKeon takes his spot on the 53-man and will make his third straight gameday roster. McKeon, who has just one catch in 24 snaps this season, is the best blocker in the tight end room. He will be needed more to help keep Dak Prescott upright in the passing game and opening holes in the ground attack, than reeling in passes in the air attack. Expect to see him lining up in a position to help right tackle Terrence Steele, who has struggled since returning from last season’s ACL injury.
RT Terence Steele – Now five games into his return from an ACL injury that cost him the final four regular season and both playoff games of 2022, Steele has had a rough go of it at times. He has played 346 snaps at right tackle so far this season, giving up two sacks (which ties him for 17th in the NFL) and five penalties – four false starts, all accepted, and one illegal use of hands, declined in the win over New England. Steele, who signed a 5-year $86.8 million extension in the offseason, will continue to get help from tight ends and backs in the different blocking schemes as he plays his way back to 100 percent. He’ll need it going up against the likes of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack all night.
KEY CHARGERS to WATCH:
LT Rashawn Slater – After missing the final 14 weeks of the 2022 with a knee injury, Slater returned to start the 2023 tasked with protecting the blindside of Justin Herbert for the Chargers. He has started all four games and allowed no sacks, while committing just two holding penalties in 279 snaps. Slater, a former first round pick who stands 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, will have his hands full with a Cowboys defense that is averaging 3.0 sacks per game.
SS Derwin James Jr. – James is an absolute beast, who is at the very top of his game. Through 50 games, James had the most tackles every by a defensive back with 372 and was tied for fifth in sacks with 9.5. He is one of seven players, and the only DB since the turn of the century, to post 350 tackles, five interceptions and nine sacks within the first 50 games of a career. If he posts four tackles against the Cowboys, in his 53rd game, he will be the first DB in the NFL to record 400 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks in the first 60 games of a career since tackles for loss became a tracked stat in 2008.
TE Gerald Everett – Now in his seventh season, Everett has snatched 246 catches for 2,529 yards for three different franchises. Now in his second season with the Chargers, he has 13 catches for 107 yards this season. But eight of his grabs have moved the chains for the Los Angeles offense. Everett has played twice against the Cowboys in his career, both coming while with the Rams. He was a factor in neither game, making just one catch in each. But as a safety valve for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, expect Everett to have more than just one catch on Monday night.
The BOTTOM LINE
It’s not a must win, but then again it is a must win. A 3-3 start to the season for this Cowboys team, following a loss to the very offensive coordinator they didn’t want back after last season, would be devastating for the confidence of this team and its owner. A win simply allows the team to put the 49ers debacle behind them and head into the bye week feeling better about themselves.
Prediction: Cowboys 31, Chargers 23