The Dallas Cowboys emerged victorious with a 20-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Kellen Moore Bowl on Monday night.
Dallas faced off against their former offensive coordinator for the first time at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Cowboys needed a solid bounce-back game after the debacle last week in San Francisco.
They got the win with timely defense and just enough offense to go to 4-2 on the season.
Pre-Game Festivities
Members of both teams got into a bit of a pre-game scuffle prior to Monday night’s game.
It might have been nice to see some of that last week against the 49ers. It would have been nicer to see it once the game started.
FIRST QUARTER
Dallas got the opening kickoff and promptly went three and out. A pair of two-yard runs by Tony Pollard was followed by a Khalil Mack sack of Dak Prescott.
The Chargers got a great punt return back to the Dallas’ 42.
Justin Herbert capped a six-play drive with a one-yard pass to Keenan Allen for a 7-0 lead.
The Cowboys’ offense responded with 10-play drive. Prescott, on a 4th-and-1 play, ran 22 yards for the game-tying touchdown.
On their next possession the Chargers went three and out and punted.
The Cowboys drove to the Chargers 44 on three plays, but a sack and an incomplete pass killed their drive.
Bryan Anger’s punt pinned the Chargers at their own two. But the Cowboys’ defense couldn’t hold the field position.
SECOND QUARTER
On a third down play Herbert caught his own pass, deflected by DeMarcus Lawrence, and ran 10 yards for a first down.
A 15-yard penalty for a late hit by Jayron Kearse extended the drive.
Dallas finally got the Chargers off the field, but not until they’d reached Dallas’ side of the field.
The two teams exchanged punts after respective three-and-outs. The Cowboys got the ball at their 22 with 7:26 remaining in the half.
The Cowboys went on a 10-play drive to the Chargers’ 13. Prescott’s version of the “tush push” failed on a fourth-and-1 with 2:23 left.
The Chargers’ seven-play drive stalled and Dallas got the ball back with one minute to go.
Dallas moved the ball 57 yards to set up a 32-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey to take a 10-7 lead at halftime.
Prescott was 15-for-20 for 161 yards and added 33 yards on four carries to go with his touchdown. CeeDee Lamb had 84 yards on five catches.
THIRD QUARTER
The Chargers got the opening kickoff of the half and methodically moved downfield.
Los Angeles passed on the game-tying field goal attempt. DaRon Bland made a great play on the ball on a 4th-and-1 pass to end the drive at the Cowboys’ seven.
The Cowboys promptly went three-and-out and punted the ball back. Los Angeles went on a 10-play drive that stalled at the Cowboys’ six.
This time the Chargers took the short field goal to tie the game at 10-10 with 68 seconds left in the quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
Dallas ran two running plays for a net -1 yard to run out the clock on the third quarter. The first play of the fourth quarter was… unorthodox.
Prescott scrambled out of a sack and flip a pass to Pollard. The running back broke a tackle for a 60-yard gain on the play.
With a first down at the Chargers’ 16 after the play, a holding penalty moved the ball back to the 22.
Prescott hit Lamb down the middle for a first down at the five. Two plays later, Prescott hit Brandin Cooks on a three-yard pass for a 17-10 lead.
Holding penalties killed the Chargers next drive. Los Angeles was fortunate to punt the ball after Bland just missed and interception.
Jalen Tolbert was blocked into KaVontae Turpin on punt and the ball hit the turf without hitting Turpin.
Tolbert chased the ball, thinking it had hit Turpin and wound up touching it. The Chargers recovered the ball at the Dallas 21.
A pass interference call on Stephon Gilmore set up a first and goal at the five.
Three plays later, on 4th down, Herbert hit Gerald Everett for the tying touchdown.
The Final Seven Minutes
The Cowboys got the ball back with seven minutes to play. Their first play was a false start.
After a sack, Dallas got bailed out on a defensive holding call for a new set of downs.
Cooks broke loose for a 14-yard run to move the ball out to the 45. Prescott connected with Lamb to the Chargers’ 33.
Prescott hit Cooks for 11 yards on a third down pass for a key first down.
After the drive stalled, Aubrey hit a 39-yard field goal, giving Dallas a 20-17 lead with 2:19 left. It would prove to be the game-winning play.
The Final Two Minutes
Los Angeles found itself out of timeouts and at their own 33. Micah Parsons sacked Herbert to force third and 10.
Stephon Gilmore then sealed the victory by picking off Herbert’s pass under duress.
The Cowboys ran the victory formation to run out the final 1:22 of the game.
By The Numbers
The Cowboys are now 8-5 all-time against the Chargers dating back to Dallas’ 34-28 win at San Diego in 1972 in their first meeting.
Dallas is now 6-2 on the road against the Chargers. The Cowboys have won the last two meetings in Los Angeles.
The Chargers last home win against Dallas came in 2013, a 30-21 victory after the Cowboys had taken a 21-10 lead in the first half.
Dallas has lost the last three meetings with the Chargers when the games were played in Texas.
Next Week
Dallas has a bye week next week before resuming action in Week 8 when they host the Los Angeles Rams on the 29th.