DALLAS, TX– It was a duel out west in Dallas between Justin Herbert and Dak Prescott on Sunday, December 21st. As Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers won their 4th consecutive game, 34-17 over the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
There were plenty of fireworks early on Sunday as the first half of the Chargers-Cowboys matchup was a shootout.
Neither team punted in the opening half that saw them combined for 444 yards of offense.
Justin Herbert and Co. were on fire early as the Chargers quarterback threw nearly 200 yards and a pair of scores — to Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey — as the Bolts scored touchdowns on their first three offensive drives to open the game.
As for “America’s Team,” the Dallas Cowboys endured yet another disappointing season after lofty hopes. The primary reason being their atrocious defense.
Giving up around 30 points per game, ranking near the bottom of the league (31st in the NFL) for points allowed, throw in a secondary which is utterly incapable of guarding any receiver on the field.
The Chargers are 11-4 as they used a dominant effort to roll past the Cowboys, still looking to catch the Denver Broncos for the AFC West crown.
After a thrilling first half, the Bolts grabbed hold of the game with an impressive effort in the second half on both sides of the ball.
The Bolts defense rose up forcing a Dallas punt on the Cowboys first possession of the second half that was also the first punt in the entire game. It came with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter.
With the Bolts leading 24-17, the Cowboys drove into the red zone and faced fourth-and-1 from the 16-yard line.
But the Chargers run defense came up with a timely stuff as Jamaree Caldwell and Da’Shawn Hand teamed up for a turnover on downs to give the offense the ball back.
Herbert took advantage and provided a spark with a 34-yard run to get the Chargers into Cowboys territory.
Herbert later hit Keenan Allen to move the chains and get into the red zone before the Chargers added to their lead with Cameron Dicker’s second field goal of the game to go up 27-17.
An Omarion Hampton 5-yd TD run into the end zone was the final nail in the coffin for the Cowboys.
Herbert threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score and the Los Angeles Chargers closed in on a playoff spot.
The Chargers will now be on a short week as they host the Houston Texans on Saturday, December 27th in Week 17.
Kickoff from SoFi Stadium is at 1:30 p.m.
The Texans are in exactly the same position as the Chargers. Both teams are in the Wild Card hunt, but need help winning their respective divisions.
The Chargers and Texans met in the Wild Card Round of the playoff last year. It was a stinging 32-12 loss in Texas. A brutal end to the year, the Chargers will certainly be out for revenge.
