INGLEWOOD, Calif. — After a recreation full of miscues and penalty flags, the Dallas Cowboys protection got here up massive within the last two minutes to seal a 20-17 win towards the Los Angeles Chargers on “Monday Evening Soccer.”
With quarterback Justin Herbert taking part in via a fractured center finger on his non-throwing hand, the Chargers dropped to 2-3 on the season because the Cowboys moved to 4-2.
Dallas Cowboys
After what occurred final week towards the San Francisco 49ers, a win of any form was required by the Cowboys.
Monday’s win actually wasn’t fairly, however the Cowboys enter their bye week with a 4-2 document and nonetheless inside placing distance of the Philadelphia Eagles and 49ers, who suffered shocking losses Sunday.
The whole lot was in query after final week. Mike McCarthy’s playcalling, Dak Prescott’s capability, the protection’s toughness. Nothing was good — too many penalties, too many massive performs allowed, not sufficient massive performs made, particular groups’ turnover — however when it mattered, they made the mandatory performs.
Beginning with three key third-down conversions on a game-winning drive that ended with a Brandon Aubrey subject aim, a sack — the primary of the sport for the Cowboys — by Micah Parsons and a sealing interception by Stephon Gilmore.
The Cowboys are actually 10-1 after a loss over the past two seasons.
Perhaps they don’t seem to be lifeless in spite of everything.
QB breakdown: Let’s neglect the passing numbers for Prescott. Let’s discuss his speeding. He had the longest landing run of his profession (18 yards) within the first quarter and the longest by a Cowboys QB since 2010. Prescott has not used his toes as a lot in recent times. He had 18 speeding touchdowns in his first three years and now 9 within the final 5. He had 45 yards speeding within the first 5 video games and 33 within the first half versus the Chargers. He is not a operating quarterback, however he might be efficient along with his toes and will have to do extra of it.
Promising pattern: Large receiver CeeDee Lamb had 84 receiving yards within the first half — greater than he had in 4 of the primary 5 video games. He acknowledged through the week his physique language wanted to be higher after he was salty within the San Francisco recreation. All 5 of his catches within the first two quarters lined 10 or extra air yards. Within the New England recreation, he had eight completions with air yards of 10 or extra.
Silver lining: Perhaps it isn’t a pattern, because it’s just one recreation, however the Cowboys had been strong of their first outing with out linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. Markquese Bell moved from security to linebacker late in coaching camp after DeMarvion Overshown was misplaced for the 12 months with a torn ACL. He was capable of give you a deal with for loss and a go breakup within the first half on 17 snaps when the Cowboys had two linebackers of their personnel group. When the Cowboys misplaced Vander Esch late final season, the run protection suffered. On Monday, the Chargers had simply 50 yards on 22 carries in Austin Ekeler’s return from damage.
Subsequent recreation: vs. Rams (Oct. 29, 1 p.m. ET)
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Dak Prescott: Cowboys confirmed resilience in win over Chargers
Dak Prescott displays on the Cowboys’ nail-biting victory over the Chargers on “Monday Evening Soccer.”
Los Angeles Chargers
Monday evening’s recreation between the Chargers and Cowboys appeared to have all the weather required to be a high-scoring, touchdown-laden affair: Two of the most effective offenses within the league, a former coordinator dealing with his previous crew and a struggling Chargers secondary. As an alternative, it was one other Chargers loss that got here all the way down to the ultimate moments. All of their video games have been determined by 7 factors or much less this season.
Eye-popping NextGen stat: Herbert was pressured on 42% of his dropbacks, his highest in any recreation this season (he had the fifth-lowest stress fee at 25% coming into the sport).The Cowboys’ go rush usually pressured Herbert out of the pocket as he scrambled for runs and took many massive hits from defenders whereas taking part in with a fractured finger on his left hand.
Pivotal play The Chargers’ go rush received to Herbert all recreation, and within the fourth quarter, they pressured the game-deciding error. With the Chargers dropping by three and slightly below two minutes remaining, the push precipitated an errant go from Herbert that landed within the palms of Gilmore, successfully ending the sport.
Troubling pattern: The Chargers are nonetheless struggling to run the ball. Even with Ekeler coming back from a excessive proper ankle sprain he suffered in Week 1, Chargers operating backs struggled to have any success, amassing simply 35 complete yards. Outdoors of a 233-yard speeding efficiency in Week 1, the Chargers have rushed for over 100 yards simply as soon as this 12 months and mixed for simply 91 yards in Weeks 2 and three.
Subsequent recreation: at Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
