Breven Honda
For the final game of Week 6, two teams with playoff aspirations and more are facing off in Southern California.
The Los Angeles Chargers are hosting the Dallas Cowboys in primetime on Monday Night Football inside SoFi Stadium.
It is the second straight week the Cowboys are in primetime after playing on Sunday Night Football last week in Santa Clara, Calif., against the San Francisco 49ers.
In addition, the Cowboys will be facing off against their former offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, who is in the same spot with the Chargers.
The Chargers, who enter the game with a 2-2 record, are coming off a bye last week and are looking to remain within two games of the AFC West leaders, the Kansas City Chiefs, who defeated Denver on Thursday Night Football, 19-8.
The Bolts have won each of their last two games in one-possession fashion, defeating Las Vegas 24-17 and Minnesota on the road, 28-24.
Los Angeles has the opportunity to get a statement win.
Related: Los Angeles Chargers game today: TV schedule, channel, and more
If the Chargers want to advance further than the Wild Card round, like they did last year when they gave up a 27-point lead to Jacksonville, they will have to beat teams like Dallas in a season-long preparation for the postseason.
“I see a team that won 12 games two years in a row, been deep into the playoffs, a team that has some of the best point differential in the league,” head coach Brandon Staley said Thursday. “They’ve had a lot of big wins this season. They had a tough game just like all of us do, but this is a very complete football team. It’s a team full of premium players who have experience together.”
Both defenses will play a factor in the game, especially with three different Chargers players having at least three sacks, including Khalil Mack ranking second in the NFL with six sacks, alongside Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter, Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, and Jacksonville’s Josh Allen, while only trailing Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, who has eight.
On the opposite side of the Chargers defensive line will be Joey Bosa, who has three sacks of his own, while the team averages four sacks per game. Add in defensive lineman Morgan Fox, who also has three sacks, and this defensive line is as much of a threat as Dallas’ defensive line.
Overall, the Chargers are tied for sixth with 16 sacks with Washington and Seattle, while Dallas is one of six teams with 15 sacks.
Related: See where the Cowboys and Chargers’ defense lands in Sportsnaut’s defensive rankings
Justin Herbert needs to shred the Dallas defense
The Chargers have to do their part to pick apart the Cowboys’ defense when Justin Herbert is leading the offense. In four games this season, Herbert has seven touchdowns to just one interception while averaging 276.5 yards and a 106.3 rating.
Herbert is one of four quarterbacks to have at least a 70 percent completion rate (minimum 90 passing attempts), only trailing Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, and Buffalo’s Josh Allen.
The only thing preventing Herbert from being completely healthy is a finger injury on his left hand that has limited him from taking snaps under center.
However, the 2020 AP OROY said he relies on his trainers to get him ready for Monday night while not focusing on reaggravating the finger.
“I think there is so much going on during the game that you’re probably not going to be worrying about it too much,” Herbert said Thursday. “I think you’re going to be worried about not getting tackled or not taking those hits, so whether it is a scramble, it’s about being safe, and getting down.”
Keenan Allen remains the top receiver in the offense, with three touchdowns and 108.5 yards per game while ranking third in the NFL among receivers with 8.8 receptions per game, only trailing Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua.
Allen is going to have a difficult matchup with a trio of players, such as cornerback Stephon Gilmore, leading the way to cover him.
However, the biggest wild card to Monday’s game will be the return of running back Austin Ekeler, who has not played since Week 1 due to an ankle injury.
Having Ekeler back on the field next to Herbert in the offense is vital because not only is he one of the top running backs in the league, but he can also be a complimentary pass-catcher behind Allen with wide receiver Mike Williams injured.
Overall, Monday night has the opportunity to be an exciting evening featuring two high-profile teams wanting to play into late January and February.
Related: See where Justin Herbert and Dak Prescott land in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings
