NFL Game of the Week: Cowboys vs Chargers
The stage is set at SoFi Stadium for a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys (0-1) and the Los Angeles Chargers (1-0).
Tensions are high as the Cowboys search for their first win of the season after losing in week one 31-29 to the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Cowboys showed what we already knew from last year, that they can score through the air, but they lack strength on defense.
Quarterback Dak Prescott completed an impressive 72% of his passes, throwing for 403 yards and three touchdowns against one of the best defensive teams in the league.
After an impressive start to last season, Prescott found himself sidelined for the majority of the 2020-2021 season due to an ankle injury. In addition, he fought through a shoulder injury during this year’s preseason.
Questions surrounded his ability to produce given the circumstance, however, he silenced all the haters by throwing 58 passes without any sign of discomfort. Look for him to put up the same kind of numbers this Sunday against the Chargers.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper racked up an impressive 13 receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.
Second-year receiver CeeDee Lamb and fourth-year receiver Michael Gallup played a huge role on the offensive side of the ball combining 11 receptions for 140 yards and one touchdown.
Dallas faced troubles running the ball against a very experienced defensive line without Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin, who was out due to Covid.
This affected the running game for the Cowboys as Ezekiel Elliot only rushed for 33 yards on 11 carries. Luckily for Elliot and the Cowboys, Martin finds himself back in the lineup for Week 2.
As for the Chargers, they enter this game coming off a 20-16 victory over the Washington Football Team.
Second-year quarterback Justin Herbert looks to improve upon the start of the season where he completed 65% of his throws for 337 yards and one touchdown.
He located his two main receiving targets Mike Williams and Keenan Allen who combined for 17 receptions with 182 yards and one touchdown.
The Chargers’ defense held their opponent, the Washington Football Team, to 16 points in the win behind defensive end Joey Bosa.
Los Angelos held Washington to field goals on their first three scoring drives, showing a bend but don’t break mentality in the RedZone.
Dallas suffered two key injuries as they will be without key pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence due to a foot injury and Gallup who won’t return until October due to a calf injury.
On the other hand, the Chargers’ key players are healthy and ready to go.
Both teams have formidable offenses and rely on skilled receivers to move the ball down the field, so expect the winning team to have a solid game on the defensive side of the ball.
Nolan Clark is a third-year studying broadcast journalism. To contact him, email nolanclark11@gmail.com.
