Cowboys vs. Chargers score, takeaways: Dak Prescott, defense make enough plays to secure much-needed victory

The Cowboys bounced back from last week's blowout to the 49ers

The Week 6 "Monday Night Football" showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium was supposed to be an offensive duel between Kellen Moore, the current Chargers offensive coordinator who held the same role with the Cowboys for four seasons (2019-2022), and head coach Mike McCarthy, who let Moore go after desiring to take back play-calling duties. Instead, the game was chaotic, involving nine punts, 20 penalties -- 11 on the Cowboys and nine on the Chargers -- and a turnover on downs for each team. The Cowboys were able to do just enough in the fourth quarter to prevail, 20-17. 

In the end, quarterback Dak Prescott -- who finished with 272 passing yards and one passing touchdown on 21 of 30 passing in addition to 40 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries -- orchestrated the clock-draining drive the Cowboys needed following a one-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert to Gerald Everett on a fourth-and-goal from the one. 

The Dallas offense took the field with 7:11 left in the game, and 14 plays later, it departed after gaining 54 yards, good enough to set up the go-ahead 39-yard field goal from rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey, his second make of the night. The Cowboys defensive stars shined brightest when they needed to, on the Chargers' final drive. All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons recorded his first sack of the night on the first play after the two-minute warning, throwing Herbert down to the ground. The next play sealed the victory, as 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore intercepted Herbert to end the game. He finished with 227 passing yards, two touchdowns and the interception on 22 of 37 passing. 

The Cowboys hadn't played very well when needing to play from behind this season, losing in Week 3 at the Arizona Cardinals and in Week 5 at the San Francisco 49ers after allowing them both to score opening-drive touchdowns. So, head coach Mike McCarthy decided to have Dallas start the game with the football. That strategy didn't work at all, as it went three-and-out on its opening drive. Two carries for running back Tony Pollard went for a total of four yards on first and second down. Then, Chargers Pro Bowl outside linebacker Khalil Mack, who had six sacks two weeks ago against the Las Vegas Raiders, threw down Prescott for a third-down sack after cooking Cowboys Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith. 

Despite McCarthy's intentions, the Cowboys still ended up falling behind after their opponent's opening drive. Moore dialed up a well-developed screen to running back Austin Ekeler, which resulted in a 28-yard gain down to the four, just after an ineligible man downfield penalty erased a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Herbert to wide receiver Josh Palmer. Two plays later, Herbert found the end zone, hitting Keenan Allen for a one-yard score, giving the Chargers a 7-0 lead.

In the lead up to Monday night, Cowboys two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb openly questioned the offensive identity after the 42-10 debacle against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5. He then spoke about how he and Prescott are going to have more direct communication. The public complaints worked, as he was successfully targeted on the first two plays of Dallas' second drive, gains of 11 and 23 yards. He finished with a game-high 117 receiving yards on seven catches. Just 22 yards away from the end zone on the same drive, Dallas wide receiver Michael Gallup got a step on his defender on his way to the end zone, but Prescott overthrew him. The Dallas quarterback made up for the incompletion two plays later.

After the Cowboys' stunning 28-16 loss against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3, Prescott spoke about needing to use his legs more in the red zone. Facing fourth-and-one from the Chargers' 18, Prescott kept the football on the read-option play and zoomed into the end zone untouched as the field parted in front of him. Essentially the entirety of the Chargers defense collapsed on Pollard while a couple stray defenders followed Lamb off to the right after he was sent in motion. This sequence evened the game at seven just under halfway through the opening quarter. 

Fast forward to just before halftime, and the Cowboys faced another fourth-and-one in the red zone, this time at the Chargers' 13-yard line. However, McCarthy and Dallas went conservative with the play call, unlike the read-option with motion that was called in the first quarter. The Cowboys went with the "Tush Push" quarterback sneak, a play popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles in which the quarterback lines up under center with almost everyone tight on the line of scrimmage except for a fullback and running back. Everyone then pushes the quarterback forward in hopes of picking up the yardage required. The Chargers stuffed the play, forcing a turnover on downs as Prescott didn't get close to picking up the yard required, looking like he was stuck in the mud as he went nowhere. Entering Week 6, the Eagles were 13 of-16 on the "Tush Push" in terms of succeeding in getting a first down or touchdown. The rest of the NFL was 26-of-34. On that play, the Cowboys very much looked like the rest of the NFL. However, Prescott marched Dallas 52 yards down the field in six plays to set up a 32-yard field goal by Aubrey to end the first half.

On the Chargers' first drive of the second half, the Cowboys defense returned the favor with a fourth-and-one stop in the red zone. Needing a yard to gain on the Cowboys' seven, Herbert rolled out to the right to hit Palmer, who initially appeared open in the right corner of the end zone. Cornerback DaRon Bland, Dallas' replacement for Trevon Diggs on the outside, sprinted all the way across the formation to break up the would-be touchdown, forcing a turnover on downs. Herbert appeared to be setting up a throw back to the left, but Dallas double-teaming Allen closed off that option, forcing the throw to Palmer on the right.

Following a Chargers field goal near the tail end of the third-quarter, Pollard provided some much needed juice for the Dallas offense. Its first drive of the second half resulted in a three-and-out while it lost a total of two yards, and facing third-and-11, its second drive appeared doomed to end the same way. After Prescott spun out of a sack, he dumped the football down to Pollard, who after a broken tackle, hit the gas for a 60-yard gain. Prior to his gruesome playoff leg injury against the San Francisco 49ers last January, he likely finishes that play in the end zone. He finished with 110 yards from scrimmage on 21 touches. 

Six plays later, new Dallas wide receiver Brandin Cooks made his first significant contribution to the Cowboys' 2023 season with a two-yard touchdown catch on a play in which Prescott backpedaled about 10 yards before lofting a high-arching pass Cooks' way. The catch was his first score as a Cowboy as Dallas took a 17-10 lead. 

Unfortunately, the Cowboys defense couldn't hold up after their punt return unit underwent chaos. It looked as though Cowboys returner KaVontae Turpin had one of his own blockers pushed into him, causing him to fall down. Turpin didn't actually touch the ball, but second-year receiver Jalen Tolbert thought he had to go after it. Tolbert's touch allowed the Chargers to recover what was deemed a muffed punt. 

After starting with the football on the Cowboys' 20, the Chargers were able to tie the game on a play-action rollout touchdown pass from Herbert to Everett, who came free after initially running his route behind the Chargers offensive line on fourth-and-goal from the one. 

Why the Cowboys won 

Their defense was able to force turnovers -- a game-sealing interception and a turnover on downs – when Dallas desperately needed them, and the offense made just enough plays to avoid a deflating defeat. Running back Tony Pollard turning a broken play on third-and-11 into a 60-yard gain changed the game, and wide receiver Brandin Cooks coming up clutch in the red zone with his first touchdown of the year gave the offense the CPR-like jolt it desperately needed. 

Why the Chargers lost 

Los Angeles only got 14 total points off of short fields created by its special teams unit. The Chargers had multiple opportunities to put the Cowboys away, but a turnover on downs and other miscues hampered their ability to maximize opportunities. Not to mention multiple ineligible-man-downfield penalties and numerous holding calls against them. Herbert also missed a few open throws downfield that could have flipped the game. In a contest that could have seesawed either way, the Chargers didn't do enough to tip the scale in their favor. 

Turning point and play of the game

Pollard's 60-yard catch-and-run. After the Chargers tied the game at 10, it felt like the game was getting away from the Cowboys. Dallas faced a third-and-11, and it felt like another poorly-timed punt was incoming. Prescott was on the precipice of absorbing a sack, but he spun out of it to connect with Pollard. The Cowboys running back also seemed like he was perhaps going to be tackled short of the sticks, but he, like his quarterback, spun out of a tackle for his most explosive play of the 2023 season. Dallas concluded the drive with a two-yard touchdown pass to Cooks, a score that allowed the Cowboys to regain a semblance of control after it felt like they were about to blow the game. 

What's next 

Dallas (4-2) enters its bye in Week 7 happy after a much-needed victory. The Chargers have a short week to reset as they head to Arrowhead Stadium at 2-3 to face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) in Week 7. 

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:24 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

The Cowboys will improve to 4-2 and they take their bye next week. The Chargers drop to 2-3 and travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in Week 7.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:23 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

This Dallas defense has made big plays in almost every game but hadn't really made any until making it happen on back-to-back snaps to end the game. Parsons with the sack and then Stephon Gilmore with a pick with Herbert under pressure. Big win for the Cowboys despite making an absolute ton of mistakes all night.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:22 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Heck of a time for the Cowboys' first sack of the game, and of course it comes from Micah Parsons. Huge play.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:16 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

That's a miss that Dak Prescott would like to have back. Left the ball too far outside over Pollard's shoulder. He had plenty of room to lead him up the field instead of out of bounds. Aubrey kicks the field goal and L.A. will have 2:19 to drive for a tying or winning score, with the two-minute warning to stop the clock.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:14 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Some more awful clock management from the Cowboys here. Unsure why they snapped the ball with 22 on the play clock on the previous snap. Now if the Chargers get a stop here, they will have much more time than they should have.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:12 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Brandin Cooks stepping up in a big way in the second half, and Dak is DEALING on third down tonight. Great throw right there under pressure and put it on the money.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:07 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Dak has done a terrific job of navigating the pocket to buy time tonight, especially on third downs. Biggest plays of the game so far have been the throws to Tony Pollard on the previous drive and to CeeDee Lamb just now.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:05 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Wow, the Chargers gift the Cowboys a first down with TWO holding penalties on third-and-19. That's awful discipline.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 11:04 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

CeeDee Lamb was trying to get Dak's attention before the snap because it looked like he had one-on-one coverage on the outside. But the Chargers rotated out of it and Dak eventually had to scramble.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 10:58 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Chargers sneak Gerald Everett across the formation on a slide route and find the end zone to capitalize on the special-teams miscue by Dallas. About to be a tie game with Dallas getting the ball back with around 7 minutes to go.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 10:56 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Markquese Bell is playing a terrific game in his first start at MLB. Chased down Austin Ekeler in the flat and stopped him shy of the end zone. Fourth-and-goal from the 1 coming up.

[Oct 16, 2023 at 10:54 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

That's now the third time Herbert has missed Allen open for what should have been a touchdown. This time, the Chargers get bailed out with a pass interference penalty on Stephon Gilmore. Good call.