Dallas Cowboys vs Los Angeles Chargers Predictions, Odds & Picks

• A healthy Dak Prescott finally returned to the Dallas Cowboys’ lineup in Week 1
• Chargers’ second-year quarterback Justin Herbert led his team to a 20-16 win
• The last time these cross-conference rivals met up was in 2017 – Chargers 28, Cowboys 6

Cowboys vs Chargers Odds

Odds taken 16 Sep 2021 from DraftKings Sportsbook

Cowboys vs Chargers Week 2 Predictions and Picks

Take the Cowboys and the points and hope that Chargers RB Austin Ekeler doesn’t fully wake up by Week 2.

Bet on the Cowboys Here!

Despite their loss, the Dallas Cowboys were ecstatic in Week 1 mainly because a healthy Dak Prescott returned to their lineup, the playmaking quarterback throwing for four hundred passing yards and 3 touchdowns and an interception, using wide receiver Amari Cooper the way he was meant to for 13 receptions, 139 yards, and 2 TDs.

Also in Week 1, the Los Angeles Chargers’ second-year quarterback Justin Herbert led his team to a 20-16 win over the strong defensive force that is the Washington Football Team, throwing for 337 yards and a touchdown with an interception while running back Austin Ekeler rushed for just 57 yards and a touchdown in that win.

These two teams have taken each other on 11 other times, with the Los Angeles Chargers winning 5 of those matchups and the Dallas Cowboys winning 6 of the games.

Can Cowboys Running Back Zeke Elliott Return to Form?

The Cowboys could have used some better production from running back Ezekiel Elliott last week, the veteran playmaker only carrying the ball 11 times for 33 yards with no touchdowns plus a couple of catches for another six yards.

This, from a player who averages 4.5 yards per carry and 8.1 yards per catch, who has routinely carried his fellow cowboys on his back for more than one victor in the past, but who had the lowest rushing production of his career last season posting 979 total yards running the ball.

The running back position is a tricky one with even star players reaching an early end to their effectiveness, however, Elliott is only 26 years old and should have plenty of fuel left in his tank, and there is no better time for him to prove that than in Week 2 against these feisty Chargers.

Can the Chargers Secondary Stop the Impending Dak Attack?

Last week, the Los Angeles Chargers defense led the league in stopping the pass by allowing just 133 total yards in the air against them, a low number that might be a lot more difficult to achieve against Dak Prescott and his Dallas receivers.

The Chargers will have cornerbacks Michael Davis and Chris Harris Jr. and safeties Nasir Adderly and Derwin James roaming their secondary charged with stopping a healthy Dak Prescott, who last week completed league-leading 42-of-58 passes for three touchdowns and an interception against the champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

What will help is a solid rush from the D-line, and that’s where EDGE rushers Joey Bosa (see below) and Uchenna Nwosu come into play, because the less time Dak has to feel comfortable in the pocket, the less likely he will be able to execute an accurate throw.

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Cowboys Key Player: (QB) Dak Prescott

After suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5 of the 2020 season plus a shoulder issue that kept him mostly inactive in training camp, Cowboys franchise quarterback Dak Prescott returned to the roster and in Week 1 impressing head coach Mike McCarthy despite the team’s loss.

Completing 72.1 percent of his passes for 3 touchdowns against Tampa Bay’s notoriously strong pass rush showed the football world once again why team owner Jerry Jones extended Prescott’s contract for four years and guaranteed him $126 million of it.

The good news is that Prescott has speedy receivers Amari Cooper and Tyler Lockett to target plus he has arguably one of the most effective running backs in the league in Elliott (see above), so watch for Dak to go hunting for his first win in 2021 against a Chargers team with the personnel talented enough to sack him.

Chargers Key Player: (EDGE) Joey Bosa

The Chargers got a Week 1 win over the much improved Washington Football Team and one of the bigger reasons for that was EDGE rusher Joey Bosa, the 6’ 5” 280 pound 3x Pro Bowler who had a sack, 2 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and 3 tackles in that game.

Bosa is a huge headache for any offensive coordinator, and Seahawks’ OC Shane Waldron will have to game plan around him, probably with whatever plays involve QB Wilson getting rid of the ball quickly before Bosa can rush in and put the hurt on him.

For the Chargers to beat this Seahawks team, Bosa will need yet another big game for his team, and from a guy who has a total of 48.5 sacks and 111 quarterback hits in just over five NFL seasons, that’s exactly what we can expect out of him on Sunday.

How to Watch Cowboys vs Chargers

More Games to Watch on Week 2

• New York Giants vs Washington Football Team
• Los Angeles Rams vs Indianapolis Colts
• Houston Texans vs Cleveland Browns
• Minnesota Vikings vs Arizona Cardinals
• Tennessee Titans vs Seattle Seahawks