The Chargers and Cowboys are playing one of the more entertaining games of the season despite Dallas being eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday night.
The teams have combined for 38 points, 444 yards, 27 first downs, no punts, no turnovers and only three penalties. They have combined to go 7-of-9 on third down and 1-for-1 on fourth down.
The Chargers took a 21-17 lead on Justin Herbert’s 1-yard run on a quarterback push play with 19 seconds left in the first half. Herbert threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston and a 25-yarder to Ladd McConkey as the Chargers scored touchdowns on all three of their possessions in the first half.
Herbert is 14-of-16 for 173 yards and two touchdowns, and Tre Harris has three catches for 48 yards with McConkey adding four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. Omarion Hampton has seven carries for 48 yards.
The Cowboys scored on their first three possessions but had to settle for a 33-yard Brandon Aubrey field goal on their second possession after a penalty wiped out a touchdown. Ryan Flournoy’s 5-yard score was negated by a holding penalty on left guard Tyler Smith on third-and-4.
Flournoy scored earlier on a 5-yard reception, and George Pickens had a 38-yard touchdown catch.
Dak Prescott is 14-of-18 for 156 yards with two touchdowns, with Pickens catching four for 86 and the score. CeeDee Lamb has four catches for 26 yards, putting him over 1,000 yards for the fifth consecutive season.
The Chargers have lost yet another offensive lineman.
Left tackle Jamaree Salyer exited Sunday’s game on the Chargers’ fifth play from scrimmage. He went to the training room and is questionable to return with a hamstring injury.
Salyer was injured on Omarion Hampton’s 2-yard run with 7:18 remaining in the first quarter.
Austin Deculus replaced Salyer at left tackle.
The Chargers have played most of the season with starting tackles Joe Alt, who had a season-ending high-ankle sprain in Week 4, and Rashawn Slater, who tore the patellar tendon in his left knee in training camp.
The Chargers took their first lead on Ladd McConkey’s 25-yard touchdown reception from Justin Herbert with 9:45 remaining in the second quarter. The Chargers lead 14-10.
Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston grew up 135 miles from AT&T Stadium in Temple, Texas. He played his college football down I-30 in Fort Worth at TCU.
He already has had a happy homecoming, scoring a touchdown on the Chargers’ first drive.
Johnston made a spectacular one-handed catch despite being closely guarded by Cowboys rookie cornerback Shavon Revel. His 23-yard touchdown was his eighth score of the season and allowed the Chargers tie the Cowboys 7-7 with 6:43 remaining in the first quarter.
The Chargers went 65 yards in six plays, with Justin Herbert going 4-for-4 for 62 yards and the touchdown.
The Cowboys struck first on Ryan Flournoy’s 5-yard touchdown catch.
The Cowboys have nothing to play for today, but that apparently isn’t going to keep them from playing hard and competing.
Dallas has taken an early 7-0 lead on the Chargers.
The Cowboys took the opening kickoff and marched 79 yards in 10 plays. Ryan Flournoy, who is having a breakout season, caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott with only 4:40 gone in the game.
Prescott went 6-of-7 for 69 yards on the drive, including a fourth-down pass to George Pickens. He saw man coverage on Pickens and hit him for a 28-yard gain to the Los Angeles 11 on fourth-and-2.
Center Cooper Beebe was poked in the eye on the fourth down play but appears ready to return on the next series.
The Bills will try to wrap up a playoff berth without the help of wide receiver Keon Coleman on Sunday.
Coleman is inactive for Buffalo’s game in Cleveland. Coleman was not on the injury report at all this week, but will miss his third game of the season. Coleman was scratched for disciplinary reasons earlier this year, but Cameron Wolfe of NFL Media reports Sunday’s deactivation is solely a coach’s decision. Coleman was a 2024 second-round pick and he has 36 catches for 355 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Mecole Hardman, who was activated from injured reserve this week, is active.
The Bills need a win and a loss by either the Texans or Colts in order to book a playoff berth. A win will also help their chances of ending the season as the AFC East champs for the sixth straight season.
Bills at Browns
Bills: WR Keon Coleman, WR Gabe Davis, DT Jordan Phillips, K Matt Prater, OL Tylan Grable, DB Darnell Savage, DT Larry Ogunjobi
Browns: CB Denzel Ward, RB Dylan Sampson, DT Mike Hall Jr., G Wyatt Teller, WR Jamari Thrash, TE David Njoku, DT Sam Kamara
Buccaneers at Panthers
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, TE Devin Culp, G Elijah Klein, WR Sterling Shepard, DL Elijah Simmons, LB Anthony Walker, S Rashad Wisdom
Panthers: WR Hunter Renfrow, LB Trevin Wallace, S Demani Richardson, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, OT Ikem Ekwonu, TE James Mitchell, DT Tershawn Wharton
Jets at Saints
Jets: QB Justin Fields, TE Mason Taylor, DT Mazi Smith, LB Kiko Mauigoa, DT Payton Page, DE Eric Watts
Saints: RB Alvin Kamara, OL Cesar Ruiz, OL Asim Richards, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, S Ugo Amadi, CB Rejzohn Wright, DT Khristian Boyd
Chiefs at Titans
Chiefs: WR Rashee Rice, CB Trent McDuffie, OT Jaylon Moore, WR Tyquan Thornton, RB Dameon Pierce, OL CJ Hanson, DT Derrick Nnadi
Titans: OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OL Garrett Dellinger, OL Drew Moss, DL Cam Horsley, LB Cedric Gray, S Erick Hallett
Chargers at Cowboys
Chargers: WR Derius Davis, S RJ Mickens, EDGE Bud Dupree, OL Branson Taylor, OT Trey Pipkins, TE Tyler Conklin
Cowboys: DT Quinnen Williams, WR Jalen Tolbert, CB Caelen Carson, RB Jaydon Blue, DT Jay Toia, OT Tyler Guyton
Vikings at Giants
Vikings: LB Austin Keys, DT Javon Hargrave, OT Walter Rouse, QB John Wolford
Giants: LB Caleb Murphy, WR Ryan Miller, WR Jalin Hyatt, LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, G Jon Runyan, DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches, QB Russell Wilson
Bengals at Dolphins
Bengals: QB Jake Browning, WR Charlie Jones, DB Brayln Lux, S P.J. Jules, DE Joseph Ossai, TE Noah Fant, DT Jordan Jefferson
Dolphins: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, CB Isaiah Johnson, T Kendall Lamm, WR Tahj Washington, DT Matthew Butler, QB Tua Tagovailoa
