It’s a testament to Jim Harbaugh’s coaching that the Chargers have been nothing like the Chargers this season, continuing to win games despite a slew of pivotal injuries. They have back-to-back victories over teams in the Super Bowl last season, Philadelphia and Kansas City.
Their challenge on Sunday is to beat the Cowboys, who went 3-1 in November but started this month with back-to-back losses.
The Cowboys lead the league on offense, putting up nearly 400 yards per game, but they rank 29th in total defense and last against the pass. Facing Justin Herbert is not a favorable matchup for them.
Dallas was eliminated from postseason contention with a Week 15 loss to Minnesota.
The Chargers can clinch a playoff berth with a win, loss or tie to Indianapolis (vs. San Francisco) or Houston (vs. Las Vegas).
How the Chargers can win: If Herbert has the time, he should be able to dissect one of the Cowboys’ secondary suspects and relies heavily on zone coverage. This led to a host of explosive plays. The Cowboys are vulnerable as well, and a balanced attack by the Chargers will take them a long way. Get another solid performance from the defense.
How the Cowboys can win: Be aggressive and play to win, not to protect leads. This means outscoring the Chargers, and not settling for field goals because Brandon Oubre is such a weapon. That would help the Cowboys take some risks and go on fourth down more frequently. They can put points on the board, but more often than not they move the ball well between the 20s. Even a slight improvement in defense would help.