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Dallas Cowboys vs LA Chargers Preview
Week three of the NFL Preseason is upon us. The Dallas Cowboys will play the LA Chargers on Saturday, August 24th at 4:00 pm ET. It’s the last opportunity for these teams to test new strategies and make major roster decisions ahead of the new campaign.
The Cowboys and the Chargers have big ambitions this year. Mike McCarthy is under pressure to lead Dallas to its first Super Bowl since 1996. Meanwhile, Jim Harbaugh returns to the NFL after a decade of college success with Michigan.
The final preseason game is always fascinating because coaches make massive decisions. Will they give their starters some minutes or keep them safe for the start of the NFL?
Dallas Cowboys vs LA Chargers Key Stats and Head-to-Head
The Cowboys and the Chargers have played each other 13 times throughout their histories. Dallas has enjoyed more success in this rivalry with eight victories to the Chargers’ five. They’ve also won the past two matches against them, by the same 20-17 scoreline.
These teams play in different conferences, so they rarely encounter each other. Their most recent meeting was in 2023. This was only their third game in six years. Dak Prescott went 21 for 30 for 272 yards and one touchdown. However, Justin Herbert had a tougher night. He completed 22 of 37 for 227 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Neither star quarterback will play in this clash with the new campaign around the corner. That’s not a surprise because Dallas Coach Mike McCarthy rarely plays his main starters in these practice games. Meanwhile, Herbert is returning from injury so Harbaugh has nothing to gain by throwing him into the mix.
The Chargers had a poor preseason from a results perspective. They lost to Seattle and the Rams, scoring only 12 points across two games. The biggest issue is at quarterback. They have no depth behind Herbert. Easton Stick has failed to convince anyone that he’s a suitable backup. Luis Perez played last week but is not good enough for this level.
Justin Herbert practicing for the first time since July pic.twitter.com/HGYmytzg3x
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) August 19, 2024
Meanwhile, the Cowboys went 1-1 across their first two preseason games. Their last test was an uplifting victory over the Raiders. They have their own QB2 battle with Cooper Rush and Trey Lance. But they’ve got much more depth in the position than the Chargers.
The pass rush is an area of concern for ‘America’s Team.’ McCarthy will give his younger players another chance, something to consider if you are betting on the NFL preseason. They also need more from the likes of Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marshawn Kneeland.
Dallas Cowboys vs LA Chargers Predictions
Predicted Score: Dallas Cowboys 22 – 7 LA Chargers
Dallas will fancy their chances of a comfortable victory over the Chargers. There’s no overstating how bad the Chargers’ offence has been throughout the summer. Jim Harbaugh has a massive job on his hands.
Our NFL prediction is for the Cowboys to crush the Chargers. The Cowboys have problems, but this is the perfect game for their pass rush to reach another level. The Chargers quarterback depth chart is arguably the worst in the entire NFL right now.
Easton Stick completed 8 of 13 passes for 85 yards with no touchdowns and one interception against the Rams. Fans never want to see him play again, but he’s far from making the list of the worst quarterbacks of all time. He is likely to start against the Rams. Former UFL star Luis Perez went 13 for 20 in the same game for 78 yards. Harbaugh must squeeze more juice out of his offence.
We predict McCarthy will play his rookie offensive linemen. Cooper Beebe and Tyler Guyton should get some reps. These young men will start in Week 1, so McCarthy wants to dip their feet before throwing them in the deep end.
The Chargers could get another quarterback before this game. There were wild but unlikely links to Colin Kaepernick. Ryan Tannehill, Tyler Huntley, and Taylor Heinicke are potentially viable options. Tannehill is the most obvious name because of his vast experience, but Huntley worked with Chargers OC Greg Norman before.
Meanwhile, Trey Lance and Cooper Rush are in a head-to-head clash for the Dallas QB2 jersey. Lance had a much-improved performance in last week’s clash with the Raiders. He completed 16 of 24 passes for 150 yards and one passing touchdown. Lance also rushed for 36 yards as he entered the end zone himself for one score.
#Cowboys Trey Lance had his NFL moment on the drive right before the half.
There were 0:28 seconds on the clock…just think about that.
After a few quick passes and his 20-yard rush, Lance set Brandon Aubrey up for the 66-yard field goal. On that drive, Lance never pressed for… pic.twitter.com/fNksikMejx
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) August 18, 2024
Rush is probably still in the driving seat because he’s the proven option. But Lance may have a better upside. Both men will fancy their chances of inflicting misery on this undercooked Chargers’ side. We expect them to go guns blazing as they stake claims for their roster spots.
We probably won’t see any of the biggest stars in this match, with Prescott and Herbert missing out. But CeeDee Lamb is one of the most noteworthy absentees. His contract holdout threatens to cast a shadow over the Cowboys’ summer, and they must complete this soon.
Dallas Cowboys vs LA Chargers Betting Tips
The Dallas Cowboys are heavy favourites ahead of this NFL preseason game. That’s not shocking because the Chargers had a poor summer. We don’t expect them to explode into life this weekend. However, this also affects wagers because the Cowboys are –189 to win on the moneyline. A $10 stake would only make $5.89. This isn’t terrible, but it’s not the most profitable bet.
It’s wiser to bet on Dallas against the spread at -111. This time you could make $9.01 with the same stake at Novibet. This is a strong wager because the Chargers had massive problems with their offence. Meanwhile, Dallas has 39 points in their past two games with 27 against the Raiders.
We expect Trey Lance to show the world his qualities in this match. The former Niners first-round pick had a difficult NFL career so far. But he led the Cowboys’ offence in style last week and could pick up where he left off. We think McCarthy likes his dual-threat and will give him the chance to prove himself.
That’s why we expect the Cowboys to score over 18.5 points. This market is available at our online bookmaker with odds worth -120. That leaves you with potential winnings of $8.33. Remember, Lance’s weapons impressed against several of Las Vegas’ starters last week in the third and fourth quarters. There’s a good chance that they put the Chargers to the sword.
"I thought I heard music. The voices of angels maybe."
– Jim Harbaugh on seeing Justin Herbert back at practice
🎥: @chargers pic.twitter.com/ED3MtI9RZX https://t.co/Zcyj0kb1l3
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) August 19, 2024
Another riskier over-under bet is the total number of points in this game. Our combined score prediction is that there will be 29 points. The best option is under 30.5 points at +125. This time a $10 stake could see a $22.50 payout.
The halftime/full-time results are another popular NFL betting market. We think the Cowboys will win both halves with profitable odds of -115. However, there’s a chance that the coaches could surprise fans by giving some key starters some reps. Check the in-play betting odds when the big names enter or leave the field.
The Chargers start this game as justifiable +145 underdogs. 10 bucks could net you $14.50 if they pull off a shock result. It’s not impossible, but it is unlikely. Bet against the spread at -115 for $8.70. This is riskier than the odds suggest because we think there could be a big margin between these teams.
There are two reasons the Bolts have some hope. First, their defence was good in practice this week. Aaron Donald’s retirement left a massive hole but there’s some optimism. They could make it more difficult for the Cowboys than the odds suggest.
Another key point is that Justin Herbert is back training properly for the first time since the start of the offseason. The quarterback was outstanding in practice. He could get some reps in the first quarter to give the fans a morale boost. The odds could shift if he makes an appearance, so this is something to watch.
With Herbert unlikely to play, we advise betting on the Chargers to score under 13.5 points at -108. The same stake could make $9.26 and correlates with their recent scoring woes. Wideouts like Ladd McConkey and Jaylen Johnson will hope to make a difference against ‘America’s Team.”
Dallas Cowboys Team News
Key starters including Dak Prescott won’t play in this preseason game. CeeDee Lamb’s contract holdout means he’ll miss out. Brandin Cooks is questionable with a knee injury. Earl Bostick Jr. and Sam Williams are on the injury list.
LA Chargers Team News
Justin Herbert returns from injury but is unlikely to play in this game. As it stands, Easton Stick and Luis Perez are fighting for the QB2 spot, but this could change. D.J. Chark Jr, Joey Bosa, and Chris Rumph II are all questionable ahead of this clash.
