Cowboys vs. Chargers Monday Night Football highlights: Dallas gets rebound win in LA

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t win in San Francisco, but they got a big victory in Los Angeles.

The Cowboys hung on to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers, 20-17, on Monday night.

Dallas kicked a 39-yard field goal with 2:19 remaining in the fourth quarter and then the defense intercepted Justin Herbert on the Chargers’ final drive to preserve the win.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had a bounce-back game. Prescott completed 21 of 30 passes for one touchdown and had a rushing score. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb produced seven catches and 117 yards.

Cowboys star defender Micah Parsons had two tackles, one sack and three QB hits in the win.

Herbert tallied 227 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the loss.

The win improved the Cowboys to 3-2 entering their bye. The Chargers dropped to 2-3 on the season and face the Chiefs in Kansas City in Week 7. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys vs. Chargers highlights

While the Chargers lost coming off their bye week, the Cowboys enter their bye week with a bounce-back victory.

Cowboys vs. Chargers winners and losers

WINNERS

Dak Prescott: After a horrendous outing in last week's blowout loss against the San Francisco 49ers (14-for-24 passing for 153 yards, three interceptions), Prescott had a get-well game against the Chargers, throwing for 272 yards and a touchdown. Prescott also added a game-high 40 yards rushing, which included an 18-yard scramble for a score.

Prescott became the 30th quarterback in NFL history to throw at least one touchdown pass against 31 or more opponents when he connected with Brandin Cooks for a 2-yard score in the fourth quarter.

CeeDee Lamb: A week after being visibly upset during the defeat against the 49ers, Lamb also enjoyed a major rebound performance with seven receptions on seven targets for 117 yards.

Cowboys and the bye week: This victory was vital for Dallas, which improved to 10-1 since the start of 2021 in games after a loss. The Cowboys enter the bye in Week 7 on a high rather than a two-game losing streak. The Cowboys come off the bye week by hosting the better-than-expected Los Angeles Rams and visiting the Philadelphia Eagles. After that, the Cowboys get winnable games against the New York Giants in Week 10 and the currently winless Carolina Panthers before hosting the Washington Commanders for their annual Thanksgiving Day game.

Enthusiastic Chargers fan: The local pro football team might have lost on "Monday Night Football," but a super-supportive Chargers fan sporting a powder-blue Justin Herbert No. 10 jersey became an overnight Internet sensation. A meme was born late in the game when the Chargers faced a crucial fourth-and-1 from the Cowboys' 1-yard line. She really went through all the range of emotions as the Chargers tied the game ("Just pure ecstasy for his Chargers fan, as the Chargers have tied it at 17," broadcaster Joe Buck commented), only to lose it moments later.

LOSERS

Brandon Staley on fourth down: Yes, we know, a fourth-and-1 decision in the fourth quarter paid off with a Gerald Everett game-tying touchdown. However, the margin between victory and defeat is very thin in the NFL. A fourth-and-1 decision midway through the third quarter had a profound impact on how the game finished.

Rather than kick a gimme field goal from the Cowboys' 7-yard line to tie the score at 10-10, Staley opted to go for it on fourth-and-1. It failed, and the Chargers wound up losing by those three points they left out on the field.

It was only a yard — legendary coach Vince Lombardi famously quipped that "if you can't gain a yard, you don't deserve to be a champion" — and the football mathematics wizzes suggest "go for it!" but questionable fourth-down decisions are a recurring theme with the Chargers' head coach.

Just three weeks ago, Staley made a head-scratching fourth-down decision against the Minnesota Vikings, going for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 24-yard line with his team holding on to a 28-24 lead late in the game. Linebacker Kenneth Murray’s end-zone interception with 7 seconds left absolved Staley's mind-bending call.

Kellen Moore: Probably a bit too much was made of an offensive coordinator facing his former team. However, Moore's offense only mustered 17 points. Justin Herbert didn't look comfortable as the Cowboys' pass rush managed to get consistent pressure on the NFL's second-highest paid quarterback. The Chargers' final drive ended with Herbert getting sacked on second down and then throwing a game-sealing interception on third down.

Austin Ekeler: Ekeler was back in the Chargers' backfield after missing the last three games with an ankle injury, but the running back could not get on track against the Cowboys defense. Ekeler rushed for 27 yards on 14 carries (a 1.9-yards-per-carry average). — Jim Reineking

Dallas defense makes key interception to lock in win over Chargers

In a back-and-forth game, the Dallas defense had the final say.

Los Angeles sought to run a two-minute drill to stay alive, but on third-and-10 from their own 25, quarterback Justin Herbert took the shotgun snap and scanned the field as the pocket collapsed around him. He tossed a pass forward toward Quentin Johnston. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore was on the wide receiver’s back ready to pounce and leaped in front of him to grab the ball.

Gilmore fell to the turf with possession and gave the Cowboys the opportunity to kneel the ball to run time out.

On the previous play, Micah Parsons got the first sack of the game, which essentially took the wind out of the Chargers’ offense. — Victoria Hernandez

Cowboys 20, Chargers 17: Dallas takes late lead

The Cowboys converted three third downs on a 14-play, 54-yard drive to get into field-goal range.

Dak Prescott missed running back Tony Pollard on a wheel route in the end zone at the Los Angeles 21-yard line and the team had to settle for a field goal.

Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey made a 39-yard field goal to give Dallas a 20-17 advantage with 2:19 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Aubrey’s made both his field goals Monday night. — Tyler Dragon

Chargers 17, Cowboys 17: Fourth-down gamble pays off this time for L.A.

The Chargers are enjoying keeping fans on their feet as they had yet another fourth down in the red zone.

This time, on fourth-and-goal at the Dallas 1-yard line, Justin Herbert faked another handoff and rolled to his right where he jumped and tossed the ball to Gerald Everett, who was wide open at the goal line. The tight end grabbed the ball and scuttled in for the touchdown.

The game is tied at 17 with 7:11 left in the game. — Victoria Hernandez

Chargers recover muffed punt

Multiple Cowboys scrambled to the football thinking returner KaVontae Turpin had muffed a punt. Unfortunately, he never touched the football.

Cowboys’ Jalen Tolbert was one of the players who thought the ball was free so he touched the loose football. The football was eventually recovered by the Chargers linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga.

The officially initially ruled Cowboys football but they reversed the call after a review. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys 17, Chargers 10: Brandin Cooks gets his first TD for Dallas

Six weeks into the season, veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks gets his first touchdown as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.

In the fourth quarter, on second-and-goal from the Los Angeles 2-yard line, quarterback Dak Prescott took the snap from shotgun and scrambled back as Cooks cut across the field with a sharp cross route.

Prescott unleashed the ball and found Cooks in the corner of the end zone. The 30-year-old has now scored a touchdown for five different NFL teams.

The score put the Cowboys up over the Chargers, 17-10. — Victoria Hernandez

Game entering fourth quarter tied at 10

Only three points were scored in the third quarter.

The Chargers entered the red zone twice, but were denied on fourth down by the Cowboys inside the 10-yard line.

The Chargers got into the red area on their very next possession and hit a 24-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10.

Los Angeles gained 121 yards in the third quarter. The Cowboys were held to minus-3 yards on five total offensive plays in the third period. — Tyler Dragon

Chargers 10, Cowboys 10: Brandon Staley opts for field goal this time

The Chargers decided to settle for a field goal this time around.

After forgoing a field goal attempt on the previous drive, the Chargers went down the field but were stopped in the red zone by the Cowboys defense. Chargers coach Brandon Staley called upon his special teams unit for a short field goal on fourth down. Kicker Cameron Dicker made a 24-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10. — Tyler Dragon

Chargers fourth-and-1 conversion attempt from Dallas' 7 fails

On fourth-and-1 from the Dallas 7-yard line, Chargers head coach Brandon Staley had his team go for it. And it failed.

Quarterback Justin Herbert lined up under center, took the snap and faked the handoff to star running back Austin Ekeler. He then rolled to his right, looked downfield and attempted a throw to Joshua Palmer in the end zone. The pass was broken up by second-year cornerback DaRon Bland, who has been filling in for injured All-Pro defender Trevon Diggs.

Staley could have called a run to get the one yard and move the chains or a field goal to tie the game at 10. Instead, the Chargers turned the ball over on downs. — Victoria Hernandez

Cowboys 10, Chargers 7: Dallas takes lead into halftime

The Cowboys have a 10-7 advantage at halftime.

Both offenses struggled to get going after the first quarter. The Chargers scored on their first possession on a quick five play, 42-yard drive. But Los Angeles struggled to move the ball following their opening series.

The Chargers only had two drives longer than 40 yards in the first half.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert has 113 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Linebacker Kenneth Murray leads the team with seven tackles.

The Cowboys tied the game on their second drive on a Dak Prescott 18-yard touchdown run. Dallas got into the red zone three times in the first half, scoring twice after Brandon Aubrey connected on a 32-yard field goal to end the half.

Prescott has 161 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb produced five catches for 84 yards through two quarters. — Tyler Dragon

LeBron James, Jay Z attend Cowboys-Chargers game

With one more week until his season tips off, LeBron James took some time to watch his one-time favorite team, the Cowboys. The Los Angeles Lakers star was spotted at SoFi Stadium about a year after he said of his fandom he “had to turn it in” in exchange for his commitment to his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns, but said he still supports certain players like CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons.

Jay Z was also in attendance at the game, sporting a beanie and glasses. He was spotted pouring a drink and enjoying friendly conversation. The rap mogul has a partnership with the NFL through his Roc Nation company that helps build cultural bridges with the league, including guidance in the Super Bowl halftime show. This season’s superstar to grace the big stage will be Usher. — Victoria Hernandez

Herbert-to-Herbert pass goes for first down

Justin Herbert caught his own pass on a third-and-5.

Herbert’s pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage by DeMarcus Lawrence. Herbert caught the batted pass and ran 10 yards for a Chargers first down. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys, Chargers tied at end of first quarter

Both teams are tied at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

The Chargers scored quickly on their first drive after their defense forced a three-and-out. But the Cowboys responded on their second series by going on a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie the score.

Dak Prescott scored Dallas’ lone touchdown on an 18-yard run.

The Cowboys gained 99 yards and six first downs in the first quarter. Los Angeles had 69 total yards at the end of the opening quarter. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys 7, Chargers 7: Dallas ties game with Dak Prescott QB sneak

The Cowboys answered the Chargers right back with an 18-yard touchdown from Dak Prescott.

On fourth-and-1, the quarterback bobbled the shotgun snap and pretended to hand off the ball to running back Tony Pollard. He then jetted forward and outran Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. to reach the end zone.

The score capped off a nine-play, 75-yard drive. — Victoria Hernandez

Chargers 7, Cowboys 0: Chargers get off to fast start

The Chargers scored fast after Khalil Mack and the Chargers defense forced the Cowboys to a three-and-out.

Rookie Derius Davis returned a Cowboys punt 26 yards to put the Chargers on the Dallas 42-yard line. The Chargers offense then went on a five-play, 42-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a Justin Herbert pass to wide receiver Keenan Allen. — Tyler Dragon

What time is kickoff for Cowboys vs. Chargers?

Cowboys at Chargers begins at 8:15 p.m. ET on Oct. 16.

How can I watch Cowboys vs. Chargers?

Cowboys at Chargers will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. The game is also available to stream for free on Fubo.

There is no ManningCast for the Cowboys-Chargers game. Peyton and Eli Manning will return for their alternate "Monday Night Football" simulcast for the Week 7 MNF game between the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings.

Cowboys, Chargers have pregame shoving match

Members of the Cowboys ran through the Chargers' defensive back’s pregame warmups and it led to a skirmish along the sideline. Staff members from both teams broke the two teams up before things escalated further. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys vs. Chargers inactive players: Joey Bosa, Josh Palmer both will play

Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa and wide receiver Joshua Palmer — who both were listed as questionable for Monday night's game — are active. Running back Austin Ekeler returns after missing the Chargers' previous three games.

Bosa has registered three sacks in his three games played this season. Palmer has 11 receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown, and will continue to be counted on to be a bigger part of the offense after the season-ending injury to wide receiver Mike Williams.

Cowboys' inactive players:

• QB Trey Lance

• CB Noah Igbinoghene

• S Juanyeh Thomas

• CB Eric Scott

• RB Deuce Vaughn

• OL Asim Richards

• DL Viliami Fehoko

Chargers' inactive players:

• S Alohi Gilman

• CB Deane Leonard

• RB Elijah Dotson

• OL Zack Bailey

• WR Simi Fehoko

• DT Christopher Hinton

Cowboys vs. Chargers predictions

Tyler Dragon: Chargers 27, Cowboys 24

Will the Cowboys be able to bounce back after a humiliating loss in San Francisco? The Chargers are getting some reinforcements back after a much-needed bye, including running back Austin Ekeler. The rest will prove to be beneficial for the Chargers as the Cowboys lose back-to-back games in California.

Victoria Hernandez: Chargers 27, Cowboys 23

The Cowboys wowed the nation with their dominant 40-0 season opener and have shown moments of greatness. But since then, America's Team has failed to live up to their dominant reputation. The Chargers will be feeling fresh and the return of Austin Ekeler will give them a big boost.

Safid Deen: Chargers 34, Cowboys 28

The Cowboys need to get back on track after their beatdown in San Francisco, and will likely have home field advantage with fans traveling to SoFi Stadium. But the Chargers are coming off a bye, and Austin Ekeler could return from his ankle injury to help Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen offensively. I like the Chargers in a shootout on Monday night.

Cowboys vs. Chargers odds

The Cowboys enter the game as 1.5-point favorites, according to BetMGM NFL odds.

Kellen Moore tries to tone down revenge talk vs. Cowboys

Kellen Moore has been under the spotlight since he was hired as the Chargers' offensive coordinator in late January.

Considering this week’s opponent, the glare has been brighter than usual.

Moore said it will be fun to see familiar faces again, but his familiarity with the Cowboys or how much information he could share this week is overrated. — Associated Press

NFL Week 6 winners and losers

Week 6 in the NFL brought some stunning upsets, including a pair that unseated the last remaining undefeated teams. Meanwhile, a team that had been waiting a long time to contend, the Detroit Lions, are balanced, versatile and looking poised to make a run.

Here's USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes' full rundown of the biggest winners and losers from Week 6.

32 things we learned in NFL Week 6

The NFL's power structure got turned upside-down on Sunday. After losses by both the 49ers and Eagles, suddenly the field feels very wide open. Who's the best team in the league now?

What else did Nate Davis learn during Week 6?

Country music legend to perform at Cowboys' Thanksgiving halftime show

The Cowboys announced Monday that country music legend Dolly Parton will perform the halftime show during the team's annual Thanksgiving Day game.

Never miss a snap: Sign up for our NFL newsletter

Do you like football? Then you'll enjoy getting our NFL newsletter delivered to your inbox

Get the latest news, expert analysis, game insights and the must-see moments from the NFL conveniently delivered to your email inbox. Sign up now!

Check out the latest edition ...

• NFL Week 6 breakdown: And just like that there are no unbeaten teams

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY operates independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Monday Night Football highlights: Cowboys-Chargers score, top plays