Inside The Star
The Dallas Cowboys will play their final regular season home game this afternoon. They close the year out on the road in Washington D.C. and in New York against NFC East rivals.
Thanks to the results from yesterday’s Eagles-Commanders game, the Cowboys will be playing for pride this afternoon.
It might be advisable for Dallas to give some of their back-ups more playing time starting today. The Cowboys need to evaluate who stays and who goes in 2026.
There is no better time than now to begin that process.
The Chargers can run the ball with a 1-2 punch of Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal. Dallas has had some issues recently stopping the run.
Justin Herbert will still be dealing with an injury to his non-throwing hand.
But he has some solid targets to throw to if he’s given time.
Dallas has to slow down the run. They must pressure Herbert anytime he drops back to pass.
One amusing scenario would be seeing Trey Lance walk back onto the field at AT&T Stadium again.
Only this time, he’ll be wearing a Chargers uniform.
Dallas holds an 8-5 series lead against the Chargers all-time. This dates back to the first meeting between the two teams in 1972, a 34–28 Cowboys’ win over San Diego.
However, the Chargers are 3-2 against Dallas when playing in Dallas and have won the last three games in Texas by an average of 12 points.
That is not exactly a good omen.
The Cowboys will come into the Week 16 game with a two-game winning streak over Los Angeles in hand. Both of the wins, in 2021 and in 2023, came at SoFi Stadium in Southern California.
Both were by the same 20-17 score.
When it comes to Week 16 contests, the Cowboys are 25-22 overall and 16-10 when playing at home.
Dallas has won five straight Week 16 games at home. The last home loss coming in 2017 to the Seahawks.
The Cowboys have lost their last three road games in Week 16, with the last win away from Dallas coming in 2013 at Washington.
This will be the first time the Cowboys have played the Chargers in this week of the schedule. In fact, this will be the first AFC West opponent they have faced in a Week 16 contest.
Dallas is 4-5 against AFC teams in Week 16, beating the Jets (twice), the Colts, and the Patriots.
The Cowboys have lost twice to Miami, including a 2023 loss, and to the Bills, the Bengals, and the Ravens.
My preseason prediction series had Dallas at 5-9 when this game kicks off. In reality, they are 6-7-1.
That’s 1.5 games better than I thought, but to be frank, it isn’t that much of an improvement.
Prediction: Chargers 28, Cowboys 20
