In a matchup between an immovable force and an unstoppable object, the 10-4 Los Angeles Chargers and their hard-hitting defense will be going against the 6-7-1 Dallas Cowboys and their top-ranked offense. The Chargers can clinch a spot in the 2026 NFL Playoffs with a win and a loss or tie by either the Indianapolis Colts or the Houston Texans. And while the Cowboys aren’t eligible for a Wild Card spot, they can stay alive in the race for the NFC East divisional crown with a victory.

Last Sunday, the Chargers did something we haven't seen in over a decade: eliminate the Kansas City Chiefs from playoff contention during the regular season. Quarterback Justin Herbert was more focused on the Chargers' win than the Chiefs' loss, but he acknowledged the competitiveness of the games between these two teams over the last five years.

“I thought it was really cool that we were able to close out a one-score game like that,” Herbert said during the postgame press conference. “You know how many times we've played them, and we've had those one-score games. I think, for the defense to go out there and come up with the turnovers, the stops, what they've done all day… The way the defense came out and shut ‘em down, it was awesome to see.”

Interestingly, Justin Herbert has had a much more difficult time taking care of the football this year compared to last season. He has 12 interceptions in 14 games, four times as many as he had during the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign. Despite the turnovers, head coach Jim Harbaugh has not lost faith in his QB.

“Keep attacking. Keep letting it rip,” Harbaugh said on Wednesday. “To make a golf analogy: if you're Tiger Woods, and you hit one in the water, take another one out of your pocket, put it on the ground, and let it rip.”

This might be one of the biggest tests of the season for the Chargers' top-five defense. The Cowboys are first in total yards (396.9 yards per game) and fourth in scoring (29.1 points per game).

“I think it's arguably the best offense we’ve played, and [they] present a lot of challenges,” Harbaugh explained. “Really good up front. Really good quarterback, really good receivers. It's not just the two great ones; you see the other ones rising to the occasion as well. And the running game, that'll be a challenge to stop as well. The quarterback is elite, really good. [It’s a] big challenge for us defensively.”

There'ss a realistic chance that the Chargers secure their second consecutive playoff berth this weekend. To do that, LA will have to focus on the task at hand and beat Dallas.

“I know the scenarios are win, right?” Harbaugh asked. “Win and something else happens? So the big part of that is win.”

After a tough loss at home on Sunday Night Football to the Minnesota Vikings, the Cowboys have an uphill battle if they even want a shot at making the playoffs. Not only will they have to win out, but they'll also need outside help.

"You're a professional football player. You’ve got to come to work and give your absolute best regardless,” said quarterback Dak Prescott after the game. “It's about taking pride in who you are as a man, and your job, and everything that's gotten you to this point… Like you can't just give up. You can't just stop… We’ve got to show up and do our job. And that starts throughout the week. When you get to the game days, it's a celebration of the hard work that you've put in through your preparation.”

During a recent interview, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones claimed that the offense has "played to expectations" but argued that defensive shortcomings have contributed to the position Dallas currently finds itself in.

“On the defense, we've been a hodgepodge,” Jones said during a Wednesday interview with 105.3 FM The Fan. “Let's say injury caused issues, having players that weren't at the top of their game, are on their way in from recovering from injury. So - bottom line - I'd say that we've been pretty off-balance because of the way our defense has presented and the issues regarding our defense, which I didn't expect.”

When asked about defensive struggles, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said the entire team has come up short of expectations.

“I think I'd start with assessing our team, and I say our team hasn't done well enough the last two weeks,” he told reporters on December 15th. "I thought we've played well at times, but the execution was not what it was when we were winning three games in a row… I said to the guys in the locker room after the game that, at the end of the day, there were opportunities for us to make plays at critical times, and we didn't make those plays.”

Though the season is basically over for the Cowboys, they're not shying away from competition. They're still going to put forward their best effort over the final three games of the regular season.

“Our focus right now is, let's go finish strong. Let's go play well this week,” Schottenheimer said. “And again, we’ve got 17 guaranteed ops, and we're going to maximize them all.”

Prediction for Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys (-2)

This will not be an offensive masterclass. Most of the Chargers' recent games have been slug-it-out, heavyweight defensive bouts. During their most recent win streak, they've held opponents to 15.3 points per game. Granted, the Cowboys have a much better offense than the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, or Las Vegas Raiders, but with not much to play for on Dallas' side, they’ll probably make some mental mistakes. At the same time, Justin Herbert should have a good performance. The last two QBs to face the Cowboys have averaged 279.5 passing yards and two total touchdowns per game. LA is still dealing with offensive line issues, but Dallas' 21st-ranked pass rush shouldn't give the Chargers too much trouble. Los Angeles pulls off the upset and moves one step closer to securing a playoff berth.

Prediction: Chargers 27 - 26 Cowboys

How to watch Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys (-2)

Chargers @ Cowboys starts at 1:00 p.m. EDT at AT&T Stadium. You can watch it on Fox or stream it via the Fox Sports app or YouTubeTV.

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