With Ezekiel Elliott out of the lineup, most people projected the Dallas Cowboys would continue to struggle. That struggle continued on Thanksgiving Day as Dallas fell to the Los Angeles Chargers 28-6.
With the loss, the Cowboys are now 5-6 overall and are in danger of falling out of the playoff picture after losing their third straight game.
Offensive Woes Continue
One of the biggest weaknesses for the Cowboys since Elliott went out was the offense’s ability to produce points. It was more of the same against the Chargers on Sunday, only scoring 6 points and having a tough time generating anything.
Prescott threw for 179 yards and two interceptions and didn’t display the same sharpness that he had at the beginning of the year. The line protection was better with Tyron Smith back in the lineup, but it didn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things.
Secondary Struggles
No other way to put it: Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers torched the Dallas secondary. Playing in his first-ever Thanksgiving game, the veteran quarterback threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns against a young Cowboys secondary.
Keenan Allen (11 rec, 172 yards, TD) was his favorite target but other targets from Hunter Henry to Tyrell Williams and Austin Ekeler each had their way as well. On that note defensively, it’s abundantly clear that it’s a different defense without Sean Lee and if the Cowboys want to stay in playoff contention, they simply have to play better.
Cowboys Can’t Capitalize On Mistakes
In the first half, the Chargers were able to move the ball at will but they had to overcome their own challenges in the first half. Losing starting kicker Nick Novak due to injury was a big part of that, but the inept offense of Dallas failed to take advantage.
The team wore down in the second half and the Chargers were able to take full advantage of that.
What Next?
In his postgame comments, head coach Jason Garrett said the struggles start with him. Dak Prescott also showed his frustration after throwing two interceptions and not looking like himself.
In any case, the Cowboys will be in must-win mode for the rest of the way and they’ll look to bounce back next Thursday night as they host the Washington Redskins.
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