Entering Week 2 of the regular season, the Cowboys (0-1) attempt to notch their first win against the Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) since the 2005 season. Dallas is missing multiple starters from their Week 1 lineup like La'el Collins, Michael Gallup, and DeMarcus Lawrence.
Meanwhile, the Chargers are gaining momentum in the AFC West with key players like Justin Herbert, Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen, and Kenneth Murray Jr. Here are 10 'big facts' to keep in mind ahead of Sunday's meeting with Los Angeles at 3:25pm CT on CBS.
Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert rank 1-2 in what NFL category? How Amari Cooper has played vs. Chargers. Check out these Big Facts!
Prescott and Herbert throw more passes than anyone over last two years
Two former Rookie of the Year winners face off for the first time and if the past two years are any indication, there will be a high volume of pass attempts. No quarterback duo has tallied more passes per game than Prescott (46.7) and Herbert (40.1) since the start of last season. The Cowboys are 4-11 when Prescott surpasses 40 attempts and opposing quarterbacks were 0-3 against Chargers coach Brandan Staley (while with the Rams) when hitting the same mark in 2020.
Dallas defense owns the second-longest takeaway streak in the NFL
Last Thursday the Dallas defense registered four takeaways in the Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The total matched the single-game high from the 2020 season and extended their takeaway streak to eight straight games, tied for the second-longest active mark in the league with the Titans. Only the Miami Dolphins have a longer active streak, which currently sits at 23 games.
Cowboys led the NFL in YAC during Week 1
Through one week of the regular season, no team has more yards after the catch (YAC) than the Dallas Cowboys with 197 yards. CeeDee Lamb led all Dallas receivers with 63 YAC, good enough for sixth-most across the NFL. Additionally, the Chargers defensively had the second-best mark in the league with only 43 YAC allowed against the Washington Football Team last week.
Amari Cooper has three TD of 50-yards or more against the Chargers
In seven career games against the Chargers, Amari Cooper is one of the most feared receivers for the Los Angeles sideline. Cooper has tallied 23 career receptions for over 460 yards and three touchdowns, all three, have been from 50 yards or more. His career 20.1 yards per catch against the Chargers are the second-most of any opponent that he has played against (Packers, 20.4).
DFW native Jalen Guyton gets first crack at his former team
Wide receiver Jalen Guyton played both his high school and his collegiate football inside the metroplex (Allen and North Texas) and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cowboys in 2019. After a solid preseason in 2019, Dallas released the rookie before he quickly landed a job on the Chargers practice squad. Since then, he has risen to the third receiver slot and tallied 31 career receptions for 560 yards and three touchdowns with Los Angeles.
Opening season with 2 road games usually means a split – The Cowboys have began a regular season with two straight road games 12 other times in their franchise history and eight of those have resulted in 1-1 starts, including the last three times. The Cowboys were on the road twice to start both the 2011 and 2012 seasons as they were able to get one win. The only time the Cowboys went 0-2 occurred in 1989 with the 1-15 season. The Cowboys have been 2-0 three times in this scenario, but not since 1983.
Cowboys took a WR right before Keenen Allen – The Cowboys had two picks close together in the third round back in 2013. And with a wide receiver on their mind, they took Terrance Williams with the 74th overall pick. But two picks later, Allen went to the Chargers, where he has enjoyed a brilliant career that includes four Pro Bowl selections. With the 80th pick, they came back and took safety J.J. Wilcox, but needless to say, they had a shot to get a game-changing player.
Former Ohio State roommates – If Chargers pass-rusher Joey Bosa brings down Ezekiel Elliott Sunday, it won't be the first time, they'll be united. And no, it stems closer than Bosa being the third pick in 2016 and Zeke going fourth to the Cowboys. The two were actually roommates at Ohio State together and played three years on the same squad, winning a national championship in 2014.
Chargers have dominated the rivalry this century – The Cowboys were 5-1 all-time against the Chargers until the turn of the century. Since then, the Chargers have owned the series, winning the last three games. If they extend the streak to four game, it will tie up the series history 6-6. The Cowboys haven't beaten the Chargers since 2005, a road win in San Diego.
Starting 0-2 usually means disaster – If history means anything, getting a loss this week in Los Angeles, could be problematic for the Cowboys. It would mark the eighth time in franchise history to begin a season 0-2. Of the other seven occasions, only once have the Cowboys had a winning record, much less made the playoffs. And that year was 1993 when Emmitt Smith was not with the team, only to return the next game and the Cowboys went 12-4 and won the Super Bowl. The last time the Cowboys started a season 0-2 was 2010 and they finished 6-10. However, it must be pointed out this will be the first 17-game schedule in NFL history.
