Chargers - Cowboys live online: Johnston TD stats, scores and highlights | NFL Week 16
The Los Angeles Chargers look to punch their postseason ticket as they take on the Dallas Cowboys. Follow along with all the live action!
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Aubrey kicks to the Chargers 4 and Vidal MUFFS the catch, recovers it at the 4 and takes it 9 yards before he's tackled by Houston at the 13.
The Cowboys had their next score in the end zone with another catch by Flournoy, but a penalty on Smith called it back and they had to settle for a field goal. Brandon Aubrey made the 33-yard try and Dallas takes back the lead to start the 2nd quarter.
COWBOYS FIELD GOAL!
Prescott pass to Turpin in the end zone was incomplete with two defenders on him - 4th and 14
Cowboys' Flournoy made the TD catch AGAIN, but there was a HOLD on TylerSmith, so it was called back.
3rd and 14 at the 15 instrad
Prescott pass caught by Pickens for 6 yards - 3rd and 4 at the 5
Prescott pass incomplete to Pickens - 2nd and 10 at the 10
Lamb joins Irvin in Cowboys history with that last catch!
END FIRST QUARTER
That takes us to the end of the first quarter. The Cowboys and Chargers are tied 7-7 after trading scores. Dallas now has the ball on the Chargers' 10 on 1st down.
Prescott pass caught by Lamb for 5 yards - 1st down at the 10
Prescott pass caught by Ferguson for 6 yards - 3rd and 4 at the Chargers 15
Prescott pass incomplete to Williams - 2nd and 10
Davis gains 2 - 1st down
Prescott hands it to Turpin and he gains 9 yards. The ball came loose, but Turpin was already down - 2nd and 1
Prescott keeps it and scrambles for 8 yards - 1st dowb
Prescott pass caught by Lamb for 6 yards - 2nd and 4
Williams takes it up 3 yards - 1st down at the Chargers 46
Davis stopped by Perryman after a yard - 3rd and 2
Prescott pass to Turpin caught for 7 yards with Jefferson pulling on his shirt tail - 2nd and 3
Davis takes the ball and pushes forward for 8 yards - 1st down
Williams gains 6 - 2nd and 4
*Beebe back on the field for Dallas
Dicker kicks to the Cowboys 5 and Turpin returns it 24 yards to the 29, tackled by Phillips
Quentin Johnston, Chargers glad to have you on the field!
Herbert made the deep pass to Quentin Johnston for a 23-yard score! Dicker's PAT was good and the Chargers tie up the game on their first possession with 6:43 to go in the 1st quarter.
CHARGERS TOUCHDOWN!
Chargers tackle Jamaree Salyer was injured on the previous play
Hampton gains 3 yards, stopped by Overshown - 2nd and 7
Herbert pass to Harris again caught for 11yards - 1st down
Herbert pass to Harris CAUGHT and he gets away for 23 yards - 1st down at the Cowboys 36
Herbert pass to McConkey caught for 4 yards - 3rd and 5
Vidal stuffed after a yard - 2nd and 9
Chargers on offense
Aubrey kicks to the Chargers 4 and Vidal returns it 31 yards to the 35
Flournoy with the Cowboys TD!
The Cowboys scored on their opening drive after 10 plays. Led by a 28-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb on a 4th down play, Ryan Flournouy caught the 5-yard pass in the end zone for the touchdown. Aubrey's PAT was good and the Cowboys take an early lead with 10:20 to go in the 1st quarter.
COWBOYS TOUCHDOWN!
Prescott pass to Lamb is caught for 4 yards - 3rd and 4
Williams takes the ball but he's stopped by Tart and Henley after 2 yards - 2nd and 8
Cowboys center Cooper Beebe was injured on the previous play
Cowboys go for it on 4th and 2 and Prescott makes the deep pass to Pickens and it's CAUGHT for 28 yards! 1st down at the Chargers 11
Prescott pass incomplete to Lamb - 4th and 2
Prescott pass short to Williams for a gain of 5 - 3rd and 1
Williams gains 4 - 2nd and 6
Prescott makes the pass to Lamb for 13yards - 1st down
Williams gains 5 - 2nd and 5
Prescott faked the handoff, threw to Pickens for 14yards - 1st down
HERE WE GOOO!
Cowboys are starting us on offense! Dicker kicked to the Cowboys 1 and Turpin returned it 20 yards. Let's go!
Cowboys' dominant offense
Despite the disappointing record, the Cowboys' offense has actually been one of the league’s more productive units in 2025. Dallas ranks near the top of the NFL in total yards and scoring, averaging just under 30 points per game, but repeated breakdowns on the defensive side have consistently erased that advantage, turning strong offensive performances into narrow losses.
The Chargers have allowed fewer than 20 points in three straight games, flipping the script on a defensive unit that struggled early in the season.
Once again, the Dallas Cowboys top the list of most valuable sports teams by a landslide, and once again they are decades away from a championship.
Pickens' cooldown
Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens' late-season momentum stalled just as the Cowboys needed him most. After back-to-back 140-yard outings earlier this month, Pickens has been held in check in consecutive losses, totaling just eight catches for 80 yards across the last two games. The Vikings limited him to three grabs for 33 yards, following a similarly quiet showing in Detroit.
The dip doesn’t erase what’s been a record-setting debut season. Pickens’ 1,212 receiving yards are the most ever by a Cowboys player in his first year with the team. But his recent disappearance has been impossible to ignore, unfortunately.
Justin Herbert's reputation has long carried a soft edge in the national conversation: big arm, clean mechanics, a quarterback who wins with touch and timing more than force. Chad Alexander does not buy any of it.
The cornerback has been absent since sustaining a concussion in an at-home accident in October, missing a crucial two months of the NFL season.
Cowboys-Chargers Injury Report/Inactives
Chargers Injury Report
The Chargers will be without several contributors this week, including wide receiver Derius Davis, veteran edge rusher Bud Dupree, and starting tackle Trey Pipkins III, thinning both their speed and protection up front. Tight end Tyler Conklin is also inactive, limiting some of Justin Herbert's short-to-intermediate options. The team is otherwise relatively healthy, with Herbert and the team’s top offensive weapons expected to play, though the absences along the offensive line and at pass-catcher put added pressure on a unit that has leaned on efficiency rather than explosiveness during its playoff push.
Cowboys Injury Report:
Dallas’ inactive list is headlined by defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and left tackle Tyler Guyton, continuing a trend of major trench losses that have defined the Cowboys’ season. The secondary is also shorthanded with Caelen Carson out, though Trevon Diggs has officially been activated, and is likely playing, after his long stint on injured reserve, especially with DaRon Bland expected to miss the rest of the year.
How the Cowboys blew their chances
The Cowboys entered the 2025 season with hopes of returning to the playoffs under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, but inconsistency and injuries left them struggling to find traction. After a midseason rally that included a dramatic comeback win over the Eagles and a victory over the Chiefs, Dallas faltered down the stretch with losses to the Lions and Vikings that stalled their playoff push.
Entering Week 16 at 6-7-1, the Cowboys still had a slim path to the postseason, but a 29-18 Eagles win over the Washington Commanders officially clinched the NFC East for Philadelphia and eliminated Dallas from playoff contention, marking the second straight season the Cowboys will miss the postseason.
How the Chargers can get to the postseason...
The 10-4 Chargers are in the playoffs...just not officially, yet. Even if they lose to the Cowboys today, they've still got a 90% chance of making it. Those are pretty good odds. A win doesn't clinch. their spot automatically thoygh. Here's exactly what they need to seal the deal today.
Win and Houston Texans loss vs Las Vegas Raiders (today, 4:25 p.m. ET)
OR
Win and Indianapolis Colts loss vs San Francisco 49ers (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Hello and welcome to AS USA's LIVE coverage of the Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys game!
The Cowboys were officially eliminated from playoff contention yesterday after the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Washington Commanders. Meanwhile, the Chargers could officially punch their postseason ticket with a win and a little help.
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. We will be here to bring you all the live updates, scores, highlights, and commentary from kickoff to the final whistle.
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