Getty
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Chargers won their fourth straight game after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 34-17 on December 21 at AT&T Stadium. After being eliminated from playoff contention, Dak Prescott put together a performance to help the Cowboys win.
Prescott completed 21 of 30 pass attempts for 244 passing yards and two touchdowns. Nonetheless, the Cowboys’ defense couldn’t stop the Chargers’ offense, as Los Angeles racked up 452 total yards.
Furthermore, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 23 of 29 pass attempts for 300 passing yards and two touchdowns. After the loss to Los Angeles, Prescott spoke with the media and shared what the Chargers did right to secure the victory.
“The mentality, all that was there,” Prescott told reporters after the loss. “They executed the game plan better and played a more complete game than us. At the end of the day, we did not play complementary football. In the first half, we were rolling and did not get the stops on defense. In the second half, we got the stops on defense but were not doing much offensively.
“That lack of balance is where you get a result like that against a good team that is great at controlling the ball, and they did that tonight. There were plenty of times I was on the sideline getting antsy and fidgety because they do a great job of controlling the clock and marching their way downfield. We did not make the stops we needed, and ultimately we did not score enough points.”
Chargers’ Justin Herbert Gives Update on His Injury
Herbert is a couple of weeks removed from having surgery in early December 2025 to repair a fractured metacarpal in his non-throwing left hand. After the win, the Chargers star shared an update on how he’s feeling heading into the final two games of the regular season.
“It’s getting better,” Herbert told reporters postgame. “The swelling’s going down, and I have a much better grip on the ball now. I think every week, every day helps, just getting used to it and allowing the bone to heal. So, it’s been good so far… The hand held up pretty well [against the Cowboys] just kind of landed on it funny.”
Justin Herbert Expands on His Update
Mobility is another part of Herbert’s skill set that depends on securely handling the ball. The Los Angeles quarterback explained that carrying the football while on the move has felt better recently, noting steady progress now that several weeks have passed since the surgery.
“It’s getting better,” Herbert added. “Just getting the swelling down, just getting better grip and mobility of it. That’s been the biggest thing. I felt like today I could hold on to the ball better. So I think as long as we’re going in the right direction, it’s good.”
Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers set the tone by keeping Dallas on the sideline for long stretches. Los Angeles controlled possession for 34:27, while the Cowboys held the ball for 25:33. That edge in time of possession helped the Chargers rack up 452 total yards against the Dallas defense.
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports journalist covering the NFL for Heavy.com. He previously covered the league for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has contributed as a freelance writer for The Sporting News. He also served as an editor for Athlon Sports and Heavy Sports focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
More Heavy on Chargers
Loading more stories