Cowboys vs Chargers Odds, Lines, and Picks for Week 2 Matchup

• The Chargers are 3.5-point home favorites over the Cowboys on Sunday
• Perrotto Betting Record: 0-0 (coming off injured reserve)
• A look at the odds and matchups can be found below with a prediction

The Dallas Cowboys will try to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2010 when they visit the Los Angeles Chargers at 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

It should be a perfect Southern California day with the high temperature forecast for 73 degrees and a southwest wind from 5-10 mph. The game will be televised to most of the nation by CBS.

Cowboys vs Chargers Odds

Odds as of September 18th at DraftKings.

The Chargers opened as three-point favorites with the total at 52. Both numbers have gone up throughout the week.

Close Win, Close Loss

The Cowboys lost 31-29 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in their opener as 9.5-point underdogs last week. Ryan Succop kicked the game-winning field goal from 36 yards with two second remaining.

RYAN SUCCOP 36-YARD FG FOR THE WIN!!

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/7bqQi3f2P9

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 10, 2021

Meanwhile, the Chargers notched a mild 20-16 road upset of the Washington Football Team as two-point underdogs. Justin Herbert followed up his 2020 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award by throwing for 337 yards.

The teams are playing for the first time since Thanksgiving in 2017. The Chargers were one-point picks when they routed the Cowboys 28-6 in North Texas.

Where Did Zeke Go?

The Cowboys seemed to have little interest in trying to establish the run in Week 1. Dak Prescott had 403 passing yards and tossed three touchdowns passes. Amari Cooper caught 13 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel Elliott had just 11 carries for 33 yards. The two-time NFL rushing champion is coming off a disappointing 2020 when he rushed for just 979 yards despite playing in 15 games.

Prescott said Zeke helped in other ways.

Dak Prescott on Ezekiel Elliott vs. Tampa: "You turn on the tape and we're not in the game if Zeke doesn't make a lot of those blocks. There's not many backs that can do that time and time again. … He means a lot to this offense."

(Video: @thecheckdown) pic.twitter.com/i8AkG72hSm

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 16, 2021

Dallas had 58 passing plays and 18 runs even though never trailed by more than nine points. Perhaps the Cowboys will go to the ground game more this week after the Chargers held Washington to 135 yards in the air but gave up 126 on the ground.

Herbert Looking Good

Herbert completed 31 of 47 passes against Washington and seems to have assimilated well into new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s scheme. The wide receiver duo of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams combined for 17 receptions and 182 yards.

Herbert now has nine 300-yard passing games in 16 career starts. He is also the only quarterback in NFL history to have more than 400 career completions and 4,500 yards through his first game 16 games.

Justin Herbert on 3rd/4th down in Week 1:

🥇 94.4 PFF Passing Grade (1st)
🥇 12 1st down completions (1st)

Clutch on the money downs 👀 pic.twitter.com/uR357g5smA

— PFF (@PFF) September 16, 2021

Tom Brady and the Buccaneers riddled the Cowboys for 379 passing yards and four touchdown passes in Week 1. It is also instructive to note Allen had 172 yards on 11 catches against the Cowboys in 2017.

Injury Report

The Cowboys will be without offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe, who has a heat-related illness. Safeties Damontae Kazee (thigh) and Donovan Wilson (groin) are questionable.

Right offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga was placed on the reserve/injured list by the Chargers on Friday with groin and back maladies. Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (shoulder) will also miss the game while defensive tackle Justin Jones (calf) is doubtful and safety Nasir Adderley (groin) is questionable.

we've signed Michael Schofield + placed Bryan Bulaga on reserve/injured.

→ https://t.co/qmNFEfMs2W pic.twitter.com/1v5qUqxt5q

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 17, 2021

With Bulaga out, the Chargers will look for first-round draft pick Rashawn Slater to have a strong game at left tackle following a fine debut in Washington.

Cowboys Will Hang Tough

The Chargers have the upper hand in this infrequent interconference rivalry, winning three games in a row by an average margin of 11.3 points. They haven’t lost to the Cowboys since 2005.

The Cowboys, though, hung tough on the road with the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers on opening night. They appear ready to play the Chargers tough, too, especially if Elliott gets involved in the flow of the game instead of being used as a blocking back.

The Pick: Cowboys +3.5 (-120)