Dallas Cowboys: Top 3 most intriguing matchups against the Chargers
By Riley Donald
Dallas Cowboys Wide Receivers vs. Chargers Slot Defenders
The Dallas Cowboys received the unfortunate news that wide receiver, Michael Gallup, will be placed on the injured reserve and unavailable until Week 5 due to a calf strain suffered in Week 1. This is a loss to a stellar group of receivers that makes things a little interesting in the game plan this week.
Cowboys fans saw quarterback, Dak Prescott, drop back and sling it all around the field against the Bucs. His arsenal of weapons gave him favorable matchups he was able to exploit most of the evening. Losing Gallup makes things a little tougher on this group as he was a proven starter in the league and his loss shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Luckily, the Cowboys employ Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, two receivers very much capable of playing outside or in the slot. Cooper put up an outstanding Week 1 game and while Lamb did have some issues with drops last week, those are not an area of concern for me just yet.
Each of them still surpassed 100 yards receiving and found the end zone. Moving these two around, like the Chargers will do with Keenan Allen via motion and formations, will be key to getting them favorable matchups.
The Chargers will put Chris Harris Jr. as their slot corner with Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. as the outside cornerbacks. Harris is a proven asset in the league with 149 games, four Pro Bowl selections, and one First-Team All-Pro selection. Michael Davis has appeared in 60 games while rookie Asante Samuel Jr. has one game under his belt. The Cowboys attacking these two is where I believe they have an advantage.
Cooper and Lamb can each play inside and outside without much issue. Look for these two to move all-around to get themselves matched up with anyone aside from Chris Harris Jr. and find a pre-snap mismatch. Cowboys wide receiver, Cedrick Wilson, also is capable of stepping up as a reliable third option as he still chipped in three catches during the season opener.
Hot. A disastrous start for America’s Team. light
The Dallas Cowboys have the firepower on offense to hang with the Chargers, but it would be game-changing if Trevon Diggs and the secondary can slow down Keenan Allen. The Chargers have defensive talent in Joey Bosa and Chris Harris Jr. that will make the Cowboys earn their yards and points on Sunday. These three matchups and how they appear in the box score should likely be quite telling in regards to the final result.