🏈 (Updated 6:45 pm) MNF: Cowboys vs. Chargers

NFL Week 6 Monday Night Football

MONDAY, OCT. 16

Riding the momentum of back-to-back wins, the Chargers (2-2) are refreshed and raring to go after their bye week.

On the flip side, the Cowboys (3-2) are seeking redemption after a stinging 42-10 defeat by the 49ers last Sunday.

History is on the Chargers' side, having dominated three of their last four meetings with Dallas. Yet, the Cowboys clinched a 20-17 victory in their last encounter in 2021, thanks to a last-second field goal.

While neither team are leading their division, the stakes are high as both eye the playoffs.

It’s almost game time. Let’s get it!

1. Monday Night Football

2. Injury Report

3. Inactive List (updated as of 6:45 pm)

4. Week 6 Winners & Losers

5. Big Questions from Week 6

6. Week 7 Early Injury Report

Cowboys (3-2) vs. Chargers (2-2)

• WHERE: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)

• WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, NFL+

• MONEYLINE: Cowboys: -135 | Chargers: +115

• SPREAD: Cowboys -2.0 | O/U: 51.0
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Our Take

Are we sure the Cowboys are actually good?

Their three wins have come against teams that are a combined 4-11, while their two losses were blowouts on the road -- including the second biggest upset so far this season. (Jets vs Eagles now takes the top spot)

But …

The same could be said of the Chargers, who, at 2-2, could just as easily be undefeated or winless.

It's hard to trust either team right now, so I'm leaning toward the one that's had an extra week to heal and prep, and one that actually scores touchdowns -- not field goals -- in the red zone

That being said the leading online sportsbooks report more than 60% of the spread bets and money are on Dallas, so what do I know.

Betting Odds Trend:

For those looking to place a wager on tonight’s game, here some odds trends:

• Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (+480) - Over/Under 253.5 passing yards

• Chargers QB Justin Herbert (+700) - O/U 274.5 passing yards

• Cowboys RB Tony Pollard (-185) - O/U 69.5 rushing yards & 23.5 receiving yards

• Chargers RB Austin Ekeler (-220) - O/U 51.5 rushing yards & 32.5 receiving yards

• Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb (+150) - O/U 73.5 receiving yards

• Cowboys WR Michael Gallup (+340) - O/U 36.5 receiving yards

• Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks (+340) - O/U 34.5 receiving yards

• Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson (+270)- O/U 35.5 receiving yards

• Chargers WR Keenan Allen (+135) - O/U 85.5 receiving yards

• Chargers WR Josh Palmer (+300) - O/U 43.5 receiving ayrds

• Chargers TE Gerald Everett (+420) - O/U 26.5 receiving yards

COWBOYS

• OUT: LB Leighton Vander Esch (neck/concussion), CB C.J. Goodwin (pectoral)

• DOUBTFUL: S Juanyeh Thomas (hamstring)

• QUESTIONABLE: OT Chuma Edoga (illness)

CHARGERS

• DOUBTFUL: DB Deane Leonard (hamstring), S Alohi Gilman (heel)

• QUESTIONABLE: TE Donald Parham Jr. (wrist), DL Nick Williams (back), LB Joey Bosa (toe)

CHARGERS

• S Alohi Gilman

• CB Deane Leonard

• RB Elijah Dotson

• OL Zack Bailey

• WR Simi Fehoko

• DL Christopher Hinton

COWBOYS

• LT Asim Richards

• S Juanyeh Thomas

• RB Deuce Vaughn

• CB Noah Igbinoghene

• DE Viliami Fehoko Jr.

• CB Eric Scott Jr.

• QB Trey Lance (emergency QB)

Week 6 of the NFL season started Thursday night with the Kansas City Chiefs' defense holding Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson to under 100 yards passing.

On Sunday, in the season's final game from London, the Baltimore Ravens held off the Tennessee Titans as kicker Justin Tucker matched his career high with six field goals.

The Cleveland Browns' defense showed up in a big way in a win over the previously undefeated San Francisco 49ers, while the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins had no problem finding the end zone.

The Philadelphia Eagles, facing the New York Jets, suffered their first loss of the season, the New England Patriots fell to 1-5 while the Detroit Lions' stifled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield.

On Sunday night, the Buffalo Bills overcame a scoreless first half to edge the New York Giants and spoil coach Brian Daboll’s homecoming.

Can the Giants build off this performance?

The Giants led into the fourth quarter and would've had a commanding lead had they not botched it at the end of the first half.

But at least this team showed some fight.

The Giants' defense played well, shutting out the Bills in the first half.

We'll also see a healthier Giants team in the upcoming weeks. Running back Saquon Barkley flashed in the second half, quarterback Daniel Jones has a chance to return next week from a neck injury and left tackle Andrew Thomas might be only a few weeks off.

Is it time to take the Jets seriously after their upset of the Eagles?

The Jets, left for dead after Rodgers' season-ending Achilles injury, improved to 3-3 and have three winnable games after their Week 7 bye -- Giants, Chargers and Raiders.

Their defense forced four turnovers and absolutely befuddled quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Without starting cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed (both out with concussions), the Jets made three interceptions and shut down A.J. Brown in the second half.

If they can solve their red zone issues on offense, the Jets could be a surprise team in the AFC playoff race.

What did we learn from the 49ers' first loss?

Through the first five weeks, the 49ers looked invincible, but they proved to be mortal for the first time Sunday as their 15-game regular-season winning streak ended.

Not much went right in this one.

Cleveland's defense dominated the line of scrimmage, handing quarterback Brock Purdy easily his worst game as a pro.

The Niners lost multiple key players to injury and the defense committed costly penalties that led to the Browns' game-winning drive.

It's rare that the Niners were the less physical team, but they were, and others who want to beat them will have to try to follow Cleveland's blueprint.

With the Eagles up next, how concerning was the Dolphins' start to Sunday's game?

The Panthers took an early 14-0 lead, but the Dolphins responded with 35 unanswered points and 428 total yards.

Coach Mike McDaniel loves being the underdog, so perhaps he’s using Sunday as a wake up call not to overlook any opponent.

Slow starts aren’t what we’re used to from the NFL's most explosive offense, which has grabbed the second-most yards through six games in NFL history.

Considering how the Dolphins finished the game, it's probably safe to place the glass cover back over the panic button.

Can the Chiefs sustain the way they're playing defense?

Yes.

It's no longer a small sample size. Through six games, the Chiefs were allowing the second-fewest points (14.7) per game and fifth-fewest yards (284) coming into Sunday.

They will get challenged over the next few weeks with upcoming games against the Chargers, Dolphins and Eagles, but the Chiefs have shown they are capable of holding their own.

Editors Note: I’m receiving a disturbing amount of emails on TSwift but this isn’t that kind of newsletter. Sorry Swifties.

Christian McCaffrey/Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers

In Week 6, Christian McCaffrey suffered a significant injury, leading to Jordan Mason getting more playtime than Elijah Mitchell. Both players are now sought-after waiver-wire pickups.

Deebo Samuel left the game due to an injury after a pregame altercation and failed to record a catch. While initial X-rays were negative, he's slated for more tests, marking his second injury concern this season.

Justin Fields, Chicago Bears

Justin Fields exited in the third quarter due to a dislocated thumb, hindering his ability to throw. His status for Week 7 is uncertain. If unavailable, undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent will step in, potentially limiting the Chicago offense's potential.

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence is set for an MRI on Monday for a potential knee issue, but it's not believed to be serious. With a game against the Saints on Thursday, if Lawrence is unavailable, C.J. Beathard will be the backup choice.

Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans

Tennessee's offense, already facing challenges, saw quarterback Ryan Tannehill carted off with an ankle injury. The forthcoming bye week may allow for his recovery. If unavailable, Malik Willis is the likely replacement, but Will Levis could be considered to rejuvenate the 2-4 team's offense.

Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas Raiders

Jimmy Garoppolo faced injuries this season and was hospitalized for a back issue on Sunday, leading Brian Hoyer to take over. Despite Garoppolo's challenges, the Raiders don't seem to fare better with either Hoyer or Aidan O’Connell as quarterback.

David Montgomery, Detroit Lions

David Montgomery, enjoying a rejuvenated season in Detroit, had to exit his second game this year due to a potential rib injury. Though X-rays were negative, his availability for Week 7 is uncertain. If Jahmyr Gibbs is unavailable, Craig Reynolds might lead as Detroit's primary running back.

Damien Harris, Buffalo Bills

During Sunday Night Football, Bills' Damien Harris was escorted off the field in an ambulance, though he signaled a thumbs-up so hopefully it was precautionary. If he's unavailable, Buffalo's backfield will primarily feature James Cook and Latavius Murray, enhancing both their potentials.