Chargers’ 20-17 loss to Cowboys by the numbers

Breaking down the notable numbers behind the Chargers’ 20-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium on Sunday:

12

Penalties committed by the Chargers for 99 yards. The Cowboys committed eight for 76 yards.

2

Touchdowns the Chargers had called back because of penalties.

25

Games the Chargers have played that have been decided by one possession since 2019, the most in the NFL. The Chargers are 8-17 in those games.

2012

Year of the last season the Chargers began a campaign with a 2-0 record.

10

Number of 300-yard passing games the Chargers’ Justin Herbert has had in 17 outings. He tied Dan Marino’s record for most 300-yard games in his first two NFL seasons.

Chargers

Chargers’ problems with penalties cost them in last-second loss to Cowboys

The Chargers didn’t punt against the Dallas Cowboys, but their problems with penalties proved costly in a 20-17 loss decided on a game-ending field goal.

Sept. 19, 2021

Summary

Cowboys 14 0 0 6 — 20
CHARGERS 3 8 3 3 — 17

Dallas — Pollard 4 run (Zuerlein kick), 8:06. Drive: 16 plays, 78 yards, 6:51. Key plays: Pollard kick return to Dallas 22, Elliott 10 run on 3rd-and-3, Elliott 1 run on 3rd-and-2, Pollard 5 run on 3rd-and-1, Prescott 20 pass to Jarwin, Prescott 7 pass to Cooper on 3rd-and-5. Dallas 7, CHARGERS 0.

CHARGERS — Field goal Vizcaino 46, 3:32. Drive: 5 plays, 17 yards, 2:24. Key plays: Samuel 26 interception return to Dallas 45, Herbert 11 pass to Ekeler. Dallas 7, CHARGERS 3.

Dallas — Elliott 5 run (Zuerlein kick), :17. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:15. Key plays: Pollard 16 run, Prescott 12 pass to Pollard, Lamb 13 run, Prescott 10 pass to Lamb, Prescott 13 pass to Lamb. Dallas 14, CHARGERS 3.

CHARGERS — M.Williams 12 pass from Herbert (Ekeler run), 9:49. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:28. Key plays: Ekeler 16 run, Diggs 0 interception return to Dallas 47, Herbert 12 pass to Cook on 3rd-and-11, Herbert 27 pass to M.Williams on 3rd-and-13. Dallas 14, CHARGERS 11.

CHARGERS — Field goal Vizcaino 32, 9:22. Drive: 14 plays, 61 yards, 5:38. Key plays: Herbert 3 run on 4th-and-1, Herbert 42 pass to Allen on 3rd-and-15. Dallas 14, CHARGERS 14.

Dallas — Field goal Zuerlein 34, 10:20. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 4:40. Key plays: Kazee 0 interception return to Dallas 20, Pollard 28 run, Pollard 23 run, Prescott 11 pass to Schultz on 3rd-and-6. Dallas 17, CHARGERS 14.

CHARGERS — Field goal Vizcaino 29, 3:54. Drive: 13 plays, 64 yards, 6:31. Key plays: Herbert 15 pass to M.Williams, Herbert 30 pass to Allen, Herbert 14 pass to Ekeler on 3rd-and-25. Dallas 17, CHARGERS 17.

Dallas — Field goal Zuerlein 56, :00. Drive: 12 plays, 49 yards, 3:54. Key plays: Prescott 7 pass to Elliott on 3rd-and-4, Elliott 3 run on 3rd-and-1, Prescott 12 pass to Cooper. Dallas 20, CHARGERS 17.

RUSHING: DALLAS, Pollard 13-109, Elliott 16-71, Lamb 1-13, C.Wilson 1-5. CHARGERS, Ekeler 9-54, Jackson 4-21, Herbert 4-12, Guyton 1-9, Rountree 1-(minus 1).

PASSING: DALLAS, Prescott 23-27-1-237. CHARGERS, Herbert 31-41-2-338.

RECEIVING: DALLAS, Lamb 8-81, Jarwin 3-37, Pollard 3-31, Cooper 3-24, Elliott 2-26, C.Wilson 2-20, Schultz 2-18. CHARGERS, Ekeler 9-61, Williams 7-91, Allen 4-108, Cook 3-28, Palmer 2-21, Guyton 2-13, Anderson 2-9, Jackson 1-8, Rountree 1-(minus 1).

PUNT RETURNS: DALLAS, None. CHARGERS, Hill 1-6.

KICKOFF RETURNS: DALLAS, Pollard 3-71. CHARGERS, None.

TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS: DALLAS, J.Smith 6-3-0, Diggs 6-0-0, Kearse 5-1-0, A.Brown 5-0-0, Vander Esch 4-3-1, Hooker 3-0-0, Neal 3-0-0, Watkins 2-1-0, Parsons 2-0-1, Lewis 2-0-0, Basham 1-2-0, Kazee 1-1-0, Odighizuwa 1-1-0, Anae 1-0-0, Armstrong 1-0-0, Kamara 1-0-0. CHARGERS, Adderley 8-1-0, James 5-2-.5, Murray 5-2-0, Tillery 4-3-.5, Davis 4-2-0, White 4-1-0, Samuel 3-1-0, Tranquill 3-0-0, Gilman 2-2-0, Bosa 2-1-0, Joseph 2-1-0, Covington 2-0-0, Fackrell 1-0-1, Gaziano 1-0-0, Hall 1-0-0, Nwosu 0-2-0.

INTERCEPTIONS: DALLAS, Diggs 1-0, Kazee 1-0. CHARGERS, Samuel 1-26.

FIELD GOALS MISSED: CHARGERS, Vizcaino 44.

Officials — Referee Tony Corrente, Ump Dan Ferrell, HL Patrick Turner, LJ Tim Podraza, FJ Anthony Jefferies, SJ Don Willard, BJ Todd Prukop, Replay John McGrath.

Attendance — 70,240.