The Chargers and Cowboys look to be heading for a shootout in Texas after one half.
Here are a few things to take away from the first two quarters.
Perfection
The Chargers scored touchdowns on all three of their first-half drives, and Dallas scored on their first three drives, then took the end of the half on their fourth, making Sunday’s contest the first game since Week 6 where neither team punted or committed a turnover in the first half. Justin Herbert was surgical for the Chargers, completing 14 of his 16 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns while adding a third score on the ground.
Omarion Hampton gets going
Hampton averaged 6.9 yards per carry in the first half, toting the rock 7 times for 48 yards. The rookie, who is in his third game back from injured reserve after fracturing his ankle, has been able to run through arm tackles all day and has given the Chargers a more physical presence on the ground. With Kimani Vidal struggling – 7 yards on four carries – Sunday certainly looks like it’s Hampton’s turn to take the spotlight.
Matchup advantage
The Chargers clearly see an advantage for all of their receivers against Cowboys cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., a third-round rookie who is coming off a torn ACL. Second-round pick Tre’ Harris has had that matchup most often, turning it into a team-leading 48 yards on three receptions. Fifth-round rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith also converted a third and 10 on his only catch of the game against Revel.
Vertical stops
Neither team has been able to defend the deep pass through two quarters. The Chargers found Quentin Johnston on a 23-yard go ball down the left sideline in the first quarter for their first touchdown, then got Ladd McConkey wide open on a wheel route from the slot down the right sideline for a 25-yard score in the second quarter. Dallas has mostly found George Pickens down the field, as he has beaten Cam Hart down the sideline twice to set up a Ryan Flournoy red zone score and a touchdown for Pickens.
Del’Shawn Phillips makes his Pro Bowl case
Phillips has the second-most special teams tackles in the league, trailing only Denver’s Devon Key. The veteran linebacker started the first half with three tackles on four Chargers kickoffs, limiting former All-Pro returner KaVontae Turpin to returns of 20, 24, and 23. Given how the Chargers have struggled on kickoff coverage this season and how dynamic Turpin can be, Phillips showing up on Sunday has gone a long way in preventing the third phase of the game from making a massive difference for the Cowboys.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers vs. Cowboys: First-half takeaways from Week 16 game
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