The San Diego Chargers dominated the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of last year’s preseason. The Chargers have a good chance to repeat their success as they host a team with a lot of questions heading into the exhibition season.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Chargers are the favorites at home and should continue to be the popular pick. San Diego stuck it to Dallas in Preseason Week 1 last year, winning their matchup 27-7 with Kellen Clemens going 5 for 5 with 134 yards and a touchdown to lead the way.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
The starters for each team are locked in so there are no major battles behind center as Phillip Rivers and Tony Romo—baring injury—will obviously get the starts going into the regular season. Neither, however, is likely to see much time, if any, on Thursday.
Behind Romo, the visiting Cowboys have Brandon Weeden, Dustin Vaughn and Jameill Showers.
Weeden struggled as the starter in Cleveland before the Cowboys picked up the now 31-year old to back up Romo last year.
In 28 career games, including 21 starts, Weeden has completed 57.4% of his passes for 6.6 yards per attempt. The veteran quarterback has thrown for 26 yards and 28 interceptions in his career. Last year, Weeden got into five games—making one start—and was a bit better than his career averages with a 58.5% completion rate and a 85.7 passer rating.
Behind Rivers, the Chargers have Kellen Clemens along with Brad Sorensen and Chase Rettig.
Sorensen was 22 for 39 last preseason for the Chargers though he did have a pair of interceptions. Against the Cowboys in Week 1, he went 5 for 7. Clemens has played in 42 games over a nine year NFL career with 21 starts. In 2013, he started nine games and threw for 1,673 yards, completing 58.7% of his passes.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
This is Mike McCoy’s third season at the helm for San Diego and his teams finished a mediocre 9-7 in his first two years.
In the preseason, they were just 1-3 in 2013 and 2-2 a year ago, including one win against the Cowboys in Week 1. On the flip side, Jason Garrett is getting ready for his sixth season as head coach. Last year, he led the team to a 12-4 record, finally breaking a streak of three consecutive 8-8 years.
The preseason last year, however, didn’t go well. The Cowboys went 0-4. Given that, it is unlikely Garrett will care about his team’s preseason record as much as getting the team ready for the games that matter.
QUOTE TO NOTE
Speaking on his philosophy early in the preseason, Garrett had this to say about his young players:
“…You really help your football team by giving younger guys and backup players an opportunity early on to see where they are, to see them compete on as level a playing field as possible.”
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
Who gets the carries in Dallas? The line was good for DeMarco Murray last year, but Murray himself accounted for a bulk of the team’s offense with 1,845 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He also handled a heavy workload with 392 carries.
It’s unlikely anyone can replicate his season, even Murray had he stayed a Cowboy, but without him the team is a whole lot of questions and few answers. Darren McFadden may be the biggest name of the class, but injuries and ineffectiveness of late make him a question and he isn’t even expected to practice until after the preseason opener.
That leaves Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar with the inside track for carries. Randle has had success with the team, but questions persist if he can handle the workload.
INJURIES
This list is likely to grow for both sides, but for now the Chargers have Antonio Gates out of action and the Cowboys are without Greg Hardy, both of whom have been suspended.
Dallas is also without cornerback Brandon Carr due to a broken bone in his right hand. Carr recorded 45 solo tackles last year, but didn’t have an interception. In seven seasons, the vet has 14 interceptions.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Given Clemens’ success against the Cowboys last year, the Chargers’ home field edge and their 27-7 victory a year ago, look for San Diego to once again capture the win—both SU and ATS—in their preseason debut on Thursday.
San Diego 24, Dallas 13
The NFL online odds for this Thursday game were first available at BookMaker sportsbook. The Chargers were pegged as 3-point chalk while the total opened at 38. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
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