At 3-2, the Dallas Cowboys look like a playoff team at times, but also one that will inevitably disappoint all of us in the end. There are moments when this team looks like it can get back to the NFC Championship game for the first time since the Bill Clinton administration was in office. On other occasions, they look like that glorified ratings hype train that seemingly everyone is addicted to.
Last week was a prime example of that. Dallas had its clock cleaned by the juggernaut San Francisco 49ers in the Bay Area, 42-10. It was one of those losses where everybody pointed the finger at everyone else. All the while, San Francisco looks like the toast of the NFC, and probably across the entire league, if we are being totally honest. So where do we go from here if you are the Cowboys?
Well, they have a game to play this week. It is the last one on the Week 6 slate, as Dallas will stay out on the west coast and play in front of what will surely be a mostly Cowboys crowd. Yes, Dallas will face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Monday, Oct. 16 in primetime. The Bolts are a respectable 2-2, but they are one bad playoff loss away from firing their head coach.
Kickoff from SoFi Stadium for ESPN's Monday Night Football will be at 8:25 p.m. ET, 5:25 p.m. PT.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Chargers: What time does MNF start?
It is interesting that Los Angeles has only played four games up to this point. Most of the rest of the league will have completed its sixth game of the campaign before toe meets leather at SoFi. I think a lot of this has contributed to Chargers head coach Brandon Staley not having as hot of a seat as he probably should have. If he were to fail, the Chargers could just promote Kellen Moore from within.
That might actually be the most interesting wrinkle of this game. Moore not only played for the Cowboys before retiring, but he was the offensive coordinator for America's Team last season. His final play call resulted in Ezekiel Elliott playing some center and getting moved like a five-man blocking sled against his will. Dallas' last two playoff disasters contributed to Moore's departure.
If Dallas wins, then more and more people will turn on Staley, no matter how good, bad or ugly Moore's offense performs. Should the Bolts get the victory, there is no telling what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will say at the podium afterwards. It will be a terrible look for head coach Mike McCarthy, possibly contributing more so than ever to his lame-duck status. They let Moore walk last offseason...
As with Sunday Night Football, this game will be more about the loser than the winner to some extent.